What’s On In Sydney This Week, This Month And Beyond
Lizzie Scorer
Contributor | Urban List, Sydney, NSW
Eloise Luke
Contributor | Urban List
2025 is serving a massive lineup of events and activities in Sydney/Eora to keep your calendar absolutely loaded.
Expect a jam-packed October in Sydney with heaps of food-filled experiences, unique events, theatre shows, and a banging roster of entertainment.
Here are Urban List's picks for the best things to do in Sydney this week, the rest of October and further into 2025.
- October 2025 Food Events And Markets
- October 2025 Art, Culture And Exhibitions
- October 2025 Music, Theatre And Film Events
- What's Coming Up In Sydney And Beyond
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October Food Events And Markets
American Express Secret Menus
Various Locations | Wednesday 1 October—Friday 31 October
Image credit: Cho Cho San | Supplied
Ever wondered what chefs whip up when they’re not plating your usual order? Well, the kitchen curtain’s finally lifting. We’ve teamed up with American Express® for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it secret menu dining series—your VIP pass to fresh flavours you won’t find on the menu.
From October through to November, we're taking over twelve of your favourite venues across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney with exclusive secret menu dishes. Think: personal passion projects, recipes that’ve been quietly marinating for years or culinary experiments that have been kept under lock and key…until now.
First up, Cross Section is serving El Obsesión—a gloriously over-the-top sanga stacked with Mexican-spiced pulled beef, smashed avo, molten cheese, tangy green salsa, and a riot of roasted corn, parsley, and onion. It’s the kind of sandwich that demands two hands (and zero regrets).
Meanwhile, Cho Cho San is twisting tradition with their Pig’s Head Carbonara Udon. Springy udon noodles are swirled through a glossy, umami-rich sauce for a decadent spin on carbonara that’s all about indulgence. Slurping? Highly encouraged.
Don’t sleep on this one—the first six-venue bursts are only running until 31 October.
Dine-Out With Uber Eats
Various Locations | Ongoing
Image credit: Island Radio | Instagram
With eating out getting pricier by the month, plenty of Sydneysiders are rethinking their restaurant habits. But while the splurge might be shrinking, the love of a shared meal isn’t going anywhere. That’s where Dine Out with Uber Eats comes in—a new initiative helping diners stretch their budget a little further.
The first round of offers are running until 9 November, offering discounts of up to $200 off at a wide mix of Sydney restaurants. Expect fine dining favourites like nel., Chester Whites and Bottega Wine Bar, as well as mid-range gems including Island Radio, Pieno, Fabbrica and Don’t Tell Aunty. You’ll also find casual classics like Mary’s, Zeus Street Greek and Tuga Pastries joining in, making it easy to keep your local rituals alive without spending a fortune.
The best part? These offers are available any day and time the restaurant’s open (aka no happy-hour restrictions or weekday fine print) so you can plan your next dinner, date or catch-up on your own terms.
Pearls And Plates
Broken Bay Pearl and Oyster Farm, 12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney | Tuesday 25—Wednesday 26 October
Image credit: Pearls And Plates | Instagram
Set on the tranquil Hawkesbury River, Broken Bay Pearl and Oyster Farm is hosting a truly unique dining event. Cruise past working pearl and oyster leases, hear the stories behind Australia’s three native pearl species, and settle in for a six-course feast by acclaimed chef Guy Jeffreys, paired with premium local wines.
Your ticket also includes the chance to meet the farmers, enjoy live music from local artists, and browse bespoke jewellery crafted from locally grown pearls. Opt for a base-level booking, or upgrade for the ultimate indulgence with a seaplane transfer and pearl grading masterclass.
Mangan’s Golden Chocolate Bar
Various Luke Mangan & Co. venues | Until late October 2025
Image credit: Mangan's Golden Chocolate Bar | Trent van der Jagt
Inspired by the magic of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, celebrity chef Luke Mangan has created a limited-edition dessert experience, offering the chance to win $50,000 worth of prizes. Order one of his handcrafted, gold-dusted, mousse-filled chocolate bars and crack it open; if salted caramel comes oozing out, you’re one of just ten golden ticket winners.
Each lucky winner scores a scratch card to reveal their prize—think luxe four-day cruises, indulgent three-course dinners, or a once-in-a-lifetime superyacht feast on Sydney Harbour for you and your mates, hosted by Luke himself.
The offer is available exclusively at Luke’s Kitchen at Kimpton Margot Hotel, Luc-San in Potts Point, and Luke’s Bistro & Bar at Sydney’s Domestic Qantas Terminal until late October or until all ten golden tickets are redeemed. Book online before all the prizes are gone.
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Aria Snack Bar
Aria Restaurant Sydney, 1 Macquarie Street, Sydney CBD | Daily
Image credit: Aria Restaurant Sydney | Supplied
Sydney Harbour’s refined waterfront restaurant, Aria, has introduced a bougie-on-a-budget bar menu perfect for late-night dining. Highlights include a $26 Wagyu smash burger with Section 28 cheese and beer onions, $12 tuna tartare with white soy and chives, $28 Siberian caviar served with pressed potato and egg yolk jam, an $18 ice cream sundae drizzled with sherry caramel and pecan, plus a $45 cheese platter with four premium Australian cheeses and seasonal pairings. Walk-ins are welcome any time, or book online daily from 8pm.
Aprés On The Harbour
Pier Bar, 11 Hickson Road, Dawes Point | Daily, 12pm–9pm
Image credit: Pier Bar | Website
A floating wonderland has taken over Pier Bar on Sydney Harbour, complete with crackling firepits, sparkling lights, chic cocktails and cosy outdoor cabanas overlooking the water. The menu is filled with warming favourites like a cheesy potato bake and truffle jaffle, steak frites, oven-baked camembert, and a candle-lit Biscoff fondue served with pretzels, toasted marshmallows and fresh strawberries to dip.
A half cabana fits 4 guests with $150 minimum spend, a full cabana fits 8 with a $300 minimum spend and the entire cabana area fits up to 14 with a $600 minimum spend. Aprés On The Harbour is open daily from 12pm to 9pm. Book online.
Nothing Set: Bombies Dinner Club
Level 1/29 Moore Road, Freshwater | Thursdays, from 7pm
Image credit: Bombies | Supplied
A groovy weekly dinner club has landed on the Northern Beaches at '70s-style rooftop bar and live music venue Bombies above the Harbord Hotel in Freshwater. Every Thursday night, dive into a changing mystery set menu for just $45pp, matched with low-intervention vino by Doom Juice and live tunes courtesy of boogie-fied improv group Beat Mystique. And as a huge bonus: the first six tables to book in each week will score themselves a bottle of Doom Juice. To find out what’s on the menu, you’ll have to book in.
Recovery Sundays
Baptist Street Rec. Club, Corner of Cleveland and Baptist Street, Redfern | Every Sunday
Image credit: Baptist Street Rec. Club | Supplied
Wanna end the weekend right? Redfern’s Baptist Street Rec. Club is slinging complimentary spring rolls all day for Recovery Sundays alongside $7 beers and $8 house wines. From 2pm, you can also grab $15 Margaritas and Palomas, plus $10 Bloody Marias and West Coast Coolers ‘til 10pm. There'll be DJs spinning groovy tunes, board games to rally around and a mouthwatering menu on the lineup, too. Book online.
Cheese Making Class With Bottomless Bubbles
Shop 2a, 791–795 Botany Road, Rosebery | Various dates in September and October
Image credit: Omnom Cheese Making | Facebook
A hands-on cheese-making class is a perfect way to spend a not-so-sunny day in Sydney. Part of RedBalloon’s Best Of Guaranteed experiences, you’ll learn how to make burrata and bocconcini from scratch with expert instructors, all while enjoying bottomless bubbles. And the best part is: you’ll take home almost one kilo of handmade cheese. Tickets are $109 per person. Book online.
Suntory Bar
Whisky Thief, Prefecture 48, 230 Sussex Street, Sydney CBD | Until Saturday 8 November
Image credit: Suntory Bar | Jiwon Kim
Premium Japanese beverage house Suntory takes over Prefecture 48’s Whisky Thief for a three-month-long stint of Tokyo-level cocktails and elevated malts, alongside exclusive snacks by legendary chef Tetsuya Wakuda—marking the first chance to taste Tetsuya’s cooking since the closure of his eponymous Sydney CBD restaurant in July 2024.
Try a botanical Roku G&T, an ‘80s-style Japanese Slipper starring Suntory’s Midori melon liqueur, and the hero serve: a refreshing Hakushu Highball, made with crisp Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve whisky from the highest distillery in the world, paired with soda and fresh mint.
There’s also premium whisky flights available and a strong roster of Suntory’s RTDs, such as Minus 196, Jim Beam & Cola and Canadian Club, plus The Premium Malt’s Beer. Book online.
October Art, Culture And Exhibitions
Oktoberfest In The Gardens
The Domain, 1 Art Gallery Road, Sydney CBD | Saturday 25 October, 1pm–9pm
Image credit: Oktoberfest In The Gardens | Facebook
Australia’s biggest Oktoberfest festival returns to Sydney this October and we could not be more keen. Dress up in your best dirndl or lederhosen, sink imported German beer steins, wines and ciders at the massive beer hall and grab tasty eats like pretzels and bratwurst from heaps of food stalls.
There’ll be thrill rides, a silent disco, a Berghain-inspired rave cave, wood chopping demos, multiple live music stages, competitions, roving performers, and a few more surprises. Tickets start at $49.90.
Sydney Ceramics Market
Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh | Saturday 18–Sunday 19 October
Image credit: Sydney Ceramics Market | Samee Lapham
Over 130 ceramic artists will be slinging their hand-built and wheel-thrown pottery pieces at the Sydney Ceramics Market in October. Shop from small businesses and local artisans like Coe Studio’s unique lamps, glossy tableware by Ann Howe, hanging bells by Nina Field Studio, delicate Korean-style pieces by Chung Ha Studios and sculptural art by Lisa Hoelzl, who works out of an old Marrickville bakery. View the full list of makers and keep an eye out for tickets online.
The Island: Summer Season
Departure: Man O'War Steps, Farm Cove Street, Sydney CBD | Every Saturday
Image credit: The Island | Instagram
The Island’s Summer Season is in full swing, with a five-hour parties from 3pm until sunset every Saturday. Expect next-level DJs, cocktails and unbeatable harbour views at Sydney’s favourite floating bar. Guests can level up with VIP Banquette booths, Rooftop access or table packages, while water taxi transfers run every 20 minutes from Man O’War Steps from 2:50pm, making it the easiest way to get to the action.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
Fever Pavilion, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park | From Friday 29 August
Image credit: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition | Supplied
Explore Renaissance Rome without leaving Sydney at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition, open from Friday 29 August at Fever Pavilion in Sydney Showground. The immersive 60-90 minute experience brings to life 34 of Michelangelo’s frescoes, including The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment, in true-to-size, high-definition reproductions.
Whether you’ve seen the originals or not, the exhibition provides a rare chance to walk through one of history’s greatest masterpieces from a never-before-seen perspective, letting visitors admire every brushstroke up close without the busy Vatican crowds around. Sign up for the waitlist to book tickets online.
Sydney Writers’ Festival Program
State Library of New South Wales, 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney CBD | From Thursday 18 September
Image credit: State Library of NSW | Jacquie Manning
Racking up over 101,000 attendees earlier this year, the Sydney Writers’ Festival is launching a year-round program of exciting literary events in addition to its popular annual festival. The first program drop features four live talks at the State Library of NSW, including 2025 Stella Prize winner and Theory & Practice author Michelle de Krester in conversation with Malcolm Knox on Thursday 18 September, romance writers Melanie Saward and Saman Shad discussing cultural identity and love from perspectives hardly seen on the page on Thursday 25 September, best-selling author Hannah Kent on her debut memoir Always Home, Always Homesick about growing up alone in Iceland on Thursday 2 October, and environmentalist and former politician Bob Brown on his new book Defiance on Friday 10 October. Tickets start at $35, book online.
Plate It Forward’s Third I Festival
Various Locations | Until Sunday, 26 October
Image credit: Plate It Forward | Supplied
Plate It Forward hospitality group has now launched their Third I Festival to celebrate all things food, culture and community (and a little more food) until the end of October. Bringing together a diverse range of people and celebrating the multiculturalism of Australia, this festival brings international, inner west, and indigenous communities to venues like Colombo Social, Kolkata Social, and Kyiv Social.
Explore their events online and book your tickets to experience thrilling live performances, dinners full of storytelling, and special chef collaborations to satisfy the palate. Their story dinner series event on October 20 and 21, along with their laneway party event (the big finale) on October 26 are just two of the must-go-to events during this festival.
The Neighbour At The Gate
NAS Galleries, National Art School, 156 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst | Until Saturday 18 October
Image credit: …that awaits at the end of life | Jacky Cheng
The Neighbour at the Gate is a major exhibition at the NAS Galleries exploring connections between First Nations and Asian Australian communities through powerful installations, films, and performances curated by Clothilde Bullen OAM (Wardandi Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji), with Michael Do and Zali Morgan (Whadjuk Balladong and Wilman Noongar).
Highlights include Yawuru-based Malaysian-Chinese artist Jacky Cheng’s all-encompassing paifang (Chinese gate monument) installation, a bingo night-inspired installation by Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding, and a moving image and sound work by Iranian-Australian artist Elham Eshraghian-Haakansson—all interrogating themes of national identity, migration, and cultural resilience. The exhibition is free to attend anytime between 11am to 5pm Monday–Saturday, from 11 July until 18 October.
Cerith Wyn Evans....In Light Of The Visible
Level 3, Museum Of Contemporary Art, 140 George Street, The Rocks | Until Sunday 19 October
Image credit: Museum of Contemporary Art | Website
Welsh contemporary artist and sculptor Cerith Wyn Evans presents his first ever exhibition in Australia, Cerith Wyn Evans….in light of the visible at the Museum of Contemporary Art. His towering neon light installations create an immersive environment of light and sound, inviting guests to discover the exhibition as if they are wandering through a garden.
Major works include Sydney Drift (2025), hanging sculptural forms taking inspiration from Sydney Harbour/Warrane, F=O=U=N=T=A=I=N (2020), a three-metre-tall white neon wall which audiences can walk through, and Composition for 37 Flutes (2018), where 37 glass pipes breathe sound into the gallery. Book tickets online from $20 for adults and $16 for concessions.
RELICS: A New World Rises
Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Darlinghurst | Until Tuesday 27 January, 2026
Image credit: Australian Museum | Website
Created by LEGO® Masters winners Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler, RELICS: A New World Rises is an immersive exhibition at the Australian Museum showcasing 14 mini LEGO® worlds inside vintage objects. Think lively LEGO® towns inside an antique piano, and newsroom scenes in old TVs.
Running until 27 January 2026, the exhibition also has an interactive build area, custom scavenger hunts and audio guides. Tickets are $29 for adults, $25 for concessions, $19 for children aged 4-15, and free for children aged 0-3 and Australian Museum members. Book online.
Pup Yeah!
QT Hotels & Resorts | Ongoing
Image credit: QT Hotels & Resorts | Supplied
QT Hotels & Resorts is pampering pooches across Australia and New Zealand with dog-friendly stays. Pup Yeah! boasts pet-appointed rooms, luxe orthopedic memory foam CUB beds, St Argo’s hand-baked treats stocked up in the mini bar, dog-friendly room service with dishes like steak tartare and bacon ice cream, plus a bunch of designer grooming products from smith&burton to truly spoil your furry best friend.
To top it all off, each QT destination has a Strut Your Pup digital map, offering guides on the best local walks, parks, pup-friendly cafes and photo ops. Book a well-deserved stay for you and your pooch online.
October Music, Theatre And Film Events
Live Music Lineup At Elliott's
79 Elliott Street, Balmain | Every Weekend
Image credit: Elliott's | Instagram
Since their recent opening in Balmain, Elliott's have been curating a live music program that takes full advantage of the Inner West's recently relaxed music laws—and things are getting loud this weekend. The courtyard hosts a rotating lineup of vinyl DJs and live soul, funk and blues sets every weekend, curated by Jordan McDonald (NITE-RITE Entertainment).
Duelling Pianos
The Oxford Hotel, 195 Victoria Road, Drummoyne | Saturday 18 October, 8.30pm
Image credit: Duelling Pianos | Supplied
Watch two pianos battle it out in a high-energy showdown at The Oxford Hotel in Drummoyne. Duelling Pianos is a free event featuring guilty-pleasure throwbacks and sing-a-long favourites, played on piano by music masters. No booking needed, just head on in and find a table or standing space. You can also grab a hearty pub feed beforehand at the upstairs Bistro. View more info online.
Tender Comrade
White Rabbit Gallery, 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale | Until Sunday 16 November
Image credit: White Rabbit Gallery | Supplied
Until 1997, homosexuality was classified as a crime in China under the offence of 'hooliganism'. Despite no longer being considered a crime, the societal hangover and cultural pressures on LGBTQ+ individuals and communities persist. These communities call themselves tongzhi (同志) meaning 'comrade' or 'common will'.
Curated by David Williams, this month White Rabbit welcomes the opening of an exhibition that celebrates the resilience of Chinese queer communities. Leaning into the works that celebrate their powerful camaraderie, this exhibition allows its audience to immerse themselves in the tenderness that has bolstered Chinese queer communities to defy erasure. Find out more online.
The Book of Mormon
Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket | Until Sunday 30 November
Image credit: Capitol Theatre | Website
Labelled “the best musical of this century” by the New York Times, the Tony, Olivier and Grammy award-winning musical-comedy, The Book Of Mormon, is returning to Sydney at the Capitol Theatre.
If you’re not familiar with the plot of this smash-hit, it follows two young mismatched Mormon missionaries as they aim to spread the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to a remote village in Uganda, which quickly unfolds with hilarious improvisations and satirical sing-a-longs. Tickets start at $99, plus a booking fee. Book online.
What's Coming Up In Sydney And Beyond
What Ability Day
North Sydney Oval, 2 Fig Tree La, North Sydney | Saturday 1 November 10am–12pm
Image credit: What Ability | Website
Sydney’s annual What Ability Day is heading to North Sydney Oval for a morning of all-inclusive outdoor fun. Welcoming anyone with disabilities who are looking to play some sports, toss around a ball, and grab a photo or two with local athlete icons, this event comes ticketed at the unbeatable price of zero dollars. Come on up with your family members and carers too, to enjoy some excitement during this sunny spring season. Book online here.
Ghost In The Rocks Returns
The Rocks, Sydney CBD | Thursday 30 October—Sunday 2 November
Image credit: Ghost In The Rocks | Supplied
After selling out in a flash last year, Ghost In The Rocks is back and better than ever—with four jam-packed nights of live music, spooky theatre, and DJs that might just raise the dead. Take a stroll through Poliakov's Haunted Woods, a ring of cabins serving scarily delicious eats from cult favourites like Messina. At the centre, the Poliakov Vodka Mainstage keeps the party pumping with live DJ sets all night long—or take a seat at the vodka bar and let the master mixologists whip you up a cocktail.
You certainly won't be short for plans this Halloween, as there's an activity for every age. If retail therapy is more your deal, keep on walking to the Halloween Market on Playfair Street—by day, expect pumpkin spiced treats and artisan wares; by night, bubbling fog, witches gathered on dark corners, and all sorts of curious creations. Need a break from the action? Settle in to a deckchair at the Ghost Cinema, where cult classic horror films are airing on the big screen; or party with the dead in some of Sydney's most haunted spots. The festival is free to enter, with certain ticketed events available to purchase online.
Now, fill your calendar with
- 50 Of The Absolute Best Things To Do In Sydney
- Sydney's Best Walks To Do In 2025
- The Best Restaurants In Sydney Right Now
Main image credit: Destination NSW | Tom Cunningham
Editor's note: Urban List editors independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. Urban List has affiliate partnerships, and if you purchase something through the links in this article, we will earn a commission from those partners. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.
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