What’s On This Weekend In Sydney
Lizzie Scorer
Contributor | Urban List, Sydney, NSW
Eloise Luke
Deputy Editor (Local Markets) | Urban List
Looking for the best things to do in Sydney/Eora this weekend? There's never a shortage of exciting activities in Sydney to keep your calendar full.
Whether you want to scratch that clothes-shopping itch, settle in with a spritz, look for foodie feed, check out cool art or groove to DJ beats—we reckon you'll find something here to keep you occupied.
Here's what's on this weekend in Sydney.
A $19 Margarita, Slider And Cheesecake Deal Is Coming To Above 319 At Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour
Above 319, Rooftop of Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour, 319-325 Sussex Street, Sydney CBD | Fridays from 9 October, 3:19-6:19pm
Image credit: Above 319 | Supplied
Sydney's quirkiest happy hour kicks off this Friday, and yes, it starts at 3.19pm. It's a nod to the bar's name and a gentle push to knock off early and make the most of the longer days.
The Weekend Warm-Up gets you three items for $19: a margarita, espresso martini or 'Let's Get Tropical' mocktail, plus a beef, chicken or halloumi slider and a mini cheesecake in vanilla, raspberry or passionfruit. All of it comes with skyline views from the 14th floor.
The deal runs through October and November, and walk-ins are welcome.
O'Donuts Haymarket
Harbour Street, Haymarket (opposite Paddy's Markets) | Opens Saturday 10 October
Image credit: O'Donuts | Supplied
Sydney's viral Japanese Nama donut specialists are opening a second store, and it's right in the heart of Haymarket. After a Chatswood debut in March, O'Donuts is bringing its soft, pillowy, not-too-sweet donuts closer to the city, just moments from Darling Square and the light rail.
The secret is in the dough. Pumpkin is blended in before more than 16 hours of low-temperature fermentation, and everything is made fresh in-store every day. Expect more than 12 sweet and savoury flavours, from best-sellers like Brulee Custard, Matcha and Pistachio to new Ube and Banana Hazelnut. Savoury options include Truffle Cheese Cream and Smoked Salmon.
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Mini Chefs Will Be Stretching Pizza Dough In Free Masterclasses At Darling Quarter This Weekend
Darling Quarter North Village Green, 1-25 Harbour Street, Darling Harbour | Saturday 10-Sunday 11 October, 10am, 12:30pm, 3pm and 6pm
Image credit: Little Chef | Supplied
Darling Quarter is putting mini chefs to work with Little Chef, a series of free masterclasses for kids aged 6 to 12, run out of a purpose-built workshop kitchen by chefs from the precinct's best food spots.
Kids can stretch and top pizza dough with Vesta Italian, make bubble tea with Chatime, put together Dopa's Karaage Chicken Doki Box or decorate a Kurtosh Kid Cube. They'll share their creations with the family at the end, then head home with a recipe card, Junior Chef apron, certificate and commemorative badge.
Parents get a dedicated Parents' Terrace alongside the kitchen, with food and drinks from the local retailers, so you can sit back and watch.
Sessions are free but ticketed, with small groups grouped by age (6-7, 8-9 and 10-12), so register now.
Abode Bistro. Bar is Collabing with Vic's The Chef's Butcher And Is Serving Wild Kangaroo And Signature Cocktails
Abode Bistro. Bar, Park Royal Darling Harbour | Monday 5 October-Sunday 1 November
Image credit: ABODE Bistro. Bar | Supplied
A month-long dining series celebrating Australian farmers and premium meat is underway at Abode Darling Harbour - which has teamed up with family-owned butcher Vic's. And each week spotlights a new dish paired with a signature cocktail.
This week, it's wild-harvested Paroo Kangaroo with morcilla sausage, onion soubise, salsa verde, padron peppers and veal jus, matched with a Lemon Myrtle Cocktail. Next week it's White Rocks Veal Osso Bucco with a Spiced Negroni.
Goodies & Friends: Melbourne Chef Dave Verheul Takes Over The Kitchen At Bessie's In Surry Hills For One Night Only
Bessie's, 111-115 Albion Street, Surry Hills | Monday 12 October, 6:30pm
Image credit: Bessie's | Supplied
Start the week with a good one. Melbourne chef Dave Verheul, co-founder of Embla and the vermouth label Saison Aperitifs, is taking over Bessie's kitchen for one night only.
Expect a relaxed dinner with communal seating and dishes like a raw tuna and chickpea tostada with kalamata olive and sobrasada, and a globe artichoke tart with ricotta, pine nuts and fermented buttermilk. A selection of special bottles will be on offer, alongside the full Saison range, including the Australian take on rosso, the floral White Flowers and the Spring Rhubarb.
Tickets are $120 per person, with drinks purchased on the night.
Sydney's Biggest Paper Daisy Display Has One Last Weekend At Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, Mount Annan, NSW | Until Sunday 11 October, daily during Garden opening hours
Image credit: Botanic Gardens | Supplied
Sydney's biggest paper daisy display is in its final days, and entry is free. Find the flowers in the Connections Garden beside Lakeside Lawn, then make a day of it with live music on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 3pm, a posy jar or bouquet from the Oak & Blossom florist pop-up (Friday to Sunday), and free kids' craft on Saturday.
Grab a coffee or gelato from Bar Coco, gozleme from the food truck or breakfast at the Gardens Cafe. The new Muru Nangamai / Pathway to Dreaming Walk, which takes in poetry, language, art and summit views, is also open. Pinot & Picasso's painting workshops are bookable, with adults $65 and kids $45.
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After Dark, Bella Vista Farm Turns Into A Secret Garden Under A Giant Illuminated Moon
Bella Vista Farm, Bella Vista, NSW | Until Sunday 11 October, gates open 7:30pm, last entry 9:30pm
Image credit: Bella Vista Farm | Supplied
Echoes is back with an all-new chapter, and this time the grounds become a secret garden that only appears between dusk and dawn. Wander beneath a giant illuminated moon, past falling stars and glowing meadows, on a 45 to 90 minute after-dark walk. Expect lasers, holograms and projections that react to your footsteps, plus fireflies, moonflowers and a watchful owl hidden in the trees.
A quieter low-sensory session, with softer light and sound and smaller crowds, runs before general admission each night. Tickets start at $12.13 for kids, $17.40 for adults and $49.04 for a family.
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Rare Plants, Speciality Growers And Expert Talks Are Coming To Eden Gardens This Weekend
Eden Gardens, 307 Lane Cove Road, Macquarie Park, NSW | Saturday 10 October, 9am-3:30pm
Image credit: Mother Earth Nursery | Supplied
A plant fair packed with rare and unusual finds is taking over Eden Gardens in Macquarie Park, NSW, this Saturday. Run by family-owned Mother Earth Nursery, the day brings together speciality growers and nursery stalls to wander through. Between browsing, you can hear from renowned horticulturalists, put your questions to the Q&A panel and settle in with a coffee and a bite to eat while the music plays. If there's a rare plant on your wishlist, this is the place to track.
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Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Is Shouting Sydney Free Morning Coffees
The Grounds of the City, The Galeries | Thursday 8 October, 7am–12pm
Image credit: The Grounds | Supplied
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man is shouting Sydney free morning coffees at The Grounds of the City on Thursday 8 October, celebrating the arrival of Spider-Man: Brand New Day on Prime Video. From 7am to 12pm, swing by for a free regular takeaway coffee served in a limited-edition Spider-Man-themed cup, with Spider-Man himself also making a special appearance between 7am and 11am. There’ll be a few extra Friendly Neighbourhood touches throughout the café, plus five different ‘Brand New Day’ cards featuring messages of Courage, Kindness, Adventure, Instinct or Possibility.
Love Tilly Devine Fundraising for Nepal
Love, Tilly Devine, 91 Crown Lane, Darlinghurst | Wednesday 7 October, from 6pm
Image credit: Love Tilly Group | Supplied
Love Tilly Group is hosting a one-off charity dinner for Nepal, with all profits going to the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund to support flood rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. It's worth putting in the diary now, because it's the following Wednesday.
The Nepali-inspired a la carte menu is led by Ragazzi Head Chef Rajesh Bhandari, alongside Palazzo Salato's Biji Tamang and Love, Tilly Devine's own Deepa Dangi. Think 'Tuna Puri' (crispy pani puri shells filled with yellowfin tuna and tamarind), buffalo stracciatella with toasted soybeans and crispy chilli, and fried chicken momo with tomato-chilli achar. There's also spaghetti tossed with slow-cooked goat in Nepali spices, and Juju Dhau, a sweet Bhaktapur-style yoghurt served with berries and mint, to finish. The wine and drinks list will be available as usual.
Can't make the night? From 28 September to 4 October, $1 from selected dishes across the group will also go to the fund, including the mafaldine at Palazzo Salato and the cacio e pepe at Ragazzi and Fabbrica.
Sandy's Summer Series
URBNSURF, Sydney Olympic Park | School holidays
Image credit: URNSURF | Supplied
Sandy's is turning the lawn at URBNSURF into a weekly summer fixture, with live music, lawn games, cold drinks and bookable cabanas by the water. The launch weekend has three live sets. On Saturday 3 October, Max Lush plays from 12pm to 3pm and Ritchie Marriot from 4pm to 7pm. On Sunday 4 October, Travis Drew plays from 12pm to 3pm. Stone & Wood is on the taps, with pints for schooner prices throughout October and November.
Expect giant Jenga, cornhole and Connect 4 on the lawn, plus surprise pop-ups all summer. Saturdays are for live local talent, while Sundays are laid-back acoustic sets that suit families.
Harper Rooftop Bar
Level 7, 339 Pitt Street, Sydney CBD | Wednesday-Friday 4-11pm, Saturday-Sunday 12-11pm
Image credit: Harper Rooftop Bar | Supplied
Sydney's biggest open-air rooftop bar is officially back for spring and summer. Perched on top of Kimpton Margot, Harper has skyline views, poolside vibes and one of the CBD's only dog-friendly rooftops, so the pup gets a spot too.
Celebrity chef Luke Mangan has whipped up a tropical-leaning snack menu with hot honey popcorn, Sydney rock oysters with pineapple mignonette and Cajun prawns with chipotle and pineapple salsa. There's also a dedicated daiquiri bar, frose and boozy sorbet pops.
Walk-ins are welcome.
Unlimited Fries
The Commons, Martin Place, Sydney CBD
Image credit: The Commons | Supplied
We've never met a bottomless deal we didn't love. And this one by The Commons is no exception.
To mark its 10th year, it's going all in on hospitality - and carbs, with its Martin Place bar one of two flagship venues serving unlimited fries (Collins Street in Melbourne is the other).
Expect classic salt and vinegar fries with sauces that have a bit more personality, like pineapple barbecue. They're part of a new bar menu built for the gap between knocking off and dinner, which is where the 4pm Negroni comes in. Frank Berardi leads the refresh.
Cheesecake and Cocktails
Maybe Sammy, 115 Harrington Street, The Rocks | Wednesday-Saturday, from 4.30pm
Image credit: Maybe Sammy | Supplied
Urban legend has it that Frank Sinatra never left a show without a slice of cheesecake … and we're not about to argue with Ol' Blue Eyes.
Fortunately Sydneysiders don't need a flight to Vegas to keep the ritual alive. Maybe Sammy, the Rat Pack-inspired cocktail bar in The Rocks, has a late-night pairing that fits its 1950s Vegas vibes. And it looks like a slice of lemon cheesecake with a Martini or a coffee cocktail.
The dessert comes from Bondi institution Da Orazio, and the bright, zesty lemon is a good match for a cold, dry Martini. Prefer something richer? The coffee cocktail is the way to go, and it works as a sweet treat in its own right.
Lotus Residency at Pearl
Pearl Dining, Circular Quay | From Friday 11 September
Image credit: Kera Wong
When Lotus The Galeries closed its doors for good on 12 April, it left a dumpling-shaped hole in Sydney's heart. Fortunately, on Friday September 11, the restaurant's most-missed hits relocated to Pearl Dining in Circular Quay, where Lotus Dining Group Executive Chef Steve Wu has built them a new harbourside home.
Duck lovers can tuck into Lotus Beer wok-fried duck, duck san choy bao and the duck fried rice with mustard seed. The dumpling lineup includes pork xiao long bao, prawn and pork siu mai and spicy chilli prawn dumplings, served in two-piece portions for sharing. And, the delicious, delicious lobster comes with a choice of nine sauces.
Cake & Cocktails At Black Star Pastry
Black Star Pastry, Newtown | From Saturday 22 August
Image credit: Black Star Pastry | Supplied
Black Star Pastry is taking its Newtown store into the evening with a new Cake & Cocktail experience launching this Saturday. Signature slices like the Strawberry Watermelon Cake and Chocolate Oasis Cake are paired with bespoke cocktails built to match, available as a $99 guided Flight Experience across three cakes and three cocktails, or as $35 Signature Pairings if you'd rather pick your own adventure. There's a snack menu to go with it too, from mini Japanese Chicken Pies to yuzu salt popcorn, so you can make a proper night of it.
Jazz Sundays At The Apollo
19 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction | (Note: check venue address) — Every Sunday, 16 August – 25 October
Image credit: Apollo | Supplied
Apollo's monthly jazz lunch has had a promotion, now running every Sunday from August 16 through to October 25. Renamed Jazz Sundays, it brings live jazz and a long lunch to Potts Point from 12 to 4pm each week. Guests can go for the Jazz Sundays menu at $95 per person, complete with a curated off-menu cocktail on arrival and Apollo favourites like signature saganaki and slow-cooked lamb shoulder, or stick with the à la carte and banquet menus. Perfect for a lazy Sunday with friends, or a family lunch that runs long.
Darlo Sake Nights At Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar
Darlinghurst | Every Thursday, 5–6pm
Image credit: Itadakimasu | Instagram
Darlo Sake Nights at Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar (from the team behind cult sandwich shop Sandoitchi) runs a guided tasting through three rotating sakes, led by a sake sommelier who'll talk you through the stories and flavours behind each pour. Food comes along for the ride too, with crispy chicken karaage, onigiri, fresh salad and a special soup rounding out the $49 introductory offer. It's the Japanese equivalent of a Friday knock-off drink, just moved a day earlier and done properly.
Brassaï: Secret Paris At Heide Museum Of Modern Art
Heide Museum of Modern Art | Until 15 November 2026
Heide Museum of Modern Art has unveiled Brassaï: Secret Paris, the most comprehensive survey of the Hungarian-born French photographer's work ever seen in Australia, and his first solo exhibition in the country in over five decades.
Co-curated by Heide Artistic Director Lesley Harding, Philippe Ribeyrolles (manager and curator of the Estate Brassaï and the artist's nephew), and French photography curator Emmanuelle de l'Ecotais, the exhibition brings together more than 150 original vintage prints capturing Paris in the 1930s. Expect Brassaï's atmospheric night photography, his experiments with Surrealism, hallmark images of early Parisian graffiti, and intimate portraits from his inner circle, including decades of photographs made in Pablo Picasso's studio, alongside Salvador Dalí, Henry Miller and cabaret singer Kiki de Montparnasse.
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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, 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.
Mechelle Bounpraseuth ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou
Art Gallery NSW, Naala Nura Building Lower Level 2 | Until February 2027
Image credit: Art Gallery Of NSW | Installation view of the exhibition Mechelle Bounpraseuth: ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, artworks © the artist
Ceramic Indomie, Sriracha and mangosteens are taking over the Art Gallery of NSW and best believe you'll want to mark this one down in your calendar. In Sou Sou (a Lao phrase of encouragement that kind of means 'keep going', 'stay strong' or 'you can do it'), Mechelle Bounpraseuth scales up a stack of everyday pantry staples and fruit into glossy, hand-built forms with an exhibition that leans hard into the rituals around her family table, pulling from Lao heritage to frame food as something deeper than sustenance.
This one is definitely an all-ages affair where visitors can gather on floor mats, leave offerings at a fruit shrine, or add to shelves of reimagined canned goods—a cool way of showcasing how these small acts echo how culture gets passed down, held and reshaped.
Parramatta Lanes Street Festival
Parramatta CBD | Wednesday 21 - Saturday 24 October, from 5pm
Image credit: Parramatta Lanes | Supplied
Parramatta's laneways and car parks are transforming into one of Sydney's biggest street festivals, with Parramatta Lanes returning for four free nights this October. Expect more than 20 festival sites across the CBD, ten music stages hosting 400-plus international, national and local artists, and 70-plus street food vendors, including plenty of local TikTok-famous names.
Beyond the food and music, the festival brings giant art installations, roving entertainment and quirky activations to unexpected corners of the city, drawing an estimated 400,000 people over the four nights. Running from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 October, it's a free celebration of everything that makes Parramatta and Western Sydney's culture scene tick.
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Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
Duke’s After Hours: Adult Happy Meal
109 Cronulla Street, Cronulla | Sundays
Image credit: Duke's Providore | Instagram
Forget sad Sunday scaries—Duke’s After Hours is giving Sydneysiders something much better to look forward to. Available on Sunday nights only for $50pp, the venue’s limited-edition “Adult Happy Meal” bundles together a three-course Italian feast and a glass of wine for a fraction of what you’d normally expect to pay.
The menu starts with a cacio e pepe croquette before moving onto pan-fried lasagne layered with slow-cooked ragù, finishing with a praline tiramisu for dessert. To wash it all down, you’ll score a glass of either Mario Primo Chianti or Rosetta Toscana Bianco, making this one of the city’s most tempting end-of-week treats.
Fujifilm instax Is Bringing An Epic Photo Pop-Up To Yours & Owls Festival
Yours & Owls Festival | 3–4 October
Image credit: Yours & Owls
Harbourside Cinema By Pier One
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Walsh Bay | Until Wednesday 30 September
Image credit: Pier One | Supplied
Movie night just got a harbour-view upgrade. Pier One Sydney Harbour is turning its Sunset Balcony Suite into a private open-air cinema this winter, complete with blankets, waterfront views and a custom movie-night trolley.
Launching from 11 May, Harbourside Cinema lets guests choose their own film before settling in beneath the Harbour Bridge with frozen yoghurt, popcorn and an outdoor screen overlooking Luna Park and Walsh Bay. There’s also an optional comfort-food menu featuring things like gourmet hot dogs, loaded fries, cheeseboards and Wagyu burgers if you're leaning into the full night-in energy.
The experience is designed for date nights, celebrations and group hangs, with room for up to eight guests.
Cronulla Street Photobooth
1-7 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Image credit: Cronulla Street Photobooth | Instagram
If you've got a special moment coming up, or are just keen to have a spontaneous day our, Cronulla Street Photobooth is ready and waiting to immortalise your day in film. This vintage-inspired booth is a recent addition to the local area, and well worth the potential lines. It's just $8 for three photos and two strips (pocket money, really), and a great way to add a bit of whimsy to your weekend.
Attenzione! Sunday Jazz & Dine Night
180 Redfern Street, Redfern | Sundays
Image credit: Attenzione! | Instagram
For a swish night out in Redfern backed by the soothing sounds of sax, dip into Attenzione! Food & Wine. The crew rounds out the week with a Jazz & Dine Night every Sunday. Think pizza fritta, sauce-slicked pasta and a top-tier wine list with the mood set by The Square, playing two sets at 6pm and 8pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are recommended.
Macquarie Ice Rink
Corner of Herring Road and Waterloo Road, North Ryde | Open daily
Image credit: Macquarie Ice Rink | Supplied
With the heat dialled all the way up this summer, Macquarie Ice Rink’s re-opening couldn’t have come at a better time. An inner-city institution since 1981, the Olympic-sized rink spent most of 2025 undergoing a multi-million-dollar glow-up—and now it’s officially back. Expect a pristine new ice surface, slick tech upgrades and modern amenities.
They also have a disco session every Friday and Saturday night from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Including skate hire, all session tickets are $32 for adults, $29 for students, $28 for children under 16 years and $12 for children under 5 years with a paying adult.
The Grifter Brewing Co. Happy Hour
1/391–397 Enmore Road, Marrickville | Wednesdays–Fridays, 4pm–6pm
Image credit: The Grifter Brewing Co. | Instagram
Dialling up the summer vibes, The Grifter Brewing Co. has rolled out a sunny happy hour to celebrate the expansion of their solar power setup. The Marrickville legends are slinging $7 cold schooners and $10 chilled wines at their tasting bar from Wednesday to Friday between 4pm and 6pm.
Arms Length Bar’s Weekend Specials
7 Kellett Street, Potts Point | Friday–Sunday, 12pm until late
Image credit: Arms Length Bar | Instagram
Arms Length is bringing special after special, including their Sunday $2 Oysters and discounted Lo Fi wines to amplify those end-of-week afternoons. Seated outdoors among fairy-light wrapped branches, share as many freshly shucked oysters as your heart desires while your wallet stays happy.
The bar is also hosting DJ nights every Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late, where you can sip on happy hour drinks from 4pm and get up to groove soon after. This spot gets busy, so keep an eye on their What's On page and book yourself a spot this weekend.
China Heights Exhibitions
Level 3, 16/28 Foster Street, Surry Hills | Wednesday–Saturdays, 12pm–5pm
Image credit: China Heights Gallery | Website
China Heights is a contemporary and independent art gallery set on bringing fresh creativity to the streets of Sydney. With a rotating exhibition program constantly in progress, you can enter for free to admire and be inspired by the newest artworks displayed.
There's also a catalogue of artworks available for purchase to anyone wanting to bring a piece of the gallery home. Whether it's a creative interest or a search for quality home decor, this gallery should be the next stop on your list.
Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
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