Things to do in Sydney today

Need a new profile pic? We’ve got you.  One of the world’s biggest immersive experiences has just landed in the Harbour City – serving up a fun, surreal backdrop for your Instagram grid glow-up . Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience is open now at Paddington Pavilion, Sydney Olympic Park, offering Sydneysiders a transporting, ultra-Instagrammable experience. Already experienced by more than two million visitors around the world, with sell-out runs in Milan, Los Angeles, London and Brussels, Bubble Planet is a fantastical world of optical illusions, cutting-edge virtual reality experiences, giant bubbles, and next-level immersive projections. Visitors to the Sydney site can expect to embark on a dreamlike journey through more than 10 otherworldly rooms, home to giant bubble domes, LED underwater-style wonderlands, selfie hubs and VR dreamscapes.  Almost 10,000 tickets were sold ahead of the official opening, so we expect this one will be another sell-out run for the people who brought the incredible immersive Van Gogh experience to Sydney back in 2020. Session at this bizarre immersive world run for between 60-90 minutes, and the experience is suitable for people of all ages – with kids under four welcomed in for free. Keen? You can learn more and snap up tickets over here.    Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, things to do and travel inspo, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Want more activity inspo? Here’s what’s on in...

One of the biggest visitor drawcards for the gorgeous State Library of NSW, the World Press Photo exhibition is back in Sydney for its most powerful year yet, with more award-winning photographers and unforgettable images that shook and shocked the world.  From war zones to the climate crisis, gender politics to migration, this stunning annual exhibition showcases the most astonishing, thought-provoking, and often beautiful images published by photojournalists in the past twelve months. Run by the World Press Photo Foundation, this year’s exhibition drew in a whopping 59,320 entries captured by 3,778 photographers from 141 countries, with 42 finalists selected by an independent jury.  World Press Photo is just one of seven free exhibitions on now at the Library. From Monday to Thursday, the exhibition is open 'til 8pm; plus, for three Friday nights during Vivid Sydney (May 30, June 6 and 13) the Library will be open for rare after-hours viewings from 6–9 pm. On Thursday, June 5, the Library is also teaming up with Fujifilm Australia for a special event with award-winning Australian photojournalist Dr. Michael Coyne, as part of the State Library Unplugged series. The Fujifilm Light and Lens Photowalk and Talk starts off with an immersive photo walk around the city, taking in the sights of Vivid Sydney, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Coyne, drawing on his 40-year career documenting international events. (Find out more about the event over here.) The 68th World Press...

You can celebrate Pride Month in Sydney with this month-long celebration of identity, creativity and inclusion at Qtopia Sydney. Pride Fest is rounding up more than 150 events and over 400 participating artists with a colourful program spanning theatre, cabaret, visual art, music, comedy, drag, literature, burlesque and more.  In Sydney, we have long celebrated LGBTQIA+ pride earlier in the year with the world-famous Sydney Mardi Gras Parade during the final weeks of our summer, and this often means that International Pride Month in June can be a little glossed over down here. However, Qtopia Sydney wants to change this.  Now in its second year, Pride Fest is designed to reflect Qtopia’s standing as a world-class cultural institution and a hub for the LGBTQIA+ community. We reckon more rainbow gatherings throughout the year can only be a good thing, especially when queer rights are under attack internationally. (Not to mention, the first ever Sydney Mardi Gras – a radical protest – was held in June, commemorating the Stonewall Uprising.) Pride Fest is packed with opportunities for LGBTQIA+ folks and allies to connect, celebrate and learn together. In addition to shows and exhibitions, the festival’s program includes a literary salon series in collaboration with The Bookshop Darlinghurst, film nights, live podcast recordings, and workshops.  To get the most out of your queer outing, we recommend booking in for a couple of back-to-back events that perk your interest (perhaps...

This winter, the esteemed five-star hotel located in the former General Post Office, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, is teaming up with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved mega-musical Cats to present a whimsical, feline-inspired afternoon tea that’s straight out of your Broadway dreams. Timed to celebrate the show’s spectacular return to Sydney for its 40th anniversary, the Cats Inspired Afternoon Tea promises a claw-some culinary adventure into the magical world of the Jellicle cats. Indulge in an imaginative menu of treats inspired by the world-conquering production’s most memorable characters, including a Victoria sponge cake with jam and mascarpone mousse, a nod to Victoria the White Cat. There’s also a choux with Dulcey whipped ganache in honour of the dapper Bustopher Jones, and a lobster medallion worthy of the glamourous Bombalurina. To top it all off, sip on the limited-edition Jellicle Ball cocktail, a refreshing mix of melon and lychee margarita. The Cats Inspired Afternoon Tea is served daily at The Bar on No.1 Martin Place, inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, from June 1 through September 2025, with sittings available from 12pm to 4pm. Prices start at $90 per person, including tea or coffee, $102 with a flute of Chandon, or $112 with a flute of Veuve Clicquot. Book your afternoon tea here. 

A week-long winter festival is going down soon across the banging venues in Redfern’s shiny new drinking and dining mecca, Wunderlich Lane, to celebrate the winter solstice. Kicking off Monday, June 16 and running through to Sunday, June 22, Nightshift will feature fun, wacky and delicious events (that’s you, noodle rave at Island Radio) every night of the week – all to get you off the couch and outta the house for some after-dark fun. Monday night begins with a bang: a full-on Greek feast at one of Sydney’s hottest new restaurants, Olympus. Round up a gang of nine mates and sit down to a theatrical banquette with loads of Greek hits under a 50-year-old bougainvillaea. On Tuesday, retro Australiana bar Baptist Street Rec Club will be hosting ‘The Best Music Quiz Everʼ, led by music legends Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe. Bondi’s S’wich is opening a brand-new store in Wunderlich Lane, so Wednesday night will see the crew turn their space into a vinyl pizza party. Think pizzetta sandwiches made with oven-fired bread from nearby Regina La Pizzeria, backed up by vinyl bangers played by locals Barney Kato and Adi Toohey. Also on Wednesday is a late-night jazz session at Bar Julius, with multi-instrumentalist Setwun taking over the groovy bar for a night of soothing experimental tunes. Head to dreamy lifestyle and homewares flagship Saardé on Thursday night for hot toddies, mulled wine and snacks by Saltbox and Cook and Waiter. Saturday night’s a biggie, beginning with a noodle rave...