ELEVATE Sydney, 2022Credit: Destination NSW
ELEVATE Sydney, 2022
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With its world-class events, pulsing arts and culture scene, and the golden sunshine making every part of the city sparkle with possibility, Sydney is the ultimate summer playground. And now, ELEVATE Sydney is literally stopping traffic on the Cahill Expressway, transforming it into the world’s most spectacular stage from 3-7 January with live music and entertainment aplenty – all for free. Here, all the quintessentially Sydney ways to elevate your festival experience.
SEE & EXPERIENCE
Framed by the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the glittering waters of Circular Quay, ELEVATE Sydney’s backdrop couldn’t be more iconic. Take your place in this living postcard as the Cahill lights up over five buzzing nights and four action-packed days.
Get set for big fun with your little ones as ELEVATE Family’s four mega mornings fill them with wonder from 10am-12.30pm, with a massive kids’ street party and playful surprises at every turn. Create new memories together as you zigzag between the festival’s larger than life characters and watch, dance and sing along with the likes of Bluey & Bingo, ERTH, Monski Mouse and The Gagliardies for feelgood moments galore.
Assemble your crew for stellar views, refreshing brews and a boogie or two as ELEVATE Social presents Australia’s best electronic artists from 2.30pm-5pm. As the afternoon sun turns the harbour into a sea of sequins, unwind with a cocktail, grab a bite and slip into summer’s soulful groove as Kinder, Running Touch (DJ), Kito and Harvey Sutherland create your pumping alfresco playlist.
Have you ever danced under the moonlight with bird's eye view of the world's most beautiful harbour? That’s what makes so quintessentially Sydney. From 8pm-11pm, party on another level as the likes of Amy Shark, Becca Hatch, The Veronicas, Betty Who, Client Liaison (DJ), Drax Project, Mallrat and Thelma Plum get front and centre. Nights so quintessentially Sydney.
PLAY
Supersize your ELEVATE Sydney experience by making the most of the city’s cultural events and energising natural spaces, all within easy reach of the festival’s stage.
Kickstart your most inspired year as the Sydney Festival unleashes its creative energy with 848 performances and events from 5-29 January. Discover the art and soul of Frida Kahlo; Carla Zampatti and Do Ho Suh, let Sydney Modern refresh your perspective, and more.
Fire up your imagination on a Sydney Architecture Walk, where you’ll step behind the skyline to explore the artistry at its heart. Take a guided stroll to discover the harbour’s natural beauty, or climb the Harbour Bridge for inspiring views across ELEVATE Sydney and beyond.
Unwind and refresh on the harbour itself. Gather your favourites together for a private cruise complete with your own pontoon; float back in time aboard a tallship; renew your view with an Aboriginal cultural cruise; spin out on a jet boat, or breathe it all in on a kayak tour.
Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon Credit: Sydney Festival
For the first time in Australia, a unique biographical exhibition allows you to better understand Frida Kahlo, the woman whose perseverance, rebellion and talent placed her eons ahead of her time.
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Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon Credit: Sydney Festival
For the first time in Australia, a unique biographical exhibition allows you to better understand Frida Kahlo, the woman whose perseverance, rebellion and talent placed her eons ahead of her time.
North Harbour, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Yacht sailing through North Harbour, Sydney.
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North Harbour, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Yacht sailing through North Harbour, Sydney.
DINE
Sydney serves up a moreish spread of epicurean experiences to lift your tastebuds – all just a spoon’s throw from the festival stage.
Raise the stakes with a premium steak at 6Head, luxuriously perched harbourside. Nearby at Quay, Peter Gilmore’s legendary degustations are among Australia’s most celebrated, while Oncore by Clare Smyth draws its culinary inspiration from the city itself.
Reenergise with a tipple or meal in the heart of the action. Grab a bite at MuMu, located in the always on-trend Ivy precinct; taste your way around Shell House, home to Menzies Bar, Sky Bar, The Clocktower Bar, and The Dining Room & Terrace; and, treat yourself to oysters and bubbles harbourside at Whalebridge.
Thirsty for a buzzing waterhole with elevated views? Breathe in the dreamy harbour vistas from the Glenmore Hotel rooftop, within earshot of ELEVATE Sydney; sip cocktails high in the sky at Blu Bar on 36, or revel in the glamour of Aster Bar, where expert mixologists create signature cocktails at your table.
STAY
Wind down from the ELEVATE Sydney buzz with a cosy stay mere moments from the Cahill.
When you need to beat a retreat but don’t want to call it a day, savour the festival’s spectacle from your sweet suite at Crown Sydney, the Intercontinental Sydney or Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, where the views are as memorable as the luxury surrounds.
Kick back on the water’s edge at Pier One Sydney Harbour, Park Hyatt Sydney or Four Seasons Sydney, all perfectly positioned on the picturesque waterfront.
Or, unwind afterwards with a gentle wander back to a nearby hideaway – the Establishment Hotel, Sofitel Darling Harbour and the Porter House Hotel are all just a short walk from the festival. Further afield, Oxford House and the Ace Hotel offer chic boutique stays on the colourful city fringe.
Aster Bar Credit: InterContinental Sydney
Aster Bar, InterContinental Sydney
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Aster Bar Credit: InterContinental Sydney
Aster Bar, InterContinental Sydney
Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
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Oxford House, Paddington Credit: Anson Smart
Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel- recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.
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Firedoor, SydneyCredit: Nikki To
Chef Lennox Hastie in the kitchen at Surry Hill's Firedoor restaurant.
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Renowned for the sparkling harbour and balmy evenings, Sydney reveals a slew of new flavours as the hot days turn to cool and colourful nights this winter. Where comfort food reigns supreme, from fine dining takes on classic dishes to cult-status budget friendly eats – refuel with some delicious winter warmers in the harbour city.
Firedoor
The hottest seat in town is the counter at Firedoor. Literally. Escape the winter breeze and be warmed by the heat of the wood-fired oven, which can reach 1600C, as you watch Lennox Hastie and his team cooking over charcoal, embers and open flames. Everything is kissed by smoke, from fat oysters to fresh vegetables and memorable steaks - dry aged for around 150 days, it’ll thrill your taste buds in a way you never thought possible.
Fred’s
The crackling fire over the open hearth is a sign of what’s to come at Fred’s. From a daily changing menu featuring freshly caught seafood and mouth-watering steaks - you can see and hear the chefs prepare your meal so that it feels as if you’re part of the kitchen. The rhythmic chop of the knives, the bubbling water as it boils and the hiss of the hot grills makes you forget bustling Oxford Street is just behind you as you immerse yourself in the theatre of a fine dining kitchen that has the rustic charm of a country farmhouse.
Ester
The concrete walls and woodfired oven at Ester create the sensation of stepping into a bunker, albeit one with deliciously scorched food. The modern Australian menu is peppered with native ingredients and while it’s not bush tucker, it is a unique taste of this land of sweeping plains. Think handpicked mud crab with claypot rice, king prawns with fermented shrimp butter and dry aged pork chop with a flavourful native spice rub cooked over charcoal.
Margaret
Retreat from the cool wintry nights with a heartwarming dining experience at acclaimed chef Neil Perry’s first solo restaurant – Margaret. Named in honor of his late mother, the 170 seat fine-diner combines the homestyle heart of mum’s cooking with a surprise twist of a chef at his peak. The chicken is done over a wood rotisserie, the fish has a gremolata crumb and the baked pear and raspberry pudding with vanilla sauce is just the thing to warm you up from the inside out.
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
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Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
#feelnew #feelnewsydney
Margaret, Double Bay, Sydney Credit: Petrina Tinsley
Margaret by Neil Perry AM, presents modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours with a large focus on fresh local produce.
Bennelong
Set inside the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House, Bennelong’s curated menu offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Peter Gilmore’s dishes are as whimsical, memorable and quintessentially Australian as the restaurant’s setting. His lamington has all the nostalgic flavours of the beloved classic, with the addition of cherry jam, coconut cream ice-cream and chocolate ganache.
Chaco Ramen
For a delicious soul-soothing dish on a cool winter eve’, pay a visit to Chaco Ramen for one of their cult-status dishes - The Fat Soy ramen. The equivalent of a big, warm hug on a chilly day – this delectable velvety mix of broth, pork, chicken and fish, made rich and thick by the addition of pork fat is a true crowd pleaser, so pack a jumper and get in line.
The Duke of Clarence
A roaring fireplace, cozy Chesterfield couches you can sink into and wall-to-wall bookshelves make The Duke of Clarence a place to linger. Hidden in the centre of the harbour city, this 18th-Century inspired London Tavern is renowned for wholesome British eats ideal for cooler days – from home-cooked pies, to bangers and mash. Warm up your weekend with a memorable roast, and pick from one of four options every Sunday, each served with delicious Yorkshire puddings to soak up the rich gravy.
Restaurant Hubert
Descend the curved, wood-paneled staircase to Restaurant Hubert and lose yourself in a world made for bon vivants. Time is irrelevant here; this is the kind of place that makes you want to stretch your night out. Martinis in the bar turn into a dinner of French bistro classics with a twist, think roasted snails with XO butter, and live jazz that will convince you to linger a little longer over a digestif.
Aalia
Reveal a world you didn’t know existed at Aalia as you take your taste buds on an adventure through the lands of the Levant and Northern Africa. With chef Paul Farag at the helm, Middle Eastern food is elevated to fine dining status. He combines tradition with modern techniques to offer diners a time-travelling odyssey. Discover the old-world flavours of molokhia, geymar and kabsa as Farag spins his new-world interpretation of classic dishes.
Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bennelong Restaurant chef prepping in the kitchen. Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney.
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Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Bennelong Restaurant chef prepping in the kitchen. Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney.
Restaurant Hubert, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and drink at French restaurant Restaurant Hubert, Sydney.
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Restaurant Hubert, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and drink at French restaurant Restaurant Hubert, Sydney.