Disney Theatrical Group today announced Disney’s The Lion King the world’s #1 musical will return to Australia, premiering in Sydney in April 2026. Loved by millions globally, including audiences across Australia, the award-winning musical production will open at the Capitol Theatre with performances from April next year. 

On Saturday, 1 March 2025, Virgin Australia and Ovolo Hotels are turning up the pride and party vibes for the biggest LGBTQIA+ weekend of the year. Returning for another year, The Pride Flight Recovery Brunch at Ovolo Woolloomooloo is the ultimate pre parade event to kickstart a full day of rainbow celebrations.

Synchronise your watches for 10am this morning… Theatre-lovers, film buffs, DeLorean enthusiasts and time travelers alike are invited to come back in time with Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown, with tickets on sale today for the Australian premiere season of BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical. The smash-hit production, winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, will welcome audiences for the first time on Australian soil at the Sydney Lyric from Friday 26th September.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is set to make 2025 one for the history books, announcing a jaw-dropping line-up of over 150 artists across its signature events, from the iconic Mardi Gras Party to the dazzling return of Fair Day. Adding to the excitement, this year welcomes a brand-new dance party, Club Gras Presented by Absolut X, taking over ivy in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

Opera Australia has announced Angelina Thomson will play Miss Adelaide in its brand-new production of award-winning Broadway musical Guys & Dolls when it opens at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour on 21 March.

After an extensive nationwide search to find just the right performer who had the voice, the dance moves and the comedy chops to bring to the role, Director Shaun Rennie is looking forward to getting started on rehearsals with his cast now complete.

The Mudgee Classic, one of Australia’s premier cycling events, returns on May 3–4, 2025. With five courses across two days, showcasing the best of Mudgee’s road and gravel riding, there is something for every cycling enthusiast. But it’s not just the breathtaking landscapes or the challenging courses that make this event special—it’s the local volunteers who bring it to life.  

The TCS Sydney Marathon, presented by ASICS, has exceeded all expectations with a staggering 79,083 runners applying for a chance to participate in Sydney’s first year as an Abbott World Marathon Major (AbbottWMM). An estimated 35,000 participants from around the globe are expected to cross the finish line at the iconic Sydney Opera House on a Sunday, 31 August 2025.

Bluesfest 2025 continues to solidify its reputation as Australia’s premier music event with the announcement of its fourth wave of artists. Headlined by R&B legend Chaka Khan, rock icons Toto, the timeless sound of Christopher Cross, and the Polynesian vibes of Maoli.

YHA Australia is excited to unveil the completion of a major $9.7 million seven-month long renovation. Driven by evolving travel trends and direct guest feedback, the revitalisation project aligns with YHA’s vision to provide connectivity, privacy, and modern, sustainable accommodation for a new kind of traveller. 

Golden Century at Crown Sydney will officially open on Monday, 20 January, with reservations opening today in time for Lunar New Year. Golden Century will reprise the menu from its original location in Sussex St, which has been unavailable since 2020.

It’s officially 2025, and Grain Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney is leaning into its iconic location and local roots and inviting Sydneysiders to indulge in the quintessential summer pairing: artisanal gin and fresh Sydney Rock Oysters, and inviting guests to become their own G&T connoisseur.

Visitor spending has broken records in NSW, reaching $31.3 billion for domestic overnight expenditure across the state in the year ending September 2024.

Powerhouse today announces Powerhouse Food: Little India, a new dinner series spotlighting the vibrant Indian food culture in Western Sydney’s Harris Park.

Curated by acclaimed chef and Powerhouse Associate Kylie Kwong and founder of The Modern Desi Co Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar, this series invites guests on a culinary journey to explore the bold and diverse flavours, distinctive cooking styles and regional specialities from across India. 

BridgeClimb Sydney is thrilled to unveil its newly reimagined Climb Suit — the first major redesign in over 12 years. This vibrant new design, created in collaboration with renowned First Nations artist Taleena Simon, is more than just a grey onesie; it’s a powerful symbol of unity and respect.

A Celebration of Culture and Heritage

The much-anticipated Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is set to officially open this Saturday and the community is invited to come along to explore this enchanting new experience.

Well-known local musician Luke Vassella will provide entertainment between 8.30am and 12.30pm, with lots of family friendly activities such as creating pedal-powered smoothies and trishaw rides.

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the opening of this section meant people could now ride or trek all the way from Lismore to Casino.

Emerging national talent is set to shine when the 2025 National Netball Championships return next April. 

Netball Australia’s 17/U and 19/U pathway competitions will be contested across the week of April 10-16 at Sydney’s Netball Central.  

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia), on Friday 29 November opened the first major survey in Australia and the Asia Pacific region of renowned Ethiopian American artist Julie Mehretu, presented for its Sydney International Art Series 2024-2025 summer exhibition.  

The wait is over—The EVE Hotel Sydney is set to open its doors on 13 February 2025, bringing a bold new vision of boutique luxury to the vibrant Wunderlich Lane lifestyle precinct. 

Leading Western Sydney hotel PARKROYAL Parramatta has begun a major transformation set to be unveiled in April 2025. The hotel’s refurbishment will include extensive updates to over two thirds of its 286 rooms and suites within the hotel’s original tower.

Venerated Sydney restaurateurs Alessandro and Anna Pavoni (a’Mare, Ormeggio at the Spit, Chiosco, Postino Osteria) will open Cibaria Manly (and 55 North Bar) at the Manly Pacific Hotel on 16 December. From the word ‘Cibo’ meaning food in Italian, Cibaria will offer diners a variety of Italian dishes from open kitchens dotted throughout the beachfront venue, with a rooftop terrazza events space.

The A-Leagues has wrapped up the second edition of its Unite Round with a big increase in crowd numbers and exciting football headlining an action-packed weekend across Sydney.

33 goals were scored across 12 games, as the Ninja A-League Women and Isuzu UTE A-League Men descended on Sydney for a full round of attacking and exciting football.

Today, IMG announced the winners of the 2024 Australian Fashion Laureate, honouring outstanding accomplishments in Australian fashion. Established in 2008 in partnership with the NSW Government, the Australian Fashion Laureate celebrates excellence and highlights achievements in Australian design, sustainability, and leadership across the fashion industry.

Opera Australia today announced that pop star and champion swimmer Cody Simpson will make a spectacular return to the stage in 2025, making his Australian musical theatre debut alongside an all-star cast in a brand-new production of the award-winning Broadway musical Guys & Dolls at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour from 21 March to 20 April.

Australian producer Michael Cassel, alongside original Broadway producers Lia Vollack, John Branca, and John McClain, is thrilled to announce the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical MJ, set to make its Australian debut at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in February 2025.

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2025, featuring the best restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs across NSW and ACT, launches tomorrow after Saint Peter was named Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year at a chef-studded awards ceremony held in the Sydney Opera House tonight.

Photofields 2024, a photography event by Powerhouse, returns to Sydney this December 6–7, with an expanded program of workshops, talks, screenings and an exhibition. Held at Ace Hotel, Golden Age Cinema and Sydney Observatory, the program will bring together leading photographers, astronomers, and filmmakers to explore the powerful role of lens-based media in telling stories about the cosmos, the sky, and Country.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival returns from 14 February to 2 March 2025, promising an extraordinary celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride, culture, and community. With a refocused approach, this year’s festival brings us back to the heart of what Sydney Mardi Gras is all about—unapologetic self-expression, powerful inclusivity, and joyous unity.

Producers of the Tony®, Olivier®, and Grammy® award-winning production THE BOOK OF MORMON, have announced principal casting for the production opening in Sydney in July 2025.  

The schedule for United Cup 2025 has been released as tickets to the tournament’s group stage go on sale today at 5.00pm local time in Perth and Sydney.

The world’s best tennis players are set for some thrilling match-ups at the third edition of the innovative mixed team event when action unfolds from Friday 27 December to Sunday 5 January.

‘For me, painting is bringing my thoughts to life. I very much like poets and writers, but I am not a writer, so I think in images, not in novels or in poems.’ – René Magritte, 1962

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return to Sydney, attracting tens of thousands of fans, millions of dollars in spending, and millions of global television viewers, as the Minns Labor Government delivers on another election commitment.

Sydney, Australia, September 11, 2024, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious title of Restaurant Bar of the Year at the 23rd Annual Bartender Magazine Bar Awards.

IMG, in partnership with Strategic Sponsor Destination NSW, today announced Pandora and Business of Fashion as partners for Australian Fashion Week 2025, taking place 12 – 16 May 2025 at Carriageworks in Sydney. With the support of the New South Wales Government and Destination NSW, IMG will waive designer participation fees for the 2025 event. 

Threatening skies, intermittent showers and cool conditions were no match for the 2,000 riders that started the 4th annual Mudgee Classic Gran Fondo early on Sunday morning.