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Sydney by Day: Every event under the winter sun

Canvas Restaurant, The RocksCredit: Destination NSW; @mca_australia; @canvas_mca

Couple enjoying a drink with iconic Sydney views from the rooftop restaurant at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Canvas Restaurant. @mca_australia @canvas_mca

Sydney by Day: Every event under the winter sun

Canvas Restaurant, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW; @mca_australia; @canvas_mca

Couple enjoying a drink with iconic Sydney views from the rooftop restaurant at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Canvas Restaurant. @mca_australia @canvas_mca

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With bright skies and unlimited possibilities in the air, Sydney sets the scene for discoveries aplenty, bringing a new way to play for every winter day. And whether you’re lacing up your trainers for a legendary fun run, joining the conversation at a game-changing summit, immersing in world-class art, or treating the kids to a matinee show, you’ll find the Harbour City’s daytime calendar is jam-packed with thrills. Here, just a few highlights to level up your winter...

Fire up your mind with arts & culture

As the cultural hub of the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney’s winter exhibitions invite you into its fearless, creative heart. At the Art Gallery of New South WalesYolŋu Power: The Art of Yirrkala (21 June to 6 October) celebrates the exceptional artists of northeast Arnhem Land, with a kaleidoscope of bark paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints that speak to Country and cultural continuity. If you’re inspired to invest in authentic Aboriginal artworks or happy to browse, the Overseas Passenger Terminal hosts the National Indigenous Art Fair from 5-6 July as part of this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations. And, at the Museum of Sydney (17 April to 2 November) traces the city’s First Nations and colonial origins through historical documents, artworks and artefacts, showcasing an unfolding cultural story more than 60,000 years in the making. For a more surreal look at life, follow your curiosity to the Museum of Contemporary Art’s major winter exhibition, where the groundbreaking works of Welsh conceptual artist Cerith Wyn Evans create an ethereal realm akin to a Japanese garden (6 June to 19 October).

All the festive fun under the winter sun 

Long before the city switches on its neon nightlights, Sydney’s iconic festivals shine bright. While Vivid Sydney illuminates the evenings with its 8km Light Walk and city-wide lineup of music, food and ideas, a host of daytime happenings ensures the inspiration flows 24/7. At REMIX Summit Sydney, for example, global leaders from the creative and cultural industries gather to explore this year’s Vivid theme, Dream, through the lens of Futures for the Fearless – inviting you to refresh your perspective with boundary-pushing conversations on art, technology and storytelling. Meanwhile, Luna Park offers nostalgic thrills with Stranger Things: The Experience, blending immersive, interactive theatre and ’80s hijinks for daytime adventurers in search of something delightfully offbeat. Plus, the Sydney Film Festival’s 200-plus screenings roll on around the clock, with the Martin Place precinct showing a stellar selection of acclaimed short films and previews between 12pm and 1pm.

National Indigenous Art Fair Credit: Destination NSW

The National Indigenous Art Fair will return to Gadigal Land at The Rocks, Sydney in 2025 to showcase creations from First Nations artists, designers and makers for its fifth annual art market.

National Indigenous Art Fair Credit: Destination NSW

The National Indigenous Art Fair will return to Gadigal Land at The Rocks, Sydney in 2025 to showcase creations from First Nations artists, designers and makers for its fifth annual art market.

Museum of Sydney, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple visiting the Museum of Sydney.Artwork - Edge of the treesArtist - Fiona Foley and Janet Laurence

Museum of Sydney, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple visiting the Museum of Sydney.Artwork - Edge of the treesArtist - Fiona Foley and Janet Laurence

Hot-foot it to stellar memories

Revel in the thrill of smashing a new challenge as Sydney’s calm winter skies and fresh, steady temperatures set the scene for a series of sporting events with serious bragging rights. Whether you want to cheer from the sidelines or take part in the ultimate test of grit, don’t miss this year’s TCS Sydney Marathon, returning on 31 August. Now officially a World Marathon Major – the first in the Southern Hemisphere – this iconic run charts a spectacular course from North Sydney across the Harbour Bridge and through the city’s heart, before finishing at the Opera House. The scenic backdrops continue from the city centre to Bondi Beach as more than 90,000 racers limber up for the iconic City2Surf (10 August), and through the Lake Parramatta Reserve as the Sydney Trail Half Marathon (5-6 July) unfurls through bushland, shady eucalypt forests and rocky terrain. Back on the harbour’s edge, take your stamina to new heights with the Tower One Stair Challenge Sydney – a 40-floor, 217m climb to the top of Barangaroo. Prefer to slow down and take in the views? The Bloody Long Walk (3 August) is a 35km coastal trek from Palm Beach to Manly, offering sweeping coastal panoramas and a soul-warming sense of achievement. Whichever way you like to move, winter days in Sydney serve the momentum.

Savour the rush of a new hunt 

Daytime markets are an immersion in the city’s community spirit, creative soul, diverse flavours and eclectic, electric energy – and where you’ll find all the treasure under the sun. Glebe Markets fills a sunny schoolyard with vintage threads, handmade wares and delicious street food, while across the BridgeKirribilli Markets peddle mesmerising harbour views alongside curated stalls of upcycled fashion, plants, gifts, jewellery, gourmet fare, and one-of-a-kind designer finds. Markets in The RocksPaddington, and Rozelle are also prized hunting grounds for art, crafts, fashion and collectibles. Keen to stock up on fresh local produce? You’re spoilt for choice in the buzzing farmers markets of EveleighMarrickvilleManly, Bondi and Haymarket.

But the treasure hunt doesn’t stop at the water’s edge – some of Sydney’s most spectacular finds leap straight out of the sea. Every year from May to November, more than 40,000 humpback whales pass the city on their annual migration, with whale-watching cruises and scenic coastal lookouts delivering solid-gold moments

Hot happenings to level up family time

Sydney’s warmest winter experiences are designed with kids and their grown-ups in mind, as cultural epicentres like the Australian MuseumAustralian National Maritime Museum, the PowerhouseMuseum of Contemporary ArtArt Gallery of NSW and Hyde Park Barracks come alive with special-event tours and hands-on experiences throughout the school holidays and beyond. All across the city, there’s plenty to enjoy together just for the fun of it – catch a special matinee at the Sydney Opera House like the puppetry-packed A Bucket of Beetles (7-8 June), or Roald Dahl’s raucous tale, The Twits, (5-19 July). Meanwhile, top seasonal festivals return to thrill all ages, with the Bondi Festival,  and Darling Harbour’s Winterfest bringing the daytime cheer with everything from must-see movies to pop-up ice rinks, carnival rides, tasty treats and live entertainment.

Lake Parramatta, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a walk along the banks of Lake Parramatta, Parramatta.

Lake Parramatta, Parramatta Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a walk along the banks of Lake Parramatta, Parramatta.

Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a visit to the Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney.

Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Couple enjoying a visit to the Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney.

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