Category: SYDNEY

Roller skate in the heart of Sydney: Rollerama Festival

Rollerama Skating Sydney cheers

Limber up those ankles and get those pirouettes ready – it’s time to go skating in the centre of Sydney. A pop-up roller rink’s coming to Darling Harbour this month as part of the Rollerama Festival from 25 March to 24 April! For all skill levels, Rollerama is for kids, families and thrill-seekers to a range of activities including classes, themed music nights with DJ performances and pro shows at the Derby League demonstrations. Roller rink inspired dishes and drinks will also be available from Pumphouse Sydney Forecourt. BYO skates or rent them there, get more info about the rink at the Rollerama Festival’s website

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney, rivus, opens to the public this weekend

Rivus Biennale Sydney art

Attention all art lovers: The 23rd Biennale of Sydney opens to the public this weekend. Over 330 artworks by over 80 participants and 400 events will be presented across the city from 12 March to 13 June 2022. Rivus means ‘stream’ in Latin, so this year’s theme is centred around new work and commissions responding to water ecology and relationships with the natural world. Audiences will experience large-scale immersive installations, site specific projects and living works by international participants including Kiki Smith,Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, John Gerrard, Jumana Emil Abboud and Ackroyd & Harvey alongsideAustralian participants such as Cave Urban, Badger Bates, Clare Milledge, Julie Gough and D Harding. The list of participants extends beyond the realm of the visual arts and includes bodies of water and their custodians around the world including Australia, Bangladesh and Ecuador.   The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the Biennale of Sydney will be open to the publicfrom 12 March to 13 June 2022 at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Barangaroo including The Cutaway, Circular Quay, Arts and Cultural Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Art School in partnership with Artspace and Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. For more, head to the Biennale website

See Sydney’s new baby red pandas at Taronga Zoo!

Red Panda cub Taronga

What’s better than little baby puppies? Baby pandas. And what’s more; two of them! They’re now at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, the prime zoo of one of Australia’s largest cities, that has recently shared news that you can get a first close-up glimpse of the faces of their two adorable red panda cubs. The two cubs – two females – were born to experienced parents Amala and Pabu and are now three months old and are weighing around one kilo. Want to see them? Well, you’re not alone. They’re too young to go to the public yet, but you can tune in to Taronga’s brand-new Red Panda Cub Cam proudly supported by Disney and Pixar’s new movie “Turning Red” where you can access never before seen cub-content and exclusive interviews with their carnivore keepers. See them at this link! Sydney’s Taronga Zoo is one of the country’s leaders in revitalisation of some of the country’s and the world’s most beloved and interesting animals with a stunning view to-boot. For more and to arrange your visit, head to the Taronga Zoo website.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s got a surprise for ‘Mozart’s Clarinet’

Handels Messiah Brandenburg Orchestra THE F 2

The Brandenburg Orchestra’s is Australia’s answer to baroque music. And if you haven’t heard of them before or been to a show, then it’s time you know: you’re missing out. This season, they’ve taken on a new soloist for their Mozart series, Craig Hill, who’s got an over forty-three-year history with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, performing the piece over many decades including twice with the Brandenburg. While the wistful Adagio is familiar to many from its use in numerous well-known film scores such as Out of Africa and The King’s Speech, Hill will perform on the traditional period basset clarinet in a rare chance for audiences to hear the work on the instrument it was originally intended and from one of the country’s leading clarinetists. The performance is an homage to the composer (Mozart) as it was his last piece before his untimely death at age 35. Before you go to the Brandenburg Orchestra website to buy tickets, here are the dates to plan: DATES City Recital Hall, Sydney Thu, 28 April, 7:00 PM?  Fri, 29 April, 7:00 PM  Sat, 30 April, 7:00PM?  Tue, 3 May, 7:00 PM?  Thu, 12 May, 7:00 PM?  Sat, 14 May, 2:00 PM?  Melbourne Recital Centre?  Thu, 5 May, 7:00PM  Sat, 7 May, 7:00 PM?  Sun, 8 May, 5:00 PM?  Riverside Theatres, Parramatta Fri, 13 May, 7:00PM 

The colour and excitement of Sydney Mardi Gras 2022: a photo story

Mardi Gras Parade 2022

The annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras went off with a bang in 2022, taking over – yet again – the Sydney Cricket Ground in lieu of its usual Oxford Street route due to the pandemic. But despite news of war, bad weather and general average news around the world, the crowd gathered in celebration and love for one and all, shining a light on diversity, inclusion and equality regardless of who you are and who you love. Here are some highlights from the evening.

For three days Clark Island in Sydney is transformed into a Greek getaway

Greek island

It’s almost time for the inaugural holiday festival, Greek Island, on Sydney Harbour! Bringing the Euro vacay direct to your door from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 March, Clark Island will transform into a blue and white paradise showcasing Greek cuisine from Sydney’s top restaurants and producers (Alpha, Ploos, Kazzi Beach Greek, The Good Filo, Grecian Purveyor & Lookoomania), imported Greek wine, beer, spirits, bespoke cocktails and complimentary masterclasses. Whatever your holiday style, Greek Island has you covered.  Take a trip to party town at the Mykonos end of the island with some of Australia’s top DJs Tigerlily, Jolyon Petch & Discovery (Daft Punk Tribute), head up the hill to Mount Olympus for some live Greek music, escape to Santorini Day Spa for some much-needed relaxation, take a jetboat ride for an adrenaline rush or scale up your island-vibe at the Corfu Beach Club (Business Class ticket holders only). Packages to Greek Island begin at $99.00 (plus $7.54 booking & processing fees) for the Premium Economy experience which includes return transfers to and from King Street Wharf/Clark Island along with a welcome drink on the forward journey, a branded beach tote bag and Greek Island branded wine/cocktail tumbler. At $199.00 (plus $9.49 booking & processing fees) the Business Class Experience includes return transfers to and from King Street Wharf/Clark Island, along with a welcome drink on the forward journey, a branded beach tote bag, a Greek Island branded wine/cocktail tumbler and a Greek Island beach towel by Infamous Swim. Business Class guests can also access… Read More

Phantom opera sydney harbour: Dazzling new Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour

Phantom opera sydney harbour

It’s Phantom of the Opera, but not as you know it. Commencing Friday 25 March until 24 April 2022, the longest-running show in musical history can be experienced under the stars on Sydney Harbour, with iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge creating a stunning backdrop for this popular production.  Not only is this a new version of Phantom, but it’s also the first fully-staged outdoor production of this popular opera, with fireworks every night. The themed pop-up bars and restaurants will make this an unforgettable evening for all.  About Phantom of the Opera on the harbour Having played for 35 years on the West End of London, and 34 on Broadway in New York, this inspired interpretation of Gaston Leroux’s novel remains one of the world’s favourite musicals. The story of a mysterious masked man who lives beneath the Paris Opera House, and the beautiful young singer who becomes his obsession and muse, seduces generation after generation and continues to enchant long-time devotees. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score — immortalised in one of the highest-selling cast albums of all time — is studded with melodies famous the world over: from the haunting beauty of ‘The Music of the Night’ and ‘All I Ask of You’, to the splendour of ‘Masquerade’, and the crashing chords of the title song. Two of Australia’s most in-demand theatrical talents, director Simon Phillips and designer Gabriela Tylesova, bring a whole new level of spectacle to the show’s defining moments — the mirror, the journey to the Phantom’s lair, the… Read More

Where to stay in Sydney for Mardi Gras this March

Rooftop pool day time 2

Before we start, good luck. There are literally movements of people who book years ahead, BUT, it’s worth knowing where the competition’s at in case you’re in the booking mood of planning for the annual Sydney Mardi Gras in 2023. The Pullman Hotel sits at the base of Oxford Street at what in pandemic times, used to be the ‘holding pen’ – for lack of a better term – for all the colours of the rainbow before they’d take to their choreographed marches along the now renowned route. Things are different in 2022 thanks to the pandemic and the parade will be in a loop around the Sydney Cricket Ground, BUT, when it comes to sorting out where to stay, an overnighter at the Pullman might be just what you need for stumbling in super late after it. Or early. The hotel has on offer a Mardi Gras package, offering for $285 accommodation, breakfast and parking. Ideal for those sore-headed Sunday and Monday mornings before the next party. For more, head to the Pullman Hyde Park website.

16 LGBTIQA+ podcasts to get your ears around this Mardi Gras

Sydney Mardi Gras SCG parade 2

Whether you’re new to the annual Sydney Mardi Gras or one of the 78ers, surround yourself with some of the country’s and world’s leading queer voices with a set of podcasts supported by Spotify! Spotify has teamed up with some of Australia’s most iconic LGBTQI+ personalities, bringing you their specially Curated Podcast Playlists with episodes ranging from intimate coming-out stories, to the weird and wonderful world of drag stars and burlesque. Scroll on for the list below, but here are three favourites… Mitchell Coombs: Happy Mardi Gras! “Trash Alley” & “Is It Just Me?” host Mitchell Coombs shares his favourite episodes that celebrate queerness – from the serious to the light. Bambi Fairy: Loud and proud: From the fabulous, the allies and the revolutionaries – hear queer stories of joy and breaking down barriers, curated by Bambi Fairy. Gasbagging: It’s Mardi Gras! Get in the feels with some juicy tales from reality TV and beyond – It’s a total vibe, curated by “Gasbagging” host Dan Morrison. Trash Alley 2.                   Making Gay History 3.                   The Way We Are with Munroe Bergdork 4.                   Queer Stories 5.                   Me For Her 6.                   LGBTQ&A 7.                   Gasbagging 8.                   Drag Stories 9.                   Conversations with Kath 10.               Like a virgin 11.               Come Out where ever you are 12.               Innies + Outies 13.               Search Engine Sex 14.               Dyking Out 15.               Crumbs 16.               Gay Future

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a Cause this May 2022

Sydney Harbour Bridge sunset

BridgeClimb Sydney’s first charity event, Climb for a Cause, in aid of mental health charity Black Dog Institute, is on this May! So if ever you wanted to climb the Sydney icon, then now’s the time. For one day only, climbers can scale the iconic arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with family, friends, sports teams, community groups, colleagues or entire organisations while raising awareness and important funds towards a mentally healthier Australia. It’s even attracted attention from some big personalities in Sydney, like weatherman and mental health campaigner Sam Mac. He’s joined BridgeClimb as an event advocate for Climb for a Cause, saying, “60% of people experiencing symptoms of a mental illness will not seek help. That’s a terrifying statistic and the perfect motivator to push us to do more”. For more and to book a ticket, head to the BridgeClimb website