Nine out of ten doctors recommend getting off the couch and getting amongst it this winter.*
Here are some solid ideas.
NAIDOC Week 2025 | The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy
5-6 July – National Indigenous Art Fair at Overseas Passenger Terminal. OPT bursts with art, performances, panel discussions, bushfood and a communal weaving circle in the annual showcase of First Nations artists, designers and makers.
6 July – NAIDOC Week Open Day at Australian National Maritime Museum. Join in creative cultural activities for all ages with artmaking activities, dance workshops with Bangarra, live music, face painting, tucker tasting and storytelling.
9 July – Volume Presents: Lightning Song at The Art Gallery of New South Wales. A night of surf rock, indie rock, folk rock and dub, featuring King Stingray, Alice Skye, Keanu Nelson and Kev Carmody.
10 July – NAIDOC In The City at Sydney Town Hall. Markets by day, massive all-ages free concert by night, featuring 3%, Mi-Kaisha, Jem Cassar-Daley, Yung Brother and more.
10 July – Sing with Barayagal Choir at Green Square Library. Enjoy a performance from the Barayagal community choir, hosted by Sydney Conservatorium and led by Nardi Simpson. Then join in a workshop to learn and sing a song together.
10-12 July – Marrow at Carriageworks. Blending movement with smoke, light and a pulsing soundtrack, Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Daniel Riley creates a powerful and politically charged response to a nation grappling with its identity and future.
7-12 July – Dance by the Water at Pier Pavilion. Celebrate First Nations Cultures at the newly opened Barangaroo venue through free workshops with dance and storytelling, connecting to country through movement, and recognising native flora and fauna.
11 July – Tidda Bingo at The Tit at The Bearded Tit. Deadly NAIDOC celebrations for the LGBTQIA+ mob, hosted by the iconic queens at Rianbow Emu Entertainment. Enjoy the unbeatable atmosphere of the Tit before it closes for good.
11-12 July – The Neighbour at the Gate Opening Weekend Celebrations at National Art School. To celebrate the opening of new major exhibition The Neighbour at the Gate, National Art School hosts two stacked days of public programming: an arts industry day with talks and art making opportunities with seven visual artists, and a community day with free creative activities and the Shared Skies music concert featuring BARKAA, Ranbow Chan and more.
11-12 July – Radiance and Like My Brother NAIDOC Week film screenings at Riverside Theatres. See the pioneering 1998 directorial debut from Arernte woman Rachel Perkins (with screenplay by Louis Nowra), or a touching documentary about Tiwi island girls' dream of AFL stardom, filmed over six years.
12 July – Burrumatta NAIDOC at The Crescent, Parramatta Park. Parramatta Park explodes with life at this free outdoor Festival, with food, workshops, fashion and jewellery markets and a major music line-up including Velvet Trip, Becca Hatch, Kee'ahn and more.
Throughout the week – Look out for NAIDOC Family Fun Days hosted by councils, businesses and other organisations in parks, libraries and community halls across Sydney.
More live music
12 July – Aleksiah at The Metro. Up and coming pop singer Aleksiah is back from a sold-out UK tour and ready to rock the home crowd.
10-13 July – Ravel & Falla at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. From Ravel’s heart-pounding conclusion to Bolero to Falla’s rousing The Three-Cornered Hat, this lively Spanish music will thrill and transport you.
10-31 July – Impetus at Midnight Special. A month-long free music series celebrating unique Sydney voices, featuring Hinano Fujisaki and more.
11 July – The Fauves at Crowbar. The Fauves play their award-winning 2024 album Tropical Strength at Leichardt's beloved dirty rock den.
13 July – King Street Crawl on King Street and Enmore Road, Newtown. Hear your favourites and discover heaps of new music at this beloved annual live music pub crawl. It's free, it's eclectic, it's an excellent way to support local bands and venues.
16-19 July – Toy Story in Concert at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform the Toy Story soundtrack live to screen at the Sydney Opera House in this charming family-friendly symphonic experience.
18 July – Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers at The Lansdowne. The ARIA breakthrough act is back from global tours, including supporting Pearl Jam, and ready to bring big vibes to this intimate venue.
18 July – Meg Washington at Bondi Pavilion. Electrifying and soulful, Meg Washington’s genre-defying music has earned its place in the pantheon of Australian music. Catch her as part of Bondi Festival.
19 July – Donny Benét at Factory Theatre. Like a perfectly aged ribe-eye, Donny is ready to sizzle. Let's get funky at The Factory.
25 July – 10cc at The State Theatre. Throwback alert! The UK hitmakers responsible for I'm Not In Love and Dreadlock Holiday are back on Aussie shores.
29 July – The Organist at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Let the roar of the organ rattle your musical bones. Former organist at Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell performs a recital of organ masterpieces on the magnificent Grand Organ.
31 July – Bloc Party at The Hordern. Indie Britrock royalty hits The Hordern. New show added for those who snoozed on purchasing.
31 July – Dope Lemon at The Enmore. Dreamy laid back grooves from Angus Stone's alter ego.
Event salad
4-19 July – Coriolanus at The Neilson Nutshell. Hazem Shammas, Peter Carroll and more in Bell Shakespeare's gripping portrait of a tyrannical mind in the first years of the Roman republic.
10-12 July – Mr Redlight at Riverside Theatres. A failed bank heist turns into pie shop chaos. Slapstick, romance and tender moments in this hilarious comedy from award-winning New Zealand company, Nightsong.
12 July – Beauty and the Beast at The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland. A stunning full length classical ballet production by Victoria State Ballet of the traditional fairy-tale story, Beauty and The Beast.
Until 13 July – The Spare Room at Belvoir Upstairs. New shows added to this popular production, where Judy Davis and Elizabeth Alexander interpret a Helen Garner novel on what we live for.
From 12 July – Circle Mirror Transformation at Wharf 1 Theatre. Rebecca Gibney and Cameron Daddo make their Sydney Theatre Company debuts in a play about the magic of art, from an award-winning US playwright.
13-20 July – The Princess, The Pea and The Brave Escapee at ACO On The Pier. A beautiful theatrical production with live music from the ACO puts a playful twist on a well-known fairytale.
From 17 July – Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Carriageworks.
From 19 July – Rusalka at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Dvořák’s rich romantic opera featuring the once-in-a-generation voice of Australian soprana Nicole Car.
From 23 July – Trophy Boys at Carriageworks. Winner of Best New Australian Work, this witty satire takes a sharp look at the insecurities surrounding adolescent masculinity and entitlement.
From 26 July – Grief is the Thing with Feathers at Belvoir St Theatre. Max Porter’s exquisite verse novel becomes a fresh stage version in the hands of Simon Phillips, Nick Schlieper and Toby Schmitz.
Until 3 August – The Play That Goes Wrong at Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Enjoy a side-splitting night out with the longest running comedy in the West End.
All month – Ballet of Lights at Seymour Centre. A beautiful family-friendly dance experience, the Ballet of Lights is running Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty in glowing fashion.
