WHAT'S ON Here’s what’s stacking your calendar this month of October
BY: Kartya Vucetic
Oh baby we are SO back this month. The weather is warming up, the Oodies are closeted away, and I’m already sneezing a healthy amount to know that spring is in full swing.
Does Sydney become a bit of a ghost town during winter? Yes. You best believe I’ve been clutching at straws trying to find half decent things for you to do for the last little while. But this time, my job has become 10x easier – and let me tell you, we’ve got a serious roster of fun shit to preoccupy yourselves with.
Highlights include Pitbull, Pitbull and more Pitbull. And no, I won’t explain that further. But of course, Mode Festival is back, NRL Grand Finals are packing out pubs, and SXSW is bringing every insufferable creative (i.e. me) out to play.
But alas, I’ve heard enough from me for today. Scroll down to check out all the best events happening in Sydney this month of October.
Mode Festival
Cockatoo Island’s turning into a dance floor again this October thanks to Mode Festival, back for another round of sweaty euphoria. Four Tet leads the lineup alongside Floating Points, Skee Mask, Rødhåd, X Club., Nene H and Musclecars. Local faves like Mincy and Luke Alessi will also be making appearances across the four-stage electronic extravaganza. Basically, it’s your annual pilgrimage to rave on heritage-listed land.
- WHEN: Saturday 11 October, from 2pm
- WHERE: Cockatoo Island
- HOW MUCH: Resale tickets from $229
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
SXSW
Image: Supplied
Sydney’s going full cultural Coachella this month as SXSW takes over with live music, indie game demos, bold new films and future-obsessed tech. Music heads can catch acts like Tkay Maidza, Genesis Owusu, and US rapper Armani White, while film fans get first looks at buzzy premieres and late-night cult screenings. Expect underground gigs, XR experiences, and screenings you can brag you saw before anyone else.
- WHEN: Monday 13 to Sunday 19 October
- WHERE: Across Sydney
- HOW MUCH: Varies
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Fridayz Live
Image: Supplied (and now my screensaver)
Obviously this wouldn’t be a monthly guide without mentioning the very fact that Pitbull aka THE Mr Worldwide is officially in town for one-night only. And might I say, it’s not only the GOAT himself who’ll be in Sydney. Thanks to Fridayz Live, we’re also scoring Mariah Carey, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Jon, Eve, Tinie Tempah and Jordin Sparks at ENGIE Stadium. It’s pure nostalgia, pure chaos, and the closest thing Sydney has to a time machine back to 2009.
- WHEN: Saturday 18 October, from 4:30pm
- WHERE: ENGIE Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park
- HOW MUCH: Final tickets from $234
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
NRL Grand Final
Image: Novotel
Whether you’re a diehard footy fan or just here for the beers, the NRL Grand Final is locking Sydney down this Sunday night. The city’s pubs and bars will be heaving, with screens blasting the action and punters screaming at refs like they can hear them from Homebush. Tickets may have sold out, but that doesn’t mean places like The Clock (who’s hosting their annual street party), won’t be going off. Our advice? Get in early unless you enjoy queuing behind someone in a mullet and retro jersey.
- WHEN: Sunday 5 October, 7:30pm kick-off
- WHERE: Accor Stadium + pubs across Sydney
- HOW MUCH: Varies
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
S.A.S.H. October Long Weekend Special
Daylight savings kicks off with a bang as S.A.S.H throws its October Long Weekend special (aka the unofficial start of Sydney’s party season). The Forecourt at Watson’s EQ sets the stage by day, before the chaos shifts to Home The Venue after dark. Headliners include DJ Sneak, Fabe, Mella Dee and Lola Palmer. If you’re not still on the dance floor at sunrise on Monday, you’re doing it wrong.
- WHEN: Sunday 5 October, from 2pm
- WHERE: Watson’s EQ and Home The Venue
- HOW MUCH: $50 tickets
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Sculpture by the Sea
Image: Supplied
Sydney’s most photogenic coastal walk is back in business, with Sculpture by the Sea officially saved for another year thanks to last-minute support from NRMA. The Bondi-to-Tamarama stretch will once again transform into a free outdoor gallery, showcasing over 100 works from Australian and international artists. Naturally, it’ll also draw the annual 450,000-strong crowd of art lovers, dog walkers and hungover brunchers in activewear (we love to see it).
- WHEN: Friday 17 October to Monday 3 November
- WHERE: Bondi to Tamarama
- HOW MUCH: Free
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Fridayz Official Afterparty at Bella LIVE
Image: Supplied
Can’t justify dropping big bucks on a Fridayz Live ticket? Honestly, fair. But there’s no reason why you should miss out on all of the fun, which is where Bella LIVE’s official afterparty comes in. While we might not be scoring Mr Worldwide himself, you will still be seeing Wiz Khalifa, Lil Jon, Eve, Tinie Tempah and Jordin Sparks all hit the stage for a one-night-only blowout. Oh, and they also have $6 Vodka Red Bull happy hour, FYI.
- WHEN: Saturday 18 October,
- WHERE: Bella LIVE, Bella Vista
- HOW MUCH: $80 GA tickets
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Oktoberfest in The Gardens
Image: Moshtix
Yes, it’s that month again where drinking steins of beer by the litre and saying ‘Prost!’ instead of cheers becomes socially acceptable again, because Oktoberfest is officially back. Lots of venues across Sydney are getting in and amongst the action (naturally), but if you’re looking to do it properly, look no further than The Domain’s annual tradition.
- WHEN: Saturday 25 October, from 1pm
- WHERE: The Domain
- HOW MUCH: Bonus Release tickets are $89
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Sleep Under the Stars for Youth Homelessness
Image: Supplied
Swap your bed for a swag this month as Sleep Under the Stars returns to Barangaroo’s Stargazer Lawn. The free overnight campout mixes live music, games and stargazing with a serious cause, raising $1 million for Stepping Stone House to support young people experiencing hidden homelessness.
- WHEN: Friday 24 October, from 4pm
- WHERE: Stargazer Lawn, Barangaroo
- HOW MUCH: Free
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Parramatta Lanes
Image: AT Parramatta
Sydney’s biggest free street festival is back, with Parramatta Lanes transforming the town into a four-night mashup of food, music and art. Think 80+ food stalls and pop-up bars, 200+ artists across 10 stages, and laneways lit up with installations, aerial shows and late-night energy. Our highlight? It has to be the Boodle Fight feast, and yes, you should google it.
- WHEN: Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 October
- WHERE: Various sites across Parramatta
- HOW MUCH: Free entry
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Motel Fireball Inn
Image: Supplied
Oh if you thought I was done with talking about Pitbull you are sorely mistaken. Because another Mr Worldwide adjacent event happening this month is none other than the Motel Fireball Inn. Let me explain: Fireball Whisky is taking over The Downing Hotel this month. They’re transforming Room 305 into a fiery playground that you can book overnight, and also hosting a Pre-Fridayz Live party ahead of the concert. Need I say more?
- WHEN: Pre-Fridayz Live Party on Saturday 18 October, from 3pm
- WHERE: The Downing Hotel, CBD
- HOW MUCH: Varies
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Work, But This Time Like You Mean It
Image: Supplied
Forget motivational posters, Canberra Youth Theatre’s smash-hit comedy Work, But This Time Like You Mean It is finally coming to Sydney. After a sell-out debut in the capital, the play lands at The Rebel Theatre for one week only, serving a darkly surreal take on first jobs, underpaid shifts and the kind of customer service nightmares that make you want to cry under the counter. It’s been called a sharp, unhinged dive into the relationships we form in the most alienating of workplaces. Basically, it’s retail trauma, but make it theatre.
- WHEN: Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 October
- WHERE: The Rebel Theatre, Dawes Point
- HOW MUCH: $35 GA tickets
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Plate It Forward Third I Festival
Image: Supplied
Plate It Forward’s month-long festival is back and bringing some seriously needed food and culture to the community. Highlights include the Bindi Bosses Bottomless Brunch, fusing South Asian food, dance and conversation; an intimate Story Dinner Series with Somali-born artist Hani Abdile and poetry champions Kirsten Booker and Rob Waters; a five-course feast with Hopper Joint x Colombo Social; and a big Laneway Party finale outside Kyiv Social with food, drinks and live music.
- WHEN: Throughout October
- WHERE: Colombo Social, Kolkata Social and Kyiv Social
- HOW MUCH: Varies
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Stargazer Cinema at Barangaroo
Image: Supplied
Barangaroo’s Walumil Lawn has officially kicked off its free eight-week Stargazer Cinema under the stars, and we’re so here for it. Over the period we’re scoring a selection of First Nations films carefully curated by the Winda Film Festival, including Sweet As, Windcatcher and The Morgan. It’s harbour views, powerful cinema, and not a ticket price in sight. We love to see it.
- WHEN: Every Thursday until 30 October, from 6pm
- WHERE: Walumil Lawn, Barangaroo Reserve
- HOW MUCH: Free
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Spring in the Streets at Barangaroo
Image: Supplied
Barangaroo’s doing lunchtime right this spring, with live music taking over George Street from 11:30am to 2:30pm every Thursday in October. Expect DJ’s and musicians bringing some much needed life into the streets (and your lunch break). Each week we’re scoring something new, so consider this the place to be in the city come midday.
- WHEN: Every Thursday in October, 11:30am to 2:30pm
- WHERE: George Street, Barangaroo
- HOW MUCH: Free
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
STARFEST
Image: Supplied, Jess Middleton
The Star Sydney has officially hit the big 3-0, and they’re doing it in the only way they know how: with STARFEST, an eight-week, precinct-wide party running until the end of October. Think roving performers, themed weekends, immersive activations and a stacked Mainstage lineup featuring Bag Raiders, Set Mo, Bliss N Eso, 360, Havana Brown, KLP and more. Even better? Every show is entirely free for 18+, which is basically unheard of in Sydney.
- WHEN: Until Friday 31 October
- WHERE: The Star, Pyrmont
- HOW MUCH: Free entry
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Tender Comrade
Image: White Rabbit Gallery
You know we stan a White Rabbit Gallery moment, and their latest exhibition, Tender Comrade, is definitely a new one to make the hit list. The showcase digs into queerness in Chinese history, reclaiming stories erased from the mainstream, from emperors with same-sex lovers to modern-day “tongzhi” communities navigating serious cultural pressures. In true White Rabbit Gallery fashion, it’s also all free to check out.
- WHEN: Until Sunday 16 November
- WHERE: White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale
- HOW MUCH: Free entry
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition has officially landed in Sydney, transforming Sydney Showgrounds into a slice of Renaissance Rome for the next two months. Forget scaffolding and Vatican elbow-shoving, this immersive showcase lets you see 34 of Michelangelo’s frescoes, including The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment, blown up to scale and viewed at eye level. With texture, colour and detail recreated so closely you can spot every dramatic muscle and shadow, it’s art history without the passport (or the queue).
- WHEN: Until Sunday 26 October
- WHERE: Fever Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds
- HOW MUCH: Tickets from $32 (or see our giveaway post)
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Bubble Planet
Image: Bubble Planet Sydne
So this one’s random, but when are we not into that? Bubble Planet, an immersive, bubbly, ball pit playground, is here for one final month at Sydney Olympic Park. And while it might sound oriented towards children (who are, sadly, allowed), that doesn’t necessarily mean that grown ups aren’t encouraged to join in. The multi-sensory experience features over ten whimsical rooms, including a giant bubble bath ball pit, an underwater LED wonderland, and a fully immersive VR room.
- WHEN: Until Friday 31 October
- WHERE: Paddington Pavilion, Sydney Olympic Park
- HOW MUCH: Adult tickets from $35
- CHECK IT OUT HERE.
