DO'S AND DONT'S How not to be a dickhead on Anzac Day
BY: Kartya Vucetic
Anzac Day in Sydney tends to follow a fairly predictable arc. A dawn service, a pub queue, a game of two-up, and at least one man stripping down to a singlet (or worse) by 10:47am.
And while there’s nothing wrong with a beer and some two-up once the morning’s formalities are done, there is still a difference between marking the day, and carrying on like an absolute wombat.
So, in the interests of public service, here is our short guide to not being a dickhead on Anzac Day.
DO: attend a dawn service. DON’T: shout “2-UP BABY” before said dawn service is finished.
This feels self-explanatory. Nevertheless, every year there is a small subset of people unable to grasp that the commemorative part of the day does, in fact, come first.
The service happens before the yelling. That is the order.
DO: get to the pub early. DON’T: complain when you can’t get into The Royal after arriving at midday.
If your plan is to rock up to one of Sydney’s busiest pubs at noon and act shocked that there’s a queue around the block, that one’s on you. Anzac Day is many things, but a surprise is not one of them.
Most places will fill out by 11am latest, so that means heading straight from a service, or setting your alarm clocks early. You’ve been warned.
DO: wear something vaguely weather appropriate. DON’T: throw on a singlet and call it a day.
Sydney has a real talent for dressing drown, and Anzac Day (or any public holiday, really), always brings it out. It’s a no to singlets, thongs, or really anything that just shouldn’t be worn either in April or on a commemorative public holiday. This too, feels obvious.
DO: have a beer. DON’T: drink half a bottle of Jack Daniel’s before 11am.
A beer is normal. A boozy afternoon is normal. Getting catastrophically shitfaced before breakfast is not. Pace yourself, Anzac Day is a marathon, not a sprint. There is, quite literally, no need.
DO: remember the day. DON’T: make us all regret sharing the city with you.
For all the pub plans and public holiday logistics, it is still Anzac Day. By all means, see your mates, play two-up and have a drink, just retain some awareness of what the day is actually for, and behave accordingly.
