WHAT'S ON Here’s everything that’s going down in Sydney this January

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to January. It’s the month of overly ambitious resolutions and a rare moment we actually remember how to have fun again. After a few days of pretending you’ll “take it easy”, the city wastes absolutely no time throwing you back into it.

Leading the charge this month is Sydney Festival, taking over theatres, streets and very serious buildings. On the music side of things, Revolve Festival returns for a long-weekend blowout, while THE WORKS continues its industrial reign at Carriageworks with some of the summer’s biggest electronic nights still to come.

We’ll leave you with our words of wisdom, which is to pace yourselves. January is officially the month of festivals, and Sydney is coming in hot (literally).

Sydney Ashes

Australia versus England returns to the SCG this week for the Sydney Test, or perhaps better known as the annual New Year tradition where everyone suddenly remembers that cricket actually exists. Running across five days, the Ashes finale welcomes long sessions, endless schooners, questionable sunburn choices and debates about the pitch that absolutely no one asked for.

• WHEN: Until Thursday 8 January
• WHERE: Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Sydney Festival

It’s officially time to put your 2025 hangover to bed, and what better way to do so than by getting some culcha into ya? Lucky for all of us, the Sydney Festival is officially returning this month to help keep the silly season alive and kicking. This year, it’s playing host to over 70 different shows, both free and ticketed, across all of Greater Sydney. We’ll be doing a roundup of our top picks shortly, so stay tuned.

• WHEN: Thursday 8 to Sunday 25 January
• WHERE: Across Sydney
• HOW MUCH: Varies
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

NSW Wine Cellar Door

NSW Wine is back with another cellar door installation in The Rocks. The pop-up tasting experience lets you sample drops from some of the state’s best wine regions without committing to a long weekend away. Expect guided tastings, winemaker chats, and a very civilised excuse to wander around one of Sydney’s most scenic precincts with a glass in hand. Equal parts educational and indulgent (as all good wine events should be).

• WHEN: Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February
• WHERE: The Rocks
• HOW MUCH: Tastings from $5
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

THE WORKS

THE WORKS might already be well underway at Carriageworks, but the high-end warehouse series is far from being done. The summer run will be continuing into January with some of its biggest nights still to come, including CamelPhat on Thursday 16 January and Michael Bibi on Saturday 25 January. Expect heavy production, serious sound, and a crowd fully committed to seeing summer through properly.

• WHEN: Thursday 16 January and Saturday 25 January
• WHERE: Carriageworks
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $109
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Madama Butterfly at Sydney Opera House

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly returns in a production that’s as devastating as it is visually immaculate. Staged at the Sydney Opera House, this award-winning version leans into timeless tragedy with floating flowers, glowing candles, sliding paper screens and costumes that do a lot of emotional heavy lifting. Expect soaring arias, long silences that hit harder than dialogue, and a slow, inevitable heartbreak that unfolds beautifully. Bring tissues. Maybe don’t bring a first date.

• WHEN: Tuesday 6 January to Wednesday 25 March
• WHERE: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $50
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Revolve Festival

After last year’s roaring success, Revolve Festival is back for its second Sydney edition later this month, taking over Manning House for a long-weekend, four-stage electronic marathon. Running from sunset till late, the multi-stage takeover celebrates Australia’s new wave of electronic music alongside a stacked mix of international selectors and local favourites. Expect immersive production, high-energy rooms, food and market stalls, and a crowd that’s actually here for the music.

• WHEN: Friday 23 January, from 6pm
• WHERE: Manning House, Camperdown
• HOW MUCH: Tickets are $122
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

enGORGEd at Sydney Opera House

As part of Sydney Festival, Reuben Kaye is storming the Sydney Opera House with EnGORGed. It’s a cabaret spectacular that is, unfortunately for everyone else, exactly as big as the title suggests. Backed by an 18-piece orchestra, Kaye combines rapid-fire filth, diva-level vocals and deeply personal oversharing, all delivered with political bite and zero restraint. Expect at least one moment that makes you briefly wonder if this is allowed in the Opera House.

• WHEN: Friday 16 January
• WHERE: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Flickerfest

Flickerfest returns to Bondi Beach later this month, celebrating its 35th anniversary with ten nights of short films under the stars. What began as a school hall screening in Balmain is now Australia’s leading Academy and BAFTA-accredited short film festival, drawing standout short films from filmmakers around the world. Expect sharp, tightly curated programs, plus the quiet satisfaction of watching future Oscar contenders right alongside the beach.

• WHEN: Friday 23 January to Sunday 1 February
• WHERE: Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $22
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Glitterbox Sydney

Friday night Ibiza staple Glitterbox is making its way to Sydney this summer for a flagship show at the Ivy. And naturally, you can expect all the high-gloss disco, funk, soul and house that comes with it. Born in the Balearic Islands, the party lands with an all-star lineup including Mousse T., Jellybean Benitez, Breakbot & Irfane, Yasmin and Close Counters. Expect big production, bigger personalities, and of course, a shit ton of glitter.

• WHEN: Saturday 24 January
• WHERE: Ivy, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Pretty Woman: The Musical

Pretty Woman: The Musical officially hit the Theatre Royal last month, bringing Hollywood escapism, big vocals and even bigger hair to the stage. Packed with all the iconic moments from the film, the production comes with a Tony-winning creative team, an original Bryan Adams score, and THE Timomatic (yes, you heard me correctly). It’s feel-good, glossy and guaranteed to deliver a solid night out.

• WHEN: Until Sunday 1 March
• WHERE: Theatre Royal, CBD
• HOW MUCH: Tix from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Petting Zoo

Introducing Sydney’s newest electronic day party, landing this Saturday and transforming Used into a hyper-colour, multi-stage playground just minutes from the CBD. The event leans hard into immersive design and next-gen dance culture, spotlighting up-and-coming international and local house artists including Locky and Jordan Brando.

• WHEN: Saturday 10 January, from 2pm
• WHERE: Manning House, Camperdown
• HOW MUCH: Tickets from $69
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.

The Book of Mormon

The Mormons are back, and yes, they’re still wildly inappropriate. After breaking box office records on its last Australian run, the Tony, Olivier, and Grammy Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon is continuing its reign at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. Expect door-to-door missionaries, big Broadway numbers, and jokes that will make you laugh, gasp, and maybe question your life choices.

• WHEN: Until Sunday 25 January
• WHERE: Capitol Theatre, Haymarket
• HOW MUCH: Tix from $99
• CHECK IT OUT HERE.