With a trailblazing program of free and ticketed events, including theatre, live music and immersive experiences, here's our picks to help you plan your summer days and nights out.

Garrigarrang Badu

The all-female Jannawi Dance Clan honours Dharug language, women and storytelling through movement. Garrigarrang (meaning salt water) and Badu (fresh water) tells the stories of Dharug country which spans from the mountains to the sea, where the fresh water meets the salt water.
9–10 January, Sydney Opera House, Drama Theatre
Find out more and get tickets.

WAKE

Come for a kaleidoscopic variety show featuring world-class Irish talent – from pole
dancers and breakdancers to tap and aerial artistry, from slam poets to live musicians.
This is tradition spun sideways, a riot of artistry and energy that juxtaposes the ancient
and the now.
14–25 January, Carriageworks
Find out more and get tickets.

Sydney Symphony Under the Stars

The Sydney Symphony concert you know and love is back in the heart of the city with a moving First Nations orchestral work,followed by a journey through 50 years of Festival moments.
Park your rug, unpack your snacks and enjoy this special anniversary concert beneath the summer sky.
17 January, Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour
Free. Find out more.

Mama Does Derby

A single mum, a teenage daughter, and a new life in a regional town where neither quite fits. Billie is 16 and restless, trying to navigate the chaos of adolescence. Mum, meanwhile, is spinning into a rebellion of her own – in the sweaty, rough and radical world of roller derby.  
15–22 January, Sydney Town Hall
Find out more and get tickets.

Exxy

The celebrated queer and crippled dance artist, Dan Daw, takes us back to his working-class origins to reflect on where he started and examine the pressure to stay “on top” after his breakout success.
15–18 January, Sydney Opera House, Drama Theatre
Find out more and book tickets.

Nowhere

In this intricate and playful solo show,actor and activist Khalid Abdalla – United 93, The
Kite Runner, The Crown – takes us on a surprising journey into his own history, set against a cartography of seismic world events.
13–17 January, Roslyn Packer Theatre
Find out more and get tickets.

Efectos Especiales

Hailed internationally after acclaimed seasons in Santiago, Valencia and Cádiz, this
free, large-scale performance brings the thrill of live cinema to Sydney's waterfront. No
tickets, no fourth wall – just you, the city and a camera capturing it all.
10 January, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Free. Find out more.

Live on Hickson Road: The Kick On

Hickson Road transforms into a dancefloor, gathering place, food stop and summer session. Argentinian DJ and producer, Tina Disco sets the vibes for a perfect summer night. This follows on from the thrilling street shut-down event Efectos Especiales.
10 January, Hickson Road, The Rocks
Free. Find out more.

Post-Orientalist Express

After acclaimed seasons in Paris, Berlin and Seoul, celebrated South Korean
choreographer Eun-Me Ahn brings her kaleidoscopic reimagining of Asian cultures to Sydney Festival.
8–10 January, Roslyn Packer Theatre
Find out more and book tickets.

Observer, Observed

This public artwork by Julia Phillips invites you to think about public surveillance and what it really means to “look”. A set of custom-made bronze binoculars mounted like a typical tourist viewpoint invite you to step up and spy on our surroundings. Be warned – a camera inside the binoculars will be broadcasting live video of your peeping eyes to an adjacent screen.  
8–25 January, Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour
Free. Find out more.

Plan your summer days and nights with the full Sydney Festival program.