Expert recommendations of the top events—with tips on how to best experience these celebrations.
|
THIS ARTICLE IS FROM
|
Australian Fashion Week
Late April/early May. Top local and national designers, plus Asia-Pacific contributors at Circular Quay. Tel. +61 2 9285 8000. www.afw.com.au
Darling Harbour International Jazz Festival
Mid-June. Three days of free jazz at Darling Harbour. Australian masters (James Morrison, Renée Geyer) and funk and reggae jazz-fusion. Tel. +61 2 9240 8788. www.darlingharbour.com
Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras
February-March. Month-long celebration of gay and lesbian culture, culminating in a spectacular Oxford Street parade and decadent after-party. Tel. +61 2 9568 8600. www.mardigras.org.au
Sydney Festival
January. Sydney’s month-long arts and culture festival is Australia’s most attended cultural event, attracting about one million people. Music, theater, dance, and visual arts, with plenty of free shows; venues throughout the city. Wide spectrum of styles, forms, and performers (Philip Glass, Robert Lepage, Björk, Brian Wilson). Tel. +61 2 8248 6500. www.sydneyfestival.org.au
Sydney Writers’ Festival
Mid-May. Dozens of established and emerging international literary guests (Andrew O’Hagan, Bei Dao, Richard Ford, Rachel Seiffert) join hundreds of Australian writers for readings, discussions, film premieres, and workshops. Tel. +61 2 9252 7729. www.swf.org.au
Tropfest
Mid-February. World’s biggest short-film festival. Entries must include the year’s random “signature item” (such as a sneeze, umbrella, or bubble) selected by the judges; free screenings around town. Tel. +61 2 9368 0434. www.tropfest.com.au
