Easter in Sydney, it’s a popular time of the year, not just for the excuse the Easter bunny provides for us to gobble way more chocolate eggs than we should, but because for many Sydneysiders the Easter long weekend is a 4 day holiday.

The Easter long weekend is the perfect time for a getaway, but if you have not planned an escape, you can still make the most of those days off enjoying the Easter weekend out and about in Sydney. We have pulled together a list of fun activities and events for all the family.

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Easter Dates 2024

This year Easter falls at the end of March.

The Easter public holidays are:

• Good Friday 29 March (lots of places in Sydney close on this day)
• Easter Saturday 30 March (normal trading hours)
• Easter Sunday 31 March (some places close today)
• Easter Monday 01 April (normal public holiday trading hours)

This long break gives us plenty of time to enjoy Easter events.

The school holidays do not align with Easter holidays this year. The school holidays begin on Monday 15 April to Friday 26 April.

Check out one of the Easter Shows

Check out one of the Sydney Easter Shows over holiday weekend. There used to be just one Royal Easter show, but over the last few years alternative shows have popped up across the city.

The Royal Easter Show

A visit to the Sydney Royal Easter Show is an institution for Sydneysiders. Young or old, a visit to the Royal Easter Show is a must for many families.

The show offers something for everyone with animal judging, craft and food displays, carnival rides and sideshow alley games and of course the ever popular showbag pavilion.

Once you run out of energy, head to the stands and watch some of the live entertainment from woodchopping to the showjumping or super cars.

Tip: Avoid Good Friday and the final Tuesday to miss the biggest crowds.

Where: Sydney Showground, 1 Showground Rd, Sydney Olympic Park
When: 22 March – 2 April 2024

Sydney Family Show

Not up for a huge day at the Royal Easter Show? Well, the Sydney Family Show is a great alternative and much better suited to little ones. Entertainment Quarter plays host to heaps of free activities (after entry fee) and you don’t have to miss out on grabbing some showbags with a good range of offer.

Where: 122 Lang Road, Moore Park
When: TBC
Cost: Adult $25 | Child $13 | Family (4) $65

Fairfield Easter Fair

From side show alley and fairground rides to daredevil performances and Little Big Rigs, the Fairfield Easter Fair is plenty for older kids and adults. For the younger ones, farm animals will be on hand along with ponies and alpacas.

Stave off hunger with a bunch of great food trucks, including Brisket Boys and Yee Haw Chicken.

Where: Fairfield Showground, 443 Smithfield Road, Prairiewood
When: TBC for 2023
Cost: $2 per person entry, ride passes for $27.50 if purchased online or $35 on the day

West Ryde Easter Celebrations

Celebrate Easter with the family at West Ryde! Enjoy thrilling carnival rides, kid’s activities, food trucks, BBQ, an Easter concert, and a petting zoo.

There will also be several performances by local community groups, dance troupe and a teen singing competition.

The first 500 people to buy a wristband will receive a free Easter show bag. Pony rides are available for $10 each (EFTPOS only). Get in early for the free face painting too!

Where: Anzac Park, Wattle Street, West Ryde
When: TBC
Cost: Unlimited rides and entry into the animal farm for purchase on the day for $25.

Concord Carnival

Step back in time with classic cars, horse and carriage rides, vintage sideshows, acrobatics, juggling, amusement rides, food trucks, merchandise stalls, and performances. The Spiegeltent will be full of surprises!

Concord Carnival will celebrate Sydney’s Halcyon Days, the period between 1920-1950. The 1920s saw economic growth, increased women’s rights, and an obsession with celebrity culture. There will be three stages offering an enormous range of entertainment. On the main stage will be dance, music and more. The Kitchen stage will see lots of great cooking demonstrations while in the art déco Spiegeltent you will be entertained by musicians, magicians and illusionists.

Where: Greenlees Park
When: TBC
Cost: Free

Luddenham Easter Festival

The annual Luddenham Easter Festival is a fun carnival for the whole family. Enjoy entertainment, rides, face-painting, showbags and festival food (costs vary).

The ride list features: Dodgem Cars, Ferris Wheel, Hurricane, Sizzler, Ghost Train, Bungees, Ponies, Super Jest Coaster, Midnight Madness, Graviton, Mirror Maze, Matterhorn Ice Jet, Merry Go Round, Wild West Swinger, Tea Cups, Space Jam.

Where: Luddenham Showground
When: TBC

Towradgi Beach Hotel Easter Show

Market stalls, show bags, and plenty of rides including Dodgem cars, Ferris wheel, giant slide, round up the storm, sideshow games, snow cones, fairy floss, 

Where: Towradgi Beach Hotel – 170 Pioneer Rd Towradgi
When: TBC

Join an Easter Egg Hunt

The highlight of Easter celebrations for most children is the annual Easter egg hunt. While a hunt around the family garden is great fun there are a number of organised Easter egg hunts across the city. Check out these family friendly Easter activities to get you started.

Centennial Parklands

Centennial park hosts the much loved Bilby hunt on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. A one hour activity where children enjoy nature-based play and art projects that highlight Australian animals and plants. Note: You will not be hunting chocolate.

Follow up with your own Easter picnic, pack the picnic basket with some hot cross buns and other Easter family favorites, for a fun day out.

Where: The WILD PLAY Discovery Centre, Centennial Park
When: TBC

First-ever Easter Egg Hunt on the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

BridgeClimb is excited to be holding the first-ever Easter Egg Hunt on the iconic Harbour Bridge! Running throughout the Easter school holidays, kids over the age of 8 can take part in a competition to count the number of Easter Eggs throughout their journey.

In addition, to make the school holidays that little bit sweeter, kids eight years of age and older can scale the arches of the Bridge and learn its fascinating history for only $99, a saving of up to 48%.

Where: Bridge climb
When: TBC

Q Station Easter Egg Hunt

Enjoy a fun-filled day with the family! Hunt for hidden eggs, make bunny hats, jump on the castle, get face-painted, and be entertained by a live performer at the Glasshouse lawns. Enjoy a hot cross bun or pastry with a coffee while admiring the harbour views. Enjoy a refreshing beverage and bite by the harbour at the bar and BBQ. Kids can indulge in an ice-cream or milkshake too!

Where: Q Station Sydney
When: TCB

Easter Egg Hunt in the Rocks

Pick up your trail map and put your hunting skills to the test as you explore the hidden lanes and alleys of the Rocks to find the clues that will lead you to a special treat from Dawes Point Park.

Everyone gets a prize and there will be a draw for a $200 gift card to spend at Parker’s Fine Art Supplies 

We recommend allowing 1hr for the Easter Egg hunt. 

Where: 105 George St Alfresco Area, The Rocks 
When: TBC

Sydney Living Museums – Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Farm

Another fun Easter weekend event, Sydney Living Museums will host special family day activities at two of their properties. The gardens Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Farm will play home to an Easter trail with chocolate as the ultimate prize. Kids can also make some bunny ears to take home or choose to decorate an Easter egg. There will also be games the whole family can join.

Where: Vaucluse House /Elizabeth Farm Parramatta
When: TBC
Cost: $ per person

Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures Easter Hunt

Just an hour north of the CBD and only 20 minutes from Hornsby the egg hunt at Glenworth Valley is probably the best value you will find. With 25,000 eggs hidden, there is plenty to go around.

Where: 69 Cooks Road, Glenworth Valley
When: TBC

Jamberoo Easter

No hunting required! Jamberoo will give each child aged (4-12 years) a bag of chocolate eggs. The Easter Bunny (and Sammy the Shark) will be in attendance and will hand out the eggs between 10-11am, you can also snap a pic with the bunny or shark. Buy your tickets in advance as they will sell out.

Where: 1215 Jamberoo Rd, Jamberoo 
When: TBC
Cost: Free with General admission

Easter High Tea in Sydney

High tea is pretty decadent any day, but at Easter things go up a notch! For those of you with a sweet tooth it is going to be hard to choose a favourite from this list of delightful contenders.

Alice in Wonderland High Tea Buffet

Celebrate Easter at Shangri-La Sydney with a High Tea buffet inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

Little and big Kings and Queens of Hearts can enjoy a labyrinth of desserts, including white rabbit clock macarons, playing card cookies and Alice’s scones. The Mad Hatter has prepared a selection of tea, juices, hot chocolate, coffee, and gourmet bites such as Humpty Dumpty sandwiches.

Alice in Wonderland High Tea Buffet will take place in the Grand Ballroom, Shangri-La Sydney. Don’t be late!

Where: Grand Ballroom, Shangri-La Sydney
When: TBC

Easter Tea at the Fullerton

Enjoy Hot Cross Buns, Smoked Salmon and Pearls, Dutch Carrot Tart, and a Smoked Egg Sandwich at the historic Fullerton Hotel in Martin Place’s GPO Building.

Upgrade to Chandon sparkling wine for A$88/person or Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV champagne for A$98/person.

Where: Fullerton Hotel
When: 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm over Easter Weekend

Afternoon Tea with Anna Polyviou

Celebrate Easter with friends and family with Anna Polyviou’s special Easter afternoon tea, available from April 1-10. Enjoy a limited-time Easter mini-feast with sweet treats like triple choc brownie, pop-corn crunch, and chocolate Chantilly crème, plus savoury bites like Southern Fried Chicken with crunchy slaw and honey leg ham sandwiches. Plus, don’t miss the hot cross bun scones!

Where: The Langham Sydney
When: TBC

Easter Restaurant Special Offers

While not as popular as dining out for Christmas, special meals with family and friends is becoming increasingly more common. A special Sunday lunch with family or friends is a great way to celebrate and in Australia, Easter, like Christmas, seafood is often the star of the show.

We will add 2024 Easter dining options as they become available.

Easter Sunday Church Services

If Easter is one time you like to attend church, there are several services in the CBD you are welcome to join.

• St Mary’s Cathedral (Catholic) will offer five services on Easter Sunday and the very moving Passion of the Lord service at 3pm on Good Friday. All are welcome.
• St Andrews Cathedral (Anglican) will have at least three Easter Sunday services
• Wesley Mission will offer a sunrise service and services in Chinese, Indonesian and Samoan. There will also be a Good Friday service in Martin Place at 1pm.
• Historic St James Church, Sydney’s oldest church, will offer two Sunday services

What’s open at Easter?

Friday is the only day things generally close in Sydney over the four-day Easter long weekend. In recent years more venues are staying opening or opening for half a day, but staffing woes and penalty rates may see more businesses decide to close on Good Friday this year. Some shops and restaurants may also close on Easter Sunday.

Popular Sydney Attractions Easter Opening Hours

Many attractions are open every day over the Easter break. These details were correct at the time of publication, but please check for any changes before you head out.

• Taronga Zoo: 9:30am-5pm
• SEA LIFE Aquarium: 10am-4pm
• WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo: 10am-4pm
• Madame Tussauds: 10am-4pm
• Sydney Tower Eye: 10am-8pm
• Featherdale Wildlife Park: 9am-4pm
• Australian National Maritime Museum: 10am-4pm
• BridgeClimb Sydney: 9am-5pm
• Luna Park: 10am-10pm (Fri/Sat)

Easter in Sydney shopping

The most asked question every Easter is What’s open on Good Friday. If you are wondering where you can get the best seafood, the best chocolate treats or even where you can buy booze on Good Friday, we have your back.

Sydney Fish Market

Sydney Fish Market will offer extended ours over the holiday break. They will be open on Good Friday from 5am to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday are 7am-4pm daily.

It’s not just seafood either, along with the 6 fish retailers, the market is also home to a fruit and vegetable shop, butcher, bakery, gourmet deli and bottle shop so you can gather all the needs for a big Easter celebration.

Where to buy alcohol on Good Friday

Possibly the most asked question at Easter. NSW licencing laws prohibit the sale of take away alcohol, so Dan Murphy, BWS and your local bottle shop will be closed. However, if you have missed the memo and need drinks for a long weekend celebration you have options.

Some brewery’s and distilleries can get around this law because they fall under slightly different guidelines, so you will be able to buy craft beer, cider and spirits. Some of our favourite options which will be open include Archie Rose in Rosebery, Manly Spirits, Yulli’s, Young Henry’s and Batch Brewing are among the options for beer and ciders. Check your local favourites too as they may well be offering take away brews.

Wine lovers will have to head into a bar for a glass of vino. Bars and pubs may open from Noon to 10pm.

Sydney’s Best Easter Eggs

Sure, you can pick up your Easter Eggs from the supermarket, but perhaps it’s time for quality over quantity. Sydney has some fine chocolatiers, so why not support some fabulous local businesses?

The nearest options to the city include:

• Haighs – QVB, Strand Arcade and Bondi Junction
• KOKO Black – Strand Arcade, QVB, Sydney Airport
• Kawaka Chocolates – Darlinghurst
• Adora – Quay Quarter, Wentworth Connection CBD, and Newtown

Most of these have suburban options too, so check their websites for the closest to you.

Which shopping centres are open over Easter

• Closed Good Friday: QVB, Westfield Sydney City, Bondi Junction, Broadway, Parramatta, Macquarie Centre, , Chatswood Chase, Westfield Miranda
• Closed Easter Sunday: Westfield Sydney City, Bondi Junction, Parramatta, Macquarie Centre, Chatswood Chase, Westfield Miranda
• Open every day over Easter: World Square, Eastgardens, Hurstville, Chatswood, Warringah Mall, Moore Park Supa Centre,

For more ideas, check out our guide to things to do in Sydney in April.

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