What’s on in Sydney in August 2026
August marks the final month of winter in Sydney, bringing crisp days and clear skies perfect for outdoor events like the City2Surf and whale watching season. While temperatures are cooler, the city comes alive with festivals celebrating everything from cherry blossoms to science, making it an ideal time to explore both indoor and outdoor activities.
Visitors will find accommodation rates are reasonable during this quieter winter period, and the smaller crowds make it easier to experience the city’s attractions.
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Annual Events in Sydney in August
Auburn Botanic- Gardens Cherry Blossom Festival
For 2 weeks each August, Auburn Botanic Gardens turns Japanese with a stunning display of Cherry Blossoms.
Celebrate Hello Kitty’s 50th birthday and enjoy a slice of Japan as you wander through the iconic Cherry Trail. Delight in the Japanese Food Village, serving cherry blossom-themed dishes and a wide selection of Japanese fusion foods. The festival features cultural performances, traditional Japanese music, dancing, kids activities, horticultural talks, and more.
Capture the perfect ‘cherry snap’ at the iconic Cherry Arbour in the Japanese Gardens and the Mt Fuji Torii Gate, perfect for ‘insta-ready’ photos and videos of the beautiful cherry blossoms.
Tickets, especially weekend dates, will sell fast, so get in quick!
When: Mid August 2026
Where: Auburn Botanic Gardens, Auburn, NSW
Cost: $16.60 for adults, $8.95 for kids. Free for Cumberland Council area residents. Tickets must be purchased online and will not be available at the event. Buy from Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival
Festivals, Fairs and Community Events
Sydney Gluten-Free Expo
Australia’s only dedicated gluten-free event returns to Sydney this August. This two-day celebration brings together the best gluten-free brands, expert speakers, cooking demonstrations and family entertainment under one roof.
Highlights include:
- Live cooking demos including gluten-free spicecraft with Spices with Ambika
- Talks by leading gastroenterologist Dr Vincent Ho on latest coeliac research
- The inaugural OMG Donut Eating Competition
- Jack the Sillyak’s kids’ show
- Expert insights on trace gluten and oats from Dr Kim Faulkner-Hogg
- Exclusive brand discounts and sampling opportunities
All proceeds support people with coeliac disease through peak body Coeliac Australia.
When: Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 August 2025
Where: Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
Cost: Tickets available at glutenfreeexpo.com.au
Ferragosto Street Festival
Fivedock is home to some of the best of Italian culture and this festival has it all. Fantastic food, focusing strongly on cooking and over 300 stalls selling everything you could need in an Italian kitchen.
When: 17 August 2025
Where: Great North Road, Five Dock between Lyons and Queens Roads
Cost: Free, details here.
Cronulla Winter Market
A beachside weekend market showcasing local retailers and small businesses from Cronulla and across Sydney. Shop, eat, and enjoy the community atmosphere by the water.
When: August 16-17, 2025, 9am-3pm
Where: Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla l Cost: Free entry
Penrith Show
Entertainment, rides, side show alley, trade stalls, competitions, exhibitions performances and so much more!
When: 29-30 August 2026
Where: 141-147 Station Street, Penrith
More: Check the website for more info
Dog and Cat Lovers Festivals
Australia’s premier pet events return to Sydney Showground with two incredible festivals running side by side.
The Dog Lovers Festival features the Vitapet Arena with live demonstrations, the exciting Kurgo Dockdogs splashing into a 100,000-litre pool, and the popular Pat-a-Pooch experience. Special guests include Farmer Dave Graham, Lara Shannon from Pooches at Play, and social media sensation Jamie the Dog Trainer.
Meanwhile, the Cat Lovers Festival showcases the WHISKAS® Stage, Kitty Cosplay parade, Championship Cat Show, and the Feline Natural Breed Showcase. Dr. Katrina Warren and social media stars Sonia Hankova & Kepler Copernicus will make special appearances.
Both festivals feature dedicated adoption zones, expert talks, and extensive shopping opportunities. Best of all, your ticket gives you access to both events!
When: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August 2025, 9:30am-5pm
Where: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park
Cost: $32.50 for adults, $24.50 concession, $17.50 for kids
Tickets: Available at dogloversfestival.com.au or catloversfestival.com.au
Sydney Science Festival
National Science Week (9-17 August 2025) brings an array of scientific adventures to Sydney under the theme “Decoding the Universe.”
Here are some highlights:
SCIENCE IN THE SCRUB – WESTERN SYDNEY PARKLAND
From elephant toothpaste eruptions in a LIVE science show, to a life-sized dinosaur roaming the park, a vintage fire truck display, Lego robots, bug hunts and a new Aboriginal Science Village with bush brews, and medicinal plants, get ready to entertain your pint-sized palaeontologists, budding biologists or mini mathematicians.
With over 30 stalls, hands-on STEM experiments and Australian wildlife displays, get ready for a science day out like no other.
When: Sunday 10th August 2025, 11:00am – 3:00pm
Where: Lizard Log, Western Sydney Parklands
For more details: www.greatersydneyparklands.nsw.gov.au/scienceweek
SCIENCE IN THE SWAMP – Centennial Park
Watch a mind-blowing science show, discover unforgettable neuroscience, catch minibeasts, embark on a Science Scavenger Hunt, and don’t miss a huge new addition – the 2025 UNSW SciFest Village – featuring a spider show, slime making, optical illusions and a drone soccer match.
Crowd-favourite Ginger, the life-sized Australovenator dinosaur returns, alongside more than 30 stalls, Australian wildlife displays, hands-on exhibits and musical moments guaranteed to engage curious minds.
When: Sunday 17th August, 11:00am – 3:00pm
Where: Loch Avenue South, Centennial Park
For more details: www.greatersydneyparklands.nsw.gov.au/scienceweek
Indigenous Science Experience
Explore Aboriginal astronomy, bush medicine, and 60,000+ years of Indigenous scientific knowledge. Features hands-on activities, Elder yarning sessions, and cultural performances.
When: Saturday 9 August, 10am-3pm
Where: Redfern Community Centre l Cost: Free
Soapbox Science Sydney
Meet 12 remarkable women in STEM sharing their discoveries and experiences in this outdoor event.
When: Saturday 9 August, 2pm-5pm
Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour l Cost: Free
Find the full program of events at ScienceWeek.net.au
Musicals, Opera and Theatre in Sydney in August
Great Opera Hits
Enjoy a captivating concert featuring the best of opera. As the sun dips below Sydney Harbour, immerse yourself in the melodic sounds of renowned arias by composers like Bizet, Puccini, Rossini, and Verdi.
Talented singers from Opera Australia will grace the stage, accompanied by piano, delivering a delightful 90-minute performance. Relax and let the music transport you to the enchanting world of opera against the backdrop of Sydney’s stunning skyline.
When: Every Sunday afternoon in August + Friday 29 August
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Tickets: here
Music, Comedy And Dance
Takács Quartet & Angie Milliken
Experience one of the world’s finest string quartets as the Grammy and Gramophone Award-winning Takács Quartet returns to Australia for their 50th anniversary tour.
This special Musica Viva 80th anniversary concert features acclaimed actor Angie Milliken narrating a world premiere by Australian composer Cathy Milliken, inspired by Brecht’s Sonnet in Emigration.
When: Monday 18 August 2025, 7pm
Where: City Recital Hall, Sydney
Cost: From $49 Bookings: musicaviva.com.au
Emily Sun & Slava Grigoryan at Bundanon
Four-time ARIA Award winner Slava Grigoryan joins London-based violinist Emily Sun for a spellbinding evening of romantic masterworks. The Australian musicians will perform pieces by Paganini, Piazzolla, and Sarasate, plus a world premiere by Sydney composer Andrew Howes.
Set in the award-winning Boyd Education Centre overlooking the Shoalhaven River, this unique collaboration is part of the inaugural Boyd Music Series presented with Sydney Opera House.
When: Saturday August 16, 2025
Where: Boyd Education Centre, Bundanon
Tickets: Available at bundanon.com.au/boyd-music-series
Art and Exhibitions
Warraba Weatherall: Shadow and Substance
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia presents the first solo museum exhibition by Kamilaroi artist Warraba Weatherall. Through dynamic installations, sculptures, and video works, Weatherall explores the complex history of Indigenous cultural materials in museum collections.
The exhibition features several major works including Trace (2025), a new sculptural installation examining scientific racism, and Dialectic (2025), a powerful video installation challenging institutional archives.
When: August 16-17, 2025 (exhibitions run through October 5)
Where: Bundanon, Shoalhaven River
Cost: Visit bundanon.com.au for ticket information
Film Festivals
Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA)
The 2025 Korean Film Festival returns with ten Australian premieres, featuring everything from romantic dramas to high-stakes thrillers. Opening with Hear Me: Our Summer, a touching romance about a delivery worker who falls for a deaf swimmer, the festival showcases the diversity of contemporary Korean cinema.
Highlights include the provocative mystery Hidden Face starring CHO Yeo-jeong (Parasite), and a special 4K restoration of Shiri, the thriller that launched Korea’s cinema wave. Meet visiting directors and actors in exclusive post-screening Q&As.
When: 21-26 August 2025
Where: Event Cinemas George Street, Sydney
Cost: Tickets available at koffia.com.au
Note: Films screened with English subtitles
Food and Drink Events
See our list of Sydney’s best winter food events here
Sport and Outdoor events
Amateur Surf Competition Returns to Bondi Beach
Mark your calendar for a unique surf competition where imperfect waves are perfectly welcome. The Jetstar Surf Classic returns to Bondi Beach on 26 August 2025, featuring amateur surfers competing for an incredible prize – a Cook Islands getaway for six.
Event Highlights
- Watch four amateur surfers showcase their “unique” surf skills
- Meet Bondi Rescue’s Trent ‘Maxi’ Maxwell
- See surfing legends Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo and Jesse Starling judge the competition
- Free coffee and Jetstar toasties for spectators
- Try the mechanical surfboard challenge to win flight vouchers
The finalists will be judged on their “highly untechnical flair,” including: the dolphin squirt, seamless take-off attempts and victory rides to shore.
When: Tuesday, 26 August 2025, Time: 9am-1pm
Where: Location: Bondi Beach
Cost: Free to attend
Sydney International Boat Show
The Sydney Boat Show is a family-friendly event with a range of exciting highlights.
When: TBC
Where: Sydney Showground
City2Surf
City2Surf Run, the city’s favourite fun run draws more than 80,000 people. Runners and walkers make their way along a 14-km route from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach.
When: 9 August 2026
Where: Hyde Park to Bondi Beach
Cost: $65, check the website for training schedules and more
Yoga in the Park
Get fit and flexible every Sunday morning with FREE Yoga in The Park! The focus on breathing, the concentration required to find balance in certain poses, the flow of the movements – it’s all an active meditation that can help clear the mind, quieten anxieties and strengthen your body.
When: 9:30 am, every Sunday (All Year)
Where: Corner of Lower Fort St and George St at Dawes Point Park, right under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Tickets: Free, more info here
Regional Events
New events and updated content are added to these pages as it becomes available. If you would like to add your event to Sydney Expert, please email us.
Plan Ahead
- What’s on in Sydney in September
- What’s on in Sydney in October
- What’s on in Sydney in November
- School holidays in Sydney
Feature image credit: Destination NSW
