What’s on in Sydney in December 2026
December is the start of summer in Sydney. Days are long and warm, and it’s beach weather most days. Afternoon storms can roll in, but they rarely last more than a couple of hours.
It’s a busy month. Restaurants and bars fill up with Christmas parties, and the six-week summer school holidays start on Friday 18 December, so shops and attractions get crowded.
The big dates are Carols in the Domain on 19 December, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on 31 December.
Average temperatures: 18.6°C to 25.8°C (65°F to 78°F)
Last December was hot and dry, with just 19mm of rain and a top of 42.2°C on the 19th.
If you are looking for Christmas lunch or dinner ideas, check our list of Christmas Day dining.
This post contains affiliate links. Our full disclosure policy is here.
Big Events in Sydney in December 2026
December’s biggest dates, with our full guides.
- Christmas markets in Sydney
- Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: 26 December
- NYE in Sydney: 31 December
- Christmas festivals, concerts and more: across December
Carols in the Domain
Sydney’s biggest Christmas concert returns to The Domain, with well-known singers performing carols and Christmas songs into the night.
Bring a picnic rug and get in early for a good spot on the grass.
When: Saturday 19 December 2026, gates from 1pm
Where: The Domain, Sydney
Cost: Free general admission on the lawn. Reserved seats are ticketed at carolsinthedomain.com
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
The race starts on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, and the headlands and harbour foreshore fill with people watching the fleet head out to sea. See our guide to the best places to watch the Sydney to Hobart.
When: Saturday 26 December 2026
Where: Sydney Harbour
Cost: Free to watch from shore
Markets, Fairs and Community Festivals
Green Square Market After Dark
This new night market runs on the first Thursday of each month in Green Square Plaza in Zetland. Street food sits alongside stalls from local makers and small businesses, and the line-up of stallholders changes each month.
It’s free to get in, and it’s a short walk from Green Square Station on the Airport line. That makes it an easy weeknight stop for an early dinner and a browse.
When: Thursday 3 December 2026, 5pm to 9pm
Where: Green Square Plaza, Tweed Place, Zetland
Cost: Free entry
Musicals, Opera and Theatre
SIX the Musical
December is your last chance to catch SIX before the Tudor queens leave Theatre Royal Sydney. The six wives of Henry VIII take the stage as a pop girl group, each trying to prove she had it worst. A new cast leads this season, including Cara Bessey, Angela Brischetto and Kadesa Honeyhill.
At just 80 minutes with no interval, it will fit around Christmas shopping or end-of-year drinks in the city. There are evening shows Tuesday to Sunday, plus Wednesday and weekend matinees. It’s also suitable for teenagers on school holidays.
When: Until 20 December 2026
Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King Street, Sydney
Cost: From $70. Book at theatreroyalsydney.com
The Nutcracker
BIG Live, the company behind this year’s Dracula ballet, brings The Nutcracker back to Sydney after a sell-out 2025 season. This year it moves to the Capitol Theatre. Follow Clara to the Land of Sweets in the Christmas ballet that many families make a holiday tradition, with Tchaikovsky’s music played by a live orchestra.
There are matinees most weekends and on Wednesdays, which makes it easy to fit in during the school holidays. The show runs for two hours and 25 minutes, including an interval. It uses strobe lighting and haze.
When: 4 to 23 December 2026, Wednesday to Sunday, matinee and evening shows
Where: Capitol Theatre, Haymarket
Cost: Not published online. Tickets via capitoltheatre.com.au
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical
This Broadway musical tells the true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became Neil Diamond. Broadway star Will Swenson plays the younger Neil, and Terence Crawford plays him today.
It’s directed by Tony winner Michael Mayer and was made with Neil Diamond’s input. The season has been extended to February, so it runs all through December.
When: Until 14 February 2027. Wednesday to Saturday
Where: Sydney Lyric, Pyrmont
Cost: From $69 plus transaction fees. Book at ticketmaster.com.au
The Nutcracker on Ice
The Imperial Ice Stars bring The Nutcracker on Ice to Western Sydney for a two-week season, the only one in Australia. Ballet, high-speed ice skating and acrobatics are set to Tchaikovsky’s music, in a production created by artistic director Tony Mercer. Clara’s nutcracker doll comes to life, and the Sugar Plum Fairy guides her through a winter wonderland to the Kingdom of Sweets.
The company last played the Coliseum Theatre with Swan Lake on Ice in January 2025. The show runs about 2 hours 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval, and it suits all ages. Kids’ tickets cover ages 2 to 17, and babies under 2 can sit on a lap for free.
When: 10 to 20 December 2026 (no show on 14 December)
Where: Coliseum Theatre, West HQ, 33 Railway Street, Rooty Hill
Cost: From $68 plus booking fees. Book at coliseumtheatre.com.au or Ticketek
Silver Tongue
Treasure Island gets a makeover in this new Australian musical at the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point. Long John Silver is now a pirate queen, played by Billie Palin, and the story is told through sea shanty-style songs by composer Alec Steedman.
The Hayes is a small theatre, so every seat is close to the stage. Tickets for under 35s start at $60, which makes it one of the cheaper shows in town this December. The season ends mid-month, so don’t leave it too late.
When: Until 12 December 2026
Where: Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point
Cost: Adults from $74, concession from $69, under 35s from $60
Ruins at PHIVE Parramatta
Ruins follows Amelia Alissa as she travels to Lebanon after her father dies. It’s told through physical theatre, live music and video. The story looks at grief, family and what home means for Arab and Lebanese Australians.
National Theatre of Parramatta presents this Clockfire Theatre production as part of Heartland Festival 2026. The show runs for about 90 minutes with no interval. It includes coarse language, adult themes, haze, strobe lighting and loud noises.
When: 2 to 5 December 2026
Where: PHIVE, 5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta
Cost: From $25 plus a $7.95 transaction fee
Wake in Fright
Griffin Theatre Company brings its version of Kenneth Cook’s cult Australian novel to Carriageworks. Zahra Newman plays every role herself in this solo show, directed by Declan Greene.
A Sydney schoolteacher is stranded for three weeks in the outback mining town of Bundanyabba, where his money, identity and grip on reality slowly slip away. Expect plenty of booze, bravado and dark themes, and bring the earplugs Griffin recommends.
When: 2 to 19 December 2026 (previews 2 and 3 December). Captioned show Tuesday 8 Dec.
Where: Bay 20, Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Cost: From $81, seniors from $76, concession from $72, under 35s from $48, rush tickets $25. Book at griffintheatre.com.au
The Gospel According to Paul: The Second Coming
Jonathan Biggins steps back into Paul Keating’s shoes for a sharp, funny look at the former prime minister. It covers his famous insults, his love of antique clocks and fine suits, and his more recent comments on politics.
The show runs for 90 minutes with no interval. It’s a fun night out for anyone who followed politics in the 80s and 90s. It contains strong language, so it’s not one for the kids. The season wraps up just before Christmas.
When: Until 20 December 2026
Where: Wharf 1 Theatre, Wharf 4/5 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Cost: $49 (under 30s) to $224
The Coconut Children
Vivian Pham’s award-winning novel comes to the Belvoir stage, adapted by the author herself. It’s set in Cabramatta in 1998 and follows Sonny and Vince, two 16-year-olds who grew up together. When Vince comes home from juvenile detention, their friendship picks up again.
Family troubles and old secrets get in the way, in a tight community where everyone has an opinion. It’s a coming-of-age story about tradition and what comes next, co-directed by Hannah Goodwin and Catherine Văn-Davies with a mostly Vietnamese-Australian cast.
When: 21 November to 20 December 2026
Where: Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Surry Hills
Cost: $43 to $98, depending on ticket type. Book at belvoir.com.au
New Year’s Eve at the Opera House: La Bohème
See in 2027 at the Sydney Opera House with a special New Year’s Eve performance of La Bohème, Puccini’s love story set in snowy Paris.
The opera starts at 7:45pm and runs for about two hours and 15 minutes. It’s sung in Italian with English surtitles, and the interval is timed for the 9pm fireworks. You can add a pre-show dinner from 5:30pm for $499 per person (opera ticket not included).
When: Thursday 31 December 2026, 7:45pm
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $249 plus a $9.80 fee. Tickets via GetYourGuide
Great Opera Hits at the Sydney Opera House
If you’d like to see a show inside the Opera House without committing to a full opera, this is a good place to start. Opera Australia singers perform famous arias by Puccini, Verdi, Bizet and Rossini, with piano.
The concert runs for about 90 minutes, so it’s easy to pair with dinner by the harbour. It’s rated 4.7 out of 5 from nearly 800 reviews on GetYourGuide.
When: Selected nights, check dates when booking
Where: Sydney Opera House
Cost: Tickets via GetYourGuide
Comedy, Music and Dance
The Choir of Man at the Sydney Opera House
The Opera House Studio becomes an English pub for this summer season. Nine performers sing, play instruments and dance on stage, and they pour drinks too. The songs range from pub singalongs to rock and pop hits by artists like Queen, Adele, Paul Simon and Sia.
The show comes straight from a four-year run in London’s West End, where more than 280,000 people saw it. It runs 6 days a week until late January, so it’s easy to fit around your Christmas plans. Book early if you want a date close to the holidays.
When: Tuesday to Sunday until 24 January, with no shows on 25, 30 or 31 December.
Where: The Studio, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point
Cost: From $69.90 plus an $8.95 booking fee
FORMA at Tumbalong Park
FORMA is a new open-air concert series in Darling Harbour, run by the team behind Lost Paradise. It starts on 26 November, and the December shows are:
- The Veronicas and Peach PRC on Thursday 3 December
- New Zealand band SIX60 on Friday 4 December
- Hoodoo Gurus with Ratcat and The Stems on Saturday 5 December
- Don West and Jordan Rakei on Sunday 6 December
On the free side, the dining area at the park is open from 11am to 5pm Thursday to Saturday, and there’s a free family event on Sunday 6 December from 9am to 1pm. Concerts run from 6pm to 11pm. Most shows are all ages, and kids aged 2 and under get in free.
When: 3 to 6 December 2026
Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour
Cost: Concert prices vary by show. The dining area and family event are free.
Show Up! at Darling Quarter Theatre
Show Up! is a monthly variety night run by its creator and host, Nick Hardcastle. Each show mixes music, comedy, cabaret, circus and conversation with surprise guests. Past performers include Nikki Webster, Phil Burton and Jason Arrow.
December is the last show of the year, with a festive line-up. The special guests haven’t been named yet. The theatre is in Darling Quarter, so there are plenty of places nearby for dinner first.
When: Monday 14 December 2026
Where: Darling Quarter Theatre, Darling Harbour
Cost: Tickets not on sale yet
Dijon at the Sydney Opera House
Dijon plays his first Australian headline shows in the Concert Hall. His music mixes alternative R&B and soul. In 2025 he released the album Baby and appeared on Bon Iver’s album SABLE, fABLE. He also earned two Grammy nominations for his work on Justin Bieber’s SWAG.
The first show is on Saturday 12 December, and a second show was added for Sunday 13 December because of demand. The Opera House lists both shows as suitable for all ages.
When: Saturday 12 December 2026 and Sunday 13 December 2026 at 9pm
Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point
Cost: From $129.90 plus $8.95 booking fee
Tara Clerkin Trio at the Sydney Opera House
Bristol band Tara Clerkin Trio play their first Australian headline show in the Opera House’s small Utzon Room. Tara Clerkin sings and plays clarinet, with Sunny Joe Paradisos on drums and Patrick Benjamin on keyboards and synths. Their sound mixes trip-hop, jazz and folk, and it has been compared to Portishead and Arthur Russell.
They’ll play songs from their new album Somewhere Good. Pitchfork named its title track a Best New Track. The Utzon Room holds a small crowd, so it’s a good pick if you like your music up close and low-key.
When: Monday 14 December 2026, 7pm
Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point
Cost: $64.90 plus booking fee. Book at sydneyoperahouse.com
Cat Power: The Greatest 20th Anniversary
Chan Marshall, who performs as Cat Power, marks 20 years of her 2006 album The Greatest. She recorded it in Memphis with members of the Hi Rhythm Section, and it moved her sound towards Southern soul.
This is her fourth Opera House visit, after shows in 2011, 2018 and 2023.
When: Monday 7 December 2026, 9pm
Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $99.90 plus booking fee. Book at sydneyoperahouse.com
James Blake
British producer and songwriter James Blake plays his first Australian shows since 2019, on the Opera House steps. He has won a Grammy and the Mercury Prize, and has worked with Beyoncé, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar. The tour follows his 2026 album Trying Times. The show is open to all ages.
When: Wednesday 2 December 2026
Where: On The Steps, Sydney Opera House Forecourt
Cost: Not published online. Tickets: sydneyoperahouse.com
Honeycomb Club Cabaret Dinner Show
Sydney’s longest-running burlesque cabaret dinner show is up above the Potts Point Hotel. You get a two-course modern Australian dinner with table service, with an entrée and your choice of three mains, then a full sit-down show.
It’s a fun option for a Christmas party or a night out with friends. Drinks and dessert are extra. It’s best suited to ages 16 and up, though younger guests can come with an adult.
When: Fridays and Saturdays until 19 December (Christmas Calamity Cabaret). Doors open 7pm Fridays, 6pm Saturdays
Where: The Honeycomb Club, Potts Point Hotel, Potts Point
Cost: Show only from $76, dinner and show $136. Tickets via GetYourGuide
Art and Exhibitions
Takashi Murakami at the Art Gallery of NSW
Australia’s first Takashi Murakami retrospective opens at the Art Gallery of NSW, and Sydney is the only city showing it. More than 150 works span 30 years, filled with giant smiling flowers, anime-style characters and his take on Japanese art history.
Highlights include a gold room with gilded walls and floor, and Judgement Day, a 25-metre painting. In the Tank, a five-metre smiling figure leads you into a temple-style installation made just for this show.
When: From 5 December 2026
Where: Naala Badu, Art Gallery of NSW, The Domain
Cost: Adults from $45 on weekdays ($40 if booked before 5 December), youth (12 to 17) $15, under 12s free
Ocean Photographer of the Year
The Australian National Maritime Museum hosts the world premiere of this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition, with every finalist image on show.
More than 15,000 photos were entered. Sydney photographer Gergo Rugli won the Adventure category with a shot of dolphins riding a wave beside surfers.
When: From 19 November 2026
Where: Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour
Cost: Not published online. Details at sea.museum
Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
This free exhibition shows the best images from 2,129 entries. The overall winner is Matt Deakin’s aerial shot of an endangered green sawfish swimming among green turtles in WA’s Pilbara.
NSW’s Colin Chan won Animals in Nature with a whimbrel racing a wave at Long Reef.
When: Until 14 February 2027, daily 10am to 5pm (closed Christmas Day)
Where: Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney
Cost: Free
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)
The Australian premiere of David Hockney’s immersive show opens at Carriageworks. It was made by Hockney with Lightroom London, where it premiered in 2023, and it has since sold out in Manchester, Shanghai and Seoul. Nearly 250 of his works from six decades are projected across all four walls, floor to ceiling, in six themed chapters.
Hockney narrates the show himself. He talks about perspective, his photography and his Grand Canyon paintings, and there’s footage of his famous drives through the Californian canyons, set to Wagner. You’ll also see his California pool paintings, portraits and opera stage sets. Composer Nico Muhly wrote the original score.
The main show runs about 50 minutes, but allow 60 to 80 minutes in total. There’s no minimum age, prams are allowed, and you can take photos (no flash). For a quieter visit, book a session after 1pm.
When: 22 October 2026 to 24 January 2027.
Where: Bay 17, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh
Cost: General admission from $34.90. VIP Anytime Pass $64.90. Under 4s free. $5 booking fee per transaction. Book at lightroomatcarriageworks.au
Philippe Parreno: 5 Moons
French artist Philippe Parreno brings his first major Australian exhibition to the MCA, as part of this summer’s Sydney International Art Series. Parreno calls himself an “exhibition producer” rather than an artist. He works across film, sound, light, objects, drawing, AI and robotics, and builds shows that change and respond as you move through them.
5 Moons uses the moon as its theme. Over five lunar cycles, the exhibition changes with the sun, tide and sky around the MCA and Sydney Harbour, so it’s never the same twice. It spreads across several floors, including the International Galleries, the Macgregor Gallery and the Lecture Theatre, with works tucked into unexpected corners of the building.
When: 21 November 2026 to 26 April 2027
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks
Cost: Not published online. Details at mca.com.au
Food and Night Markets
Martin Place Christmas Markets
Christmas market stalls set up in Martin Place on selected days through December, with gifts and gourmet treats in the middle of the city.
When: Selected days from 28 November to 24 December 2026
Where: Martin Place, Sydney
Cost: Hours and dates via Cambridge Markets
Chinatown Night Market
Every Friday night, Dixon Street fills with more than 30 Asian food stalls, from dumplings to roti and pho.
When: Fridays, 5pm to 10pm
Where: Dixon Street, Haymarket
Cost: Pay as you go
Eat Drink Nights Cronulla
This summer evening food market by the beach has 30 to 40 street food stalls, local distillers and live music.
When: From Friday 4 December 2026, selected nights until February 2027
Where: Dunningham Park, Cronulla
Cost: Free entry
If you have not finished your Christmas shopping you may want to check out our full list of Christmas Markets
Events in Regional NSW
Blue Mountains Comedy Festival
The Blue Mountains is holding its first comedy festival this December. Shows are in pubs, a brewery, art studios and even a vintage clothing store. Headliners include Akmal at the Hydro Majestic on 4 December, Luke Heggie in Katoomba on 5 December and Cameron James at the Metropole Hotel on 12 December.
There are smaller shows too:
- an all-female line-up
- an improv night
- a kids’ puppet show in Springwood
- a local comics showcase at a Lawson brewery to close the festival
It’s a good reason to stay a night or two in the mountains. Note that Akmal’s show is for ages 15 and up.
When: 2 to 16 December 2026
Where: Venues across the Blue Mountains, from Springwood to Medlow Bath
Cost: Varies by show. Most are booked through Humanitix. Akmal’s show is $55 and is booked through the Hydro Majestic.
Cherry Harvest Season in Mudgee
Fresh cherries are an essential part of an Aussie Christmas, so why not create a new Christmas tradition in your family and make heading bush and picking your own fruit part of your Christmas experience?
When: From early December 2026 (bookings open mid November)
Where: Roth Family Orchard, 108 Eurunderee Lane, Mudgee
Cost: See roth.net.au for picking prices and bookings
Plan ahead
There is lots happening across Sydney over the summer so get a head start with these pages.
- What’s on in January in Sydney
- Sydney in February
- Christmas Events
- School holidays in Sydney
- Get out on the harbour this summer.
