What’s On in Sydney February 2027

February is Sydney’s last month of summer. It’s still warm enough for the beach and outdoor shows, and hotel prices come down once the January school holidays finish.

Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday.

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New events and updated content are added to these pages as they become available.

Major February Events in Sydney → Mardi Gras & Lunar New Year

Here’s what’s confirmed so far for the month’s two big festivals, plus a few ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year falls on Saturday 6 February 2027. The City of Sydney hasn’t released its 2027 Sydney Lunar Festival program yet, so we’ll add it here as soon as it’s out. In the meantime, here’s how to enjoy Lunar New Year celebrations in Sydney.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday 14 February in 2027, the same day as Mardi Gras Fair Day. Sydney’s top restaurants book out weeks ahead, so reserve early if you’re planning a special dinner. Our Valentine’s Day restaurant guide covers everything from harbourside fine dining to small neighbourhood places at every price point. If you’d rather do something different, these Valentine’s Day ideas might help.

For a romantic evening, try an outdoor cinema screening or catch the sunset from one of Sydney’s coastal walks before dinner.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2027

When is Mardi Gras 2027? The 49th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival runs for 24 days, from 12 February to 7 March 2027. This year’s theme is HYPERBLOOM. Fair Day is on Sunday 14 February at Victoria Park, and it’s free. The Parade is on Saturday 6 March, so you’ll find it, and the after-parties, on our March page.

The official Mardi Gras Party is back after being cancelled in 2026, with a new home in the tunnels under Allianz Stadium. General tickets for festival events go on sale at 11am on Thursday 12 November 2026.

Mardi Gras Fair Day

This is the festival’s official opening day. More than 250 food, retail and community stalls fill the park, along with DJs, dance floors and a dog parade. Bring a picnic rug and plan to stay a while.

Rogue Traders and Zipporah headline the music, with Becca Hatch, Jett Blyton and Dizzy Days also on the bill. It’s an all-ages event and doesn’t need a ticket.

When: Sunday 14 February 2027, 10am to 9pm
Where: Victoria Park, Camperdown
Cost: Free

Rainbow Road Street Fair

New for 2027, this free street party takes over a stretch of Darlinghurst with music, drag and live performances. It’s a good option if you want a taste of Mardi Gras without buying a ticket.

When: Saturday 20 February 2027, time to be confirmed
Where: Bourke Street and Forbes Street, Darlinghurst
Cost: Free

markets & Community events

Japan Expo

Japanese food, culture and travel fill Sydney Town Hall for one day. The stage program opens with kagami-biraki, the ceremonial breaking open of a sake barrel, then moves through sword fighting, a sword dance set to classical poetry, live calligraphy and a jōdō demonstration with wooden staffs. Chef Hideo Dekura gives the keynote.

Around the stalls you can try tea poured by Tokyo Handa Tea, dress up for a samurai experience, draw an omikuji fortune slip or join a craft workshop. If you’re planning a trip, China Airlines and ANA both have flights to Japan up for grabs, and several Japanese regions bring samples and giveaways.

When: Saturday 6 February 2027, 10am to 4pm
Where: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney
Cost: From $15, book through Eventbrite

Bondi Latin Fiesta

Latin arts and culture take over Bondi Pavilion for a free family day of live music, dance workshops, arts and crafts, and Latin American food. High-energy performers bring colour and movement throughout the afternoon, with activities suitable for all ages.

The event celebrates Latin culture through accessible workshops where you can try dance styles or crafts before settling in with food and watching performances. No tickets needed, just turn up.

When: 2027 date to be confirmed
Where: Bondi Pavilion
Cost: Free

Opera, Musicals & Theatre

Planning dinner before a show? Check out our pre-theatre dining guide for restaurants near major Sydney theatres.

La Bohème

If you’ve never seen an opera, this is the one people usually start with. Director Constantine Costi has created a new production of Puccini’s love story, set in a snowy Paris, and 2027 is its first Sydney season.

Italian soprano Maria Teresa Leva returns to sing Mimì. Expect big, sweeping music and a story about young artists, love and loss that still lands more than a century on.

When: Until 17 March 2027, check the website for February dates
Where: Sydney Opera House
Cost: $169 Book here

The Magic Flute

Mozart’s fairytale opera gets a steampunk makeover in this production from Scottish Opera, which is having its Sydney premiere. It’s full of magic, trials and a bird-catcher who steals most of the laughs.

It’s one of the more family-friendly operas, and a good pick if you want something lighter than a tragedy.

When: Until March 2027, check the website for February dates
Where: Sydney Opera House
Cost: To be confirmed

The Elixir of Love

Donizetti’s romantic comedy returns in Simon Phillips’ production, which moves the story to outback Australia. Think corrugated iron, a travelling con man and a lovesick farmhand who believes a cheap bottle of plonk is a love potion.

It’s funny, quick-moving and has one of opera’s best-loved tenor arias.

When: 29 January to 12 March 2027
Where: Sydney Opera House
Cost: To be confirmed

Check our guide to where to eat before the show here

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

This Broadway musical tells how a kid from Brooklyn became one of the biggest-selling songwriters of all time, and Neil Diamond helped create it himself. Expect Sweet Caroline, Forever in Blue Jeans and Cracklin’ Rosie, plus a fair bit of singing along from the audience.

Broadway star Will Swenson plays the young Neil, and Terence Crawford plays him later in life. The Sydney season was extended by five weeks because of demand, so these are the final shows.

When: Until Sunday 14 February 2027. Wednesday to Sunday evenings, plus matinees Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday
Where: Sydney Lyric, Pyrmont
Cost: From $69 plus transaction fees

The Lark

Rose has spent her whole life working at The Lark, a small inner-city pub. Now the area is gentrifying and the building is about to be demolished, and she has to work out who she is without it. Daniel Keene’s play is a one-woman portrait of a disappearing kind of Sydney, with a few ghosts along the way.

Noni Hazlehurst plays Rose. She was one of the artists who helped save Belvoir in the 1980s, and she last worked with Keene on Mother. It’s a short show, about 75 minutes with no interval, so it’s easy to fit in after work.

When: 10 February to 7 March 2027
Where: Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills
Cost: From $43-105

Ripple

Mark and Addy might be soul mates. Then the play starts asking who they’d have ended up with if Germany hadn’t invaded Poland in 1939. Ripple jumps across two decades and nine relationships in ten short scenes, each one a two-hander that links to the next, to show how past loves shape present ones.

Expect plenty of very dark, very specific jokes about World War Two. It’s part of Belvoir’s 25A program, where independent artists make a show for under $2,500 and keep all of the box office, so your ticket goes straight to the people on stage.

When: 14 February to 6 March 2027. Tuesday to Thursday 6.45pm, Friday and Saturday 7.45pm, Saturday 2.15pm and Sunday 5.15pm. Previews from 14 to 17 February
Where: Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills

Becky Shaw

Suzanna has a complicated relationship with her sharp-tongued foster brother Max, and it hasn’t cooled since she married nice-guy Andrew. Then the couple set Max up on a blind date with Andrew’s colleague, Becky, and things go badly wrong.

Gina Gionfriddo, a writer on House of Cards, loosely based this comedy on Vanity Fair. A 2026 Broadway revival won a Tony. Andrea Demetriades plays Suzanna, with Lincoln Younes and Tom Dawson, and STC’s artistic director Mitchell Butel directs. It runs about two and a half hours with an interval.

When: 15 February to 25 March 2027, previews 15 to 18 February
Where: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Cost: Single ticket prices not yet released.

Noël Coward’s Private Lives

Hugh Bonneville, best known as Lord Grantham in Downton Abbey and Mr Brown in the Paddington films, makes his Australian stage debut alongside Lisa McCune. Coward’s comedy follows a divorced couple who end up honeymooning with their new spouses in neighbouring hotel rooms, with predictable chaos.

Christopher Luscombe, an associate artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company, directs. It’s a short five-week season, and it broke Theatre Royal Sydney’s record for first-day ticket sales for a play, so don’t leave booking too late.

When: 6 February to 14 March 2027
Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, King Street
Cost: From $84

Lucky Stiff

Shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon inherits six million dollars from his uncle. The catch: he has to take the uncle’s embalmed body on holiday to Monte Carlo and pass him off as alive. If he fails, the money goes to a dogs’ home in Brooklyn, unless the uncle’s gun-toting ex gets to it first.

It’s the first musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who went on to write Ragtime and Once On This Island. Claudia Barrie directs this farce in the Hayes’ small Potts Point theatre.

When: From 12 February 2027
Where: Hayes Theatre, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point
Cost: From $69

Oedipus

Richard Roxburgh and Heather Mitchell share a stage for the first time in 30 years in Robert Icke’s modern take on the Greek tragedy. Icke turns the ancient story into a political thriller, and his version has won five-star reviews overseas.

It’s a big, dark night of theatre rather than an easy one. The season ends at the end of February, so this month is your last chance.

When: 27 January to 28 February 2027
Where: Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay
Cost: To be confirmed

Great Opera Hits

You get 90 minutes of opera’s most famous arias from Bizet, Puccini, Rossini and Verdi, sung by Opera Australia soloists with a piano. There’s one interval.

It’s a relaxed way to try opera without committing to a full three-hour production, and the late-afternoon sessions finish as the sun goes down over the harbour.

When: Sunday 7 February (5pm and 7.30pm), Sunday 14 February (2pm and 5pm), Sunday 21 February (7.30pm) and Sunday 28 February (2pm)
Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Cost: To be confirmed

Music and Dance

Twilight at Taronga

Taronga’s summer concert series turns 30 in 2027, with five weekends of shows on a lawn overlooking the harbour. Spread out a picnic rug, and buy hampers or chairs as add-ons if you don’t want to carry them. Ticket money goes to Taronga’s wildlife hospitals.

February highlights include Jessica Mauboy, The Waifs, King Stingray, and a Rolling Stones tribute night with Tim Rogers and Tex Perkins. Little ones get their own morning show with Emma Memma. Popular nights sell out early, so check what’s left before you plan around one.

The easiest way there is the ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Wharf, then the 238 bus up the hill. No extra ferries or buses are put on after the shows, so plan your trip home.

When: 5 February to 6 March 2027. Evening shows 6pm, Lil’ Twilight 10am
Where: Taronga Zoo Sydney, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman
Cost: From $89 for adults, $75.65 for children aged 4 to 15. Book through Ticketek

Quartet X

This new all-female Australian quartet pairs instruments you don’t often hear together: violin, percussion, harp and guitar. Courtenay Cleary, Claire Edwardes, Emily Granger and Karin Schaupp play works by Caroline Shaw and Michael Nyman alongside their own arrangements of songs by Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and Seal.

It’s the opening concert of Utzon Music’s 20th year. The Utzon Room is small and faces east over the harbour, so you’re close to the players with the water behind them.

When: Sunday 7 February 2027, time to be confirmed
Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Cost: To be confirmed

Damien Rice: 25th Anniversary of O

Damien Rice recorded his debut album in his Dublin kitchen and put it out on his own label. O went on to sell more than two million copies. If The Blower’s Daughter, Volcano or Cannonball ever soundtracked one of your break-ups, this is the show.

He’ll play the album’s best-known songs alongside others from across his career. Rice is known for walking on stage with no fixed set list, so the two nights may not run the same way. Both his Sydney shows in 2023 sold out.

When: Thursday 11 and Friday 12 February 2027, 8pm
Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $109.90 plus booking fee

Seven Sins – Australian Brandenburg Orchestra

Pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust each get their turn in this new concert from the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Choir. Paul Dyer has stitched it together from Baroque music, including Dowland’s mournful songs, Purcell’s laments and Biber’s piece about drunken soldiers marching wildly out of tune.

The twist is a mime artist. Canberra-born Marcel Cole, who trained in French mime and has played the Edinburgh Fringe and London’s West End, acts out each sin without a word while the orchestra plays on period instruments. It’s a good pick if you like classical music but want something a bit playful.

When: 17 to 23 February 2027. Wednesday 17 February 7pm, Friday 19 February 7pm, Saturday 20 February 2pm and 7pm, and Tuesday 23 February 7pm
Where: City Recital Hall, 2-12 Angel Place, Sydney
Cost: To be confirmed. Single tickets go on sale on 18 November 2026

Filippo Gorini

Italian pianist Filippo Gorini makes his Sydney debut with a program of Schumann, Schubert and Beethoven, plus a new piece by German composer Oscar Jockel.

The concert is part of Gorini’s Sonata for 7 Cities project, which he plays in only a handful of cities around the world each year. If you like solo piano in a small room, this is a rare chance.

When: Sunday 21 February 2027, time to be confirmed
Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Cost: To be confirmed

Leon Bridges with 54 Ultra

Texan soul singer Leon Bridges brings his fifth album, Happiness Anytime, to an outdoor stage beside the harbour. He won a Grammy for his 2015 debut, Coming Home. The new record goes back to that warm, old-school sound, with some of the groove from his work with Khruangbin.

You’ll hear the new songs mixed with older favourites. Support comes from 54 Ultra, the solo project of New Jersey singer John Anthony Rodriguez. He blends indie rock with Latin soul and sings in both English and Spanish.

When: Friday 26 February 2027, gates open 6pm
Where: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $139.90 plus booking fee

José González

One man. One classical guitar. That’s the set-up José González has promised for this show, along with the most popular songs from his five solo albums and a couple of covers. Heartbeats and Crosses are both on the list.

The Swedish-Argentinian songwriter will also play songs from his 2026 album, Against the Dying of the Light. He has sold out six Concert Hall shows in the past. This time he’s playing outdoors, under the open sky.

When: Saturday 27 February 2027, gates open 6pm
Where: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $119.90 plus booking fee

Angus & Julia Stone

Sydney-born siblings Angus and Julia Stone come home to play songs from Karaoke Bar, their seventh album, written on travels through the Greek island of Hydra, Tokyo and France. Expect plenty of older favourites too, including Big Jet Plane, which won triple j’s Hottest 100.

It’s their first national headline tour since 2024, when every show sold out. On a late-summer evening, with the harbour at your back, this is about as Sydney as a gig gets.

When: Sunday 28 February 2027, gates open 6pm
Where: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $119.90 plus booking fee

DJ Shadow Celebrates 30 Years of Endtroducing

In 1996, Californian producer Josh Davis built a whole album out of samples dug from old records. Endtroducing changed what hip-hop production could sound like. This tour marks its 30th anniversary.

Expect dusty breaks, obscure jazz, cinematic strings and sharp scratching. His 2025 Australian tour sold out, so it’s worth signing up for the presale, which opens at 9am AEDT on Wednesday 11 November.

When: Sunday 21 February 2027, time to be confirmed
Where: Roundhouse, UNSW Kensington
Cost: To be confirmed. General tickets go on sale at 9am AEDT on Thursday 12 November 2026

Film Festivals

Antenna Documentary Film Festival

The 2027 program hasn’t been announced yet. In 2026, screenings were at the Ritz in Randwick and Dendy Newtown.

When: 4 to 14 February 2027
Where: Venues to be confirmed
Cost: To be confirmed

Europa! Europa Film Festival

This festival brings recent European films to Sydney, from arthouse dramas to big comedy hits back home, plus a retrospective of a classic director. The 2026 program had 43 films from 22 countries.

When: February and March 2027, dates to be confirmed
Where: Ritz Cinemas, Randwick (2026 venue)
Cost: To be confirmed

Queer Screen

Queer Screen’s main festival runs alongside Mardi Gras, with LGBTQIA+ features, documentaries and shorts from around the world. The 2026 festival screened more than 130 films from 38 countries, including several world premieres.

When: February 2027, dates to be confirmed
Where: Event Cinemas George Street and Dendy Newtown (2026 venues)
Cost: To be confirmed

Moonlight Cinema

Summer is outdoor cinema season in Sydney, but the Moonlight Cinema is one of the classics. A good mix of new releases and golden oldies. BYO drinks make this spot a standout.

Dogs are welcome, and there’s a kitchen and bar on site if you’d rather not pack a picnic. Our guide to Sydney’s outdoor cinemas has the full program and ticket types.

Sydney’s Outdoor Cinemas are still on sale and perfect for summer viewing!

Art and Exhibitions

Sydney’s big summer exhibitions are all running through February, so it’s a good month to plan a gallery day around the heat.

Nolan: Origins

This is your last chance to see the Art Gallery of New South Wales’s exhibition on Sidney Nolan, one of Australia’s best-known painters. It focuses on his early work and closes in the first week of February.

When: Until 7 February 2027
Where: Naala Nura building, Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Domain
Cost: From $35

Takashi Murakami

This is Australia’s first exhibition dedicated to the Japanese artist, and you can only see it in Sydney. Murakami blends traditional Japanese painting with anime, pop culture and fashion, and his smiling flowers are some of the most recognisable images in contemporary art.

Allow at least an hour, and book a timed ticket ahead on weekends.

When: 5 December 2026 to 18 July 2027
Where: Naala Badu building, Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Domain
Cost: From $40

Philippe Parreno: 5 Moons

French artist Philippe Parreno takes over the Museum of Contemporary Art for his first major Australian exhibition. Rather than hanging works on walls, he turns the building into a living environment that shifts over five lunar cycles, using film, sound and light, so it may feel different depending on when you go.

When: 21 November 2026 to 26 April 2027
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 140 George Street, The Rocks
Cost: To be confirmed

Powerhouse Parramatta

Sydney’s newest museum opened in November with five exhibitions covering design, science, art and First Nations culture. Highlights include an installation by British artist Es Devlin and Task Eternal, a show about space that includes work by James Turrell.

Four of the five exhibitions are free. Task Eternal is ticketed for adults and free for under-16s. It sits right on the Parramatta River, so it’s easy to pair with a ferry ride from Circular Quay.

When: Open daily
Where: Powerhouse Parramatta, Phillip Street, Parramatta
Cost: Free entry to most exhibitions

The World’s Biggest Dinosaur: Dinosaurs of Patagonia

The Australian Museum kicks off its 200th birthday year with a cast of the largest complete dinosaur fossil ever found. It’s a good one for kids, and a handy indoor option on a scorching day.

When: From 28 November 2026
Where: Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney
Cost: To be confirmed

Sport viewing and outdoors

NSW Waratahs v Fijian Drua

The Waratahs’ first home game of the Super Rugby Pacific season is against the Fijian Drua, a team known for fast, attacking rugby. With the Rugby World Cup coming to Australia later in 2027, players will be pushing for Wallabies spots all season.

It’s a short walk from Moore Park’s pubs and restaurants, and the Rainbow Road Street Fair is on in Darlinghurst the same day if you want to make a night of it.

When: Saturday 20 February 2027, 7.35pm
Where: Allianz Stadium, Moore Park

Australia v New Zealand: Women’s T20

Australia’s women open a three-match T20 series against New Zealand at North Sydney Oval, a small, old-fashioned ground with a grassy hill and fig trees. It’s a relaxed afternoon out and usually much cheaper than men’s internationals.

When: Sunday 21 February 2027, 1.30pm
Where: North Sydney Oval, North Sydney

Sydney FC v Melbourne City

Two of the A-League’s stronger clubs meet on a Sunday afternoon at Moore Park. Sydney FC fans in The Cove, behind the goal, bring most of the noise.

When: Sunday 7 February 2027, 5pm
Where: Allianz Stadium, Moore Park

Regional NSW Events

Bathurst 12 Hour

The world’s best GT drivers race sports cars around Mount Panorama for 12 hours straight, starting before dawn and finishing in the afternoon. It’s the opening round of the international GT3 season, so you’ll see Porsche, Ferrari, BMW and Mercedes factory teams on the Mountain.

For 2027 it stretches to four days for the first time, with practice and support races before Sunday’s main event. Bathurst accommodation books out fast for this weekend, and camping sites are already on sale.

When: Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 February 2027. The 12-hour race is on Sunday 14 February
Where: Mount Panorama, Bathurst
Cost: To be confirmed. Camping on sale now, general tickets on sale later

White Rock Lavender Estate Sunflower Festival

A farm just outside Bathurst is holding its first sunflower festival, with fields of sunflowers to wander through, guided farm tours, wellness sessions, local food stalls and live music. Bring a picnic and your camera.

It’s on the same weekend as the Bathurst 12 Hour, so if someone in your group is heading to the races, this is an easy add.

When: Friday 12 to Sunday 21 February 2027
Where: White Rock Lavender Estate, 358 White Rock Road, White Rock (near Bathurst)
Cost: To be confirmed

Seven Valleys Wild Food Festival

Lithgow closes its Main Street for a weekend of food from the surrounding Seven Valleys region, from foraged and bush ingredients to paddock-to-plate produce. Expect a producers’ market, workshops, tastings and cooking demonstrations on the Wild Fire Kitchen stage.

The Wild Food Fair on Main Street is free. 2027 is only the second year, and the first one drew big crowds and long food-truck queues, so arrive early.

When: Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February 2027
Where: Main Street, Lithgow
Cost: Free entry to the Wild Food Fair. Some workshops and tastings may be ticketed

Kangaroo Valley Show

Shoalhaven Council is asking for a local half-day public holiday on Friday 12 February 2027 for the show. That points to Friday 12 and Saturday 13 February. I couldn’t open the show’s own website, so it’s not officially confirmed yet.

When: Friday 12 and Saturday 13 February 2027 (to be confirmed)
Where: Kangaroo Valley Showground, 179 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley

NSW Surf Life Saving Championships

Thousands of lifesavers compete in boat races, ironman events and beach sprints across three weeks at Lake Macquarie. The surf boat championships run on the opening weekend, and they’re the most fun to watch from the sand.

When: 26 February to 14 March 2027. Surf boat championships 26 to 28 February
Where: Blacksmiths Beach, Swansea-Belmont and Caves Beach, Lake Macquarie
Cost: Free to watch

Stories From a Small Country Town (Regional NSW)

Two of Australia’s most important First Nations artists share one exhibition at the Southern Highlands’ regional gallery. Archie Moore won the top prize at the 2024 Venice Biennale, and his work here includes a portrait of his father told through gold-cast objects from his estate. Daniel Boyd has covered the gallery windows in his trademark dot pattern.

Djon Mundine, a Southern Highlands local and one of the country’s most respected curators, put it together. The gallery sits in the grounds of Retford Park, a National Trust property, so you can pair it with lunch in the café and a walk through the gardens.

When: Until 14 February 2027, 10am to 4pm daily
Where: Ngununggula, Retford Park, Bowral

Get a head start on March and April events