Sydney in July offers plenty of things to do indoors to help keep warm. When the sun is shining, this is a great time to go bushwalking and explore our national parks.

If you are visiting Sydney in July, it’s worth knowing that the weather can be a bit of a mixed bag, it’s colder than most visitors expect but often the skies are lovely and blue. Snow is falling on Mount Kosciusko 500km southwest and that can bring some crisp winds.

On very special (and rare) occasions we get snow closer to Sydney in the Blue Mountains and Orange. So if you are visiting at this time of year, please bring a jacket!

The first half of the month is the winter school holiday, causing prices of family accommodation and attractions to skyrocket.

Average Temperatures: 17-8°C (79.7 – 67.3°F)
While each year varies the last July there were only 5 days of rain.

It’s a great time to plan a winter getaway for some wine tasting or perhaps to the snow.

Major July Events in Sydney

Plenty of this month’s activities take place indoors so you can stay warm, but the Bastille festival and NAIDOC week events are well worth throwing a jumper on for.

• NAIDOC Week
• Bastille Festival
• Christmas in July

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC week is a celebration of the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by all Australians.

Events will be held across the country in the second week of July, but some of the big Sydney events include:

• Australian National Maritime Museum Family Fun Day

When: 2-9 July 2023
Where: Across the country
More: on the official site

Bastille Festival

Food, wine, cheese and the best of French culture hit town when the Bastille Festival takes over the waterfront at Circular Quay. The biggest celebration of French Culture in the Asia Pacific to celebrate its 10th birthday, Bastille will be expanding again all-around Circular Quay.

Covering The Rocks, The Overseas Passenger Terminal, East Circular Quay, Customs House, Quay Quarter Lanes and more. Get ready Sydney for the biggest Celebration of French culture in the Asia Pacific.

Tastings, classes, special menus and plenty of stalls to tempt you. Chocolate croissant anyone?

This year’s street festival will offer gourmet French cuisine, art exhibitions, and a 1.4-kilometre wine-tasting tour around the Harbour. 

When: 11-14 July 2024
Where: Circular Quay and The Rocks
More: Check the official site for more details.

Bondi Festival

The Bondi Festival is back will be a bunch of free family-friendly events along with ticketed comedy, music and drama events. A feature of the festival is the Bondi Festival Local events, which showcase local artists and grass-roots organisations within Bondi.

Paid and ticketed events are on offer, two that will run across the entire festival are:

• Bondi Festival Ice Rink
• Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel

Ticketed events are very affordable and expected to sell out quickly!

Slip into your best outfit and get ready to glide into an unforgettable communal experience as the sun sets on this year’s Festival.

Where: Bondi Pavilion, Forecourt
When: 2024 dates to TBC

Sydney’s Biggest Pre-Loved Book Fair

This event really should come with a warning for any Bibliomaniacs who may be reading. This is Sydney’s biggest second-hand book fair. On display, you will find over 110,000 pre-loved books and other reading materials on sale at irresistible prices. The quality is excellent and the books are well sorted to save you rummaging through topics of no interest. I challenge you to leave with less than 5 books in your bag. My last visit resulted in two boxes!

Where: Knox Grammar School Weeks Senior Academy Pacific Highway, Wahroonga
When: 2024 dates TBC
More: Check the official site for more details.

Round She Goes Preloved Fashion Market – Winter 2023

A curated event for women’s preloved and vintage fashion.

Where: PCYC Marrickville, 531 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
When: 2024 TBC
Cost: $4 (cash or card accepted).

The Cronulla Winter Market

With more than 250 stalls combined, bringing fashion, art, craft, homewares, kids’ goods, candles, gifts, food and more to these two brilliant locations, showcasing brilliant small retailers from Cronulla and across Sydney.

There will also be a bounty of delicious global food to suit all tastes, live music, and plenty of activities for kids.

Where: Don Lucas Reserve Wanda Beach, Cronulla
When: 2024 dates TBC

Musicals, Opera, and Theatre in Sydney in July

Music, Comedy and Dance

Art and Exhibitions

Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes

The Archibald Prize is awarded to the best portrait, the Wynne Prize goes to the best Australian Landscape or figure sculpture, and the Sulman is awarded to the best mural project, genre, or subject painting.

When: May to Sept 2024
Where: Art Gallery of NSW

National Indigenous Art Fair

Enjoy a vibrant program of live Indigenous music and dance performances for adults’ and children’s artwork from remote ethical art centres across the country. More than 25 Blak Markets stallholders from around NSW sell art, jewellery, gifts, homewares, and Indigenous bush food and plants.

When: 2024 dates TBC
Where: Circular Quay, The Rocks NSW
Full guide here

Food and Drink Events

Sports and Outdoors

NSW Regional Events in July

Yulefest in the Blue Mountains

We may not get a nice traditional white Christmas in December in Oz but that just means we get two Christmases. Since 1980 the villages of the Blue Mountains have spread yuletide cheer across the region.

Check out the following hotels who offer Christmas in July dinners and packages:

• The Fairmont
• The Carrington Hotel
• Hotel Mountain Heritage
• Hydro Majestic Hotel
• Victoria and Albert Guesthouse

Where: Various hotels across the Blue Mountains
When: Throughout July

Winterfest Camden

Get ready for an amazing event that offers a jam-packed program over a massive three days The Winter Wonderland has fun for the entire family with winter-themed activities and entertainment every day.

Where: Onslow Oval Cawdor Road, Camden
When: 2024 dates to be confirmed

Bundanoon Winterfest

Picture a lovely little village in the Southern Highlands brimming with charm, throw in an array of fun with workshops and a street party, and you’ve got a colourful weekend the whole family will enjoy. That’s Winterfest in Bundanoon and it’s just 2hrs from Sydney, making it a great escape from the big smoke.

Where: Cnr Church St & Railway Ave, Bundanoon
When: 2024 dates to be confirmed
For more details, check their website.

Kiama Winter Festival

Six days of school holiday fun, centered around an authentic ice rink on our beautiful foreshore, with themed nights, igloos, a pop-up bar, delicious food, illumination experiences, entertainment and more!

Where: Harbour Foreshore, Kiama
When: 2024 TBC

Have you got questions about any of these things to do in Sydney in July? Pop over to our Facebook group and we would be happy to help.