Things to do in Sydney in March 2026
March is one of my favourite months in Sydney. The weather has cooled a little, humidity begins to drop, and the crowds have dropped a little, it’s a great time to explore the city. The Mardi Gras Festival draws to a close and art takes centre stage this month. March is also the perfect time to head off on a bush walk or explore the Blue Mountains.
This month is also a popular time for locals to plan a getaway with a number of great regional events. However start early if you are considering an Easter weekend away. If you are visiting Sydney from out of town, then either book early or avoid Easter week entirely.
Average Temperatures: 25-18°C ( 74-64°F)
While each year varies, the last March saw six days of rain.
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Major March Events in Sydney
Start your month off right with these key happenings in Sydney.
- Clean Up Australia Day – Sunday 1 March 2026
- Biennale of Sydney: Rememory – 14 March to 14 June 2026
- Sydney St Patrick’s Day Festival – 14-17 March 2026 (TBC)
St Patrick’s Day Celebrations
The St Patrick’s Day Festival transforms Sydney into a celebration of Irish culture. While The Rocks hosts the official festival, pubs and venues across the city offer special events and promotions throughout the weekend. Here are some highlighted venues:
Biennale of Sydney: Rememory
The 25th Biennale of Sydney opens in March with free contemporary art exhibitions across five venues. Curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, the edition takes its title from author Toni Morrison and explores how memory shapes identity and belonging, with works by 53 artists from 31 countries including Australia.
The Biennale spans White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of NSW, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Penrith Regional Gallery. Highlights include 15 commissioned works by First Nations artists from around the world, large-scale installations, and site-specific projects.
The opening night concert Lights On takes place at White Bay Power Station on 13 March featuring Baltimore musician Nourished by Time. Throughout the exhibition, Art After Dark events run on Friday evenings at White Bay Power Station with music, art and food markets (see Art and Exhibitions section for dates).
When: 14 March – 14 June 2026
Where: Five venues across Sydney
Cost: Free | More information
Festivals, Fairs and Community Events
March in Sydney is bursting with festivals and community events, offering a diverse range of experiences from thought-provoking discussions to family-friendly fun.
All About Women
The Sydney Opera House’s annual takeover coincides with International Women’s Day, transforming the precinct into a hub of conversations, panels and workshops on gender, justice and equality.
The first speakers announced for 2026 include former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on redefining leadership, British author Zadie Smith discussing her essay collection Dead and Alive, journalist Emily Maitlis (known for her Prince Andrew interview) on journalism’s role in holding power to account, and Moroccan-American novelist Laila Lalami on her latest release The Dream Hotel. The full program will be announced in January.
When: Sunday 8 March 2026
Where: Various venues, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $35
Climate Action Week Sydney
Sydney’s largest climate action event returns with nearly 300 community-run events across Greater Sydney. From keynote speeches to hands-on workshops, this week-long program offers diverse ways to engage with climate solutions.
The program includes art installations, film premieres, immersive experiences, cooking classes, eco-playgroups, tree planting events, and augmented reality exhibitions across Greater Sydney.
When: 9-15 March 2026
Where: Various locations across Greater Sydney
Cost: Free or low-cost events l Bookings: www.caw.sydney
CollectFest
Australia’s first major collectables festival comes to Sydney, bringing together the biggest names in collecting including eBay, Goldin (from Netflix’s “King of Collectibles”), and Whatnot. This groundbreaking event unites collectors, traders, and enthusiasts under one roof, featuring rare items, trading opportunities, and expert panels.
When: 14-15 March 2026
Where: International Convention Centre Sydney
Cost: Visit collectfest.com.au for tickets
Mind, Body, Spirit Festival
Australia’s largest health, well-being, and natural therapies event offers several free workshops, paid experiences, and over 200 exhibitors for you to chat with. There will be tastings and readings, seminars and sound healings, and chair yoga!
When: 19-22 March 2026
Where: ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour
Musicals, Opera, and Theatre
From classic Broadway hits to cutting-edge contemporary productions, Sydney’s theatre scene offers a captivating array of performances this March.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical returns to Sydney Harbour for its 40th anniversary, staged outdoors on an enormous platform built over the water. Directed by Simon Phillips, the production features the Sydney Opera House as a backdrop, a live orchestra, and nightly fireworks.
The outdoor setting allows for large-scale staging of the musical’s key moments including the mirror, the journey to the Phantom’s lair, and the chandelier sequence. Pop-up restaurants and bars operate throughout the season. The 2026 season has been extended by a week due to demand.
When: 27 March – 3 May 2026
Where: Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point
Cost: Book tickets or call +61 2 9318 8200
Bell Shakespeare: Julius Caesar
Bell Shakespeare’s contemporary staging of Julius Caesar explores political violence and persuasion in a setting reminiscent of 1990s Eastern Europe. Directed by Artistic Director Peter Evans, the production serves as a companion to the company’s 2025 Coriolanus, examining the fall of the Roman Republic.
The cast features Leon Ford as Cassius, Brigid Zengeni as Brutus, Mark Leonard Winter as Mark Antony, and Septimus Caton as Julius Caesar. The play follows Caesar’s return from battle and the conspiracy hatched by Brutus and Cassius that leads to violent consequences.
When: 7 March – 5 April 2026 (previews 7, 8, 10 March)
Where: Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre
Cost: Check Bell Shakespeare website for tickets
Music, Comedy and Dance
Get ready for a month of electrifying performances, from international superstars to local talent. Sydney’s music scene has something for every taste this March.
Basement Jaxx
Grammy-winning UK electronic duo Basement Jaxx (Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe) bring their full live show to Australia for the first time in over 15 years.
The performance marks 30 years of the duo’s career, featuring hits like “Red Alert”, “Where’s Your Head At” and “Romeo”. Known for blending house, garage, funk, Latin, disco and pop, their live shows typically feature multiple singers, musicians and dancers.
When: Thursday 5 March 2026, gates 6:30pm
Where: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $129.90 + booking fee | Book tickets
Hear My Eyes: Terminator 2 with Live Score
Belgian techno artist Peter Van Hoesen and Australian audio-visual artist Robin Fox team up with the MESS Ensemble for a live performance to a 4K screening of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The event marks the film’s 35th anniversary with an all-new live score featuring techno and synths, plus a laser show.
James Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi action film follows a reprogrammed T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back to protect Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her son John (Edward Furlong) from the advanced T-1000 (Robert Patrick). The original theatrical cut will be shown.
When: Saturday 7 March 2026
Where: City Recital Hall
Cost: Book tickets
Utzon Music: Åkervinda
Swedish vocal quartet Åkervinda make their Australian debut with contemporary arrangements of traditional Scandinavian folk tunes. The four jazz singers—Lise Kroner, Iris Bergcrantz, Linda Bergström and Agnes Åhlund—have won multiple awards including a Danish Music Award in 2024. Their second album was nominated for a Swedish Grammis for Folk Music of the Year.
The group has performed with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Beethoven Symphony Orchestra Bonn, and received the prestigious Kaggenstipendiet scholarship in 2023.
When: Sunday 1 March 2026, 3pm and 7pm
Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $25.90 (students) to $105; multi-pack discounts available | Book tickets
Pulp
Britpop band Pulp return to Australia for the first time in 15 years for two nights at the Opera House Forecourt.
Led by Jarvis Cocker, the Mercury Prize-winning group will perform hits from their career including tracks from their 1996 album Different Class (which includes “Common People”), alongside material from their 2025 album _More_—their first studio release in 24 years.
When: Friday 6 & Saturday 7 March 2026, gates 6pm
Where: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $159.90 + booking fee | Book tickets
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek
German-Turkish vocalist and bağlama player Derya Yıldırım leads this band blending Anatolian folk, 70s psychedelia and funk. The group features French musicians Graham Mushnik (keys) and Antonin Voyant (guitar/bass), plus Berlin-based South African drummer Helen Wells.
They’ll perform songs from their 2025 album Yarın Yoksa, produced by Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Wu-Tang Clan).
When: Thursday 12 March 2026, 9pm
Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Cost: $69.90 + booking fee | Book tickets
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Asia’s oldest orchestra, founded in 1879, returns to Sydney for the first time in 30 years as part of an Australian, New Zealand and Singapore tour. Led by Music Director Long Yu, the programme features works by contemporary Chinese composers Elliot Leung and Qigang Chen, including Leung’s ten-movement suite Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavours, each piece inspired by a traditional Chinese dish.
The concert also includes works by Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, performed with soloists Jian Wang (cello) and Serena Wang (piano).
When: Sunday 15 March 2026, 5pm
Where: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $69 + booking fee | Book tickets
Feel The Magic: Magic Men Live
Australia’s best male dancers, the Magic Men, will be serving up a heart-stopping live performance, showcasing some of the most talented male dancers.
Expect hunky men, drop-dead gorgeous waiters and eye-catching costumes. With a one of a kind show that is guaranteed to make you Feel The Magic!
Where: Shark Hotel, 127 Liverpool Street Sydney
When: Every Saturday All Year
Cost: $95
Cinema
Catch the latest blockbusters and acclaimed independent films at Sydney’s diverse cinemas and unique outdoor screenings this March.
MOV’IN BED
MOV’IN BED, the world’s largest outdoor bed cinema, is back for a summer-long season! Barangaroo’s Harbour Park will transform into a movie lover’s paradise, where you can sink into one of 160 luxurious beds, complete with pillows and blankets, while enjoying a breathtaking sunset over the city skyline.
When: 28 November 2025 – 05 April 2026
Where: Harbour Park, Barangaroo
Alliance Française French Film Festival
The Alliance Française French Film Festival is back, offering an impressive selection of the finest French cinema. Known as the world’s largest showcase of French films outside of France, and Australia’s biggest cultural paid event, the festival features a diverse range of movies from various filmmakers, genres, and styles.
When: March – April 2026
Where: Palace Central, Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street, The Chauvel Cinema, Roseville Cinema and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne. More information and tickets from 5 Feb.
Serbian Film Festival Sydney
Australia’s premier showcase of Serbian cinema returns with five new contemporary films plus the 1960s cult classic ‘Love and Fashion’ from the Yugoslav Kinoteka Archives. Now in its 21st year, this celebration of Serbian culture and filmmaking brings the latest from Belgrade to Sydney screens.
When: Dates TBC
Where: HOYTS Entertainment Quarter l See the program
Art and Exhibitions
White Bay Power Station hosts a new series combining contemporary music, art and food markets on Friday evenings throughout March. The Art After Dark series runs in three chapters curated by different partners, with Chapter One programmed by Liquid Architecture featuring experimental and electronic musicians performing in the industrial space. International food markets serve cuisine from Pakistan, Syria, Mexico, Spain, France, Peru, Palestine, Hungary, Africa and beyond.
Art After Dark: Chapter One
Tujiko Noriko and Mara
Japanese experimental-pop artist and film composer Tujiko Noriko, based in Paris, performs alongside Sydney composer and viola player Mara, who works with electronic music.
When: Friday 20 March 2026
Where: White Bay Power Station
Cost: [Book tickets](link needed)
Ruhail Qaisar and Marcus Whale
Ladakhi musician Ruhail Qaisar and Sydney-based electronic singer-songwriter Marcus Whale perform.
When: Friday 27 March 2026
Where: White Bay Power Station
Cost: [Book tickets](link needed)
Food and drink
March brings food and wine lovers together at festivals across Sydney, celebrating local produce and regional wines.
Sparkling Wahroonga Food + Wine Festival
The team behind the popular Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival returns with a sparkling-focused event at Wahroonga Park. This free-entry community festival brings together 30 NSW wineries, 11 artisan distilleries, a local craft brewer, and gourmet food vendors, all with live music in the park.
The event welcomes all ages. Wine enthusiasts can purchase tasting packages on the day from the tasting ticket marquee, starting at $39.50 (includes one branded festival glass and five tasting tickets).
When: Sunday 1 March 2026, 11am-5pm
Where: Wahroonga Park, Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga
Cost: Free entry; tasting packages from $39.50 | More details
Sport and Outdoors
From high-octane motorsports to outdoor adventures, Sydney offers plenty of opportunities to get active and enjoy the beautiful March weather.
Australian Superbike Championship
The action-packed event will unfold over two days, featuring practice and qualifying sessions during the day. As the sun sets, the excitement will ramp up with Sydney Motorsport Park’s 138 light towers illuminating the venue for the thrilling ASBK Night Race.
When: March 27-28 2026
Where: Sydney Motorsport Park l More details
Regional Events in NSW March
Great Southern Nights
NSW’s premier live music series returns with 300+ gigs across 120 venues. Features Missy Higgins, King Stingray, Alison Wonderland, Budjerah, The Cat Empire, Lime Cordiale, Birds of Tokyo and more performing across Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and regional NSW.
When: TBC
Where: Various venues across NSW Including Inner & Western Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast, Hunter Valley, Byron Bay, Broken Hill, Orange, Tamworth, Tilba and Bathurst
Cost: Various – check website for individual show prices Some shows already sold out
Wings Over Illawarra Airshow & Carnival
Wings Over Illawarra is Australia’s biggest annual air show just over an hour south of Sydney. It is the only major air show experience within easy reach of both Sydney and Canberra.
When: 13-15 March 2026
Where: Airport Road Albion Park Rail
Cost: from $60 for a day pass or $95 for a weekend
Camden City Show
A weekend of country show fun that is run entirely by volunteers. Camden is just one hour from Sydney and the Camden show offers your perfect change to experience a couple of days of good old fashioned fun!
When: 20-21 March 2026
Where: Camden Showground
Cost: Tickets from $8-32
Blue Mountains Music Festival
With artists from around the globe, the Blue Mountains Music Festival of Folk Roots and Blues is a key event on the Blue Mountains calendar each year. The festival site is home to 7 performance venues presenting 90+ performances.
Where: Katoomba (Festival precinct bounded by Lurline, Merriwa, Ada and Waratah Streets)
When: 13-15 March 2026 l Tickets: Various prices- some free shows
Make a weekend of it – Check out our guide on where to stay in the Blue Mountains
Luddenham Show
Set in the beautiful historic town of Luddenham, on the outskirts of Penrith, the Luddenham Show has something for everyone, young and young at heart. Luddenham Country Show
The 120th annual Luddenham Country Show offers a fun carnival for the whole family. Live bands, rides, face-painting, showbags and festival food (costs vary).
Where: Luddenham Showground
When: 28 February – 1 March 2026
Entry: adults $15, kids $10, family pass $40 (2 adults & up to 4 kids)
Plan ahead and check out what’s happening this April and May. Oh and if you hit a patch of rain we have a list of ways to stay busy and dry.
