What’s on in Sydney in October 2023
Spring is in full bloom in Sydney in October, and the weather is lovely, warm, but not hot. Daylight saving beginning on 2 October, makes the days longer, giving you more time to get out and explore.
The first Monday in October is a public holiday, labour day, which honours the mid-19th-century fight for an 8-hour working day.
The School Holidays continue from last month until 7 October. These events combined see an increase in both prices and activity at the beginning of the month. Book accommodation and tours in advance if you are visiting Sydney in early October.
Average Temperatures: 22-14°C (72-57°F)
While each year varies the last October, we had fifteen days of rain last year and we are expecting another wet October with La Niña still causing disruption.
We update this page as new events are made available to us. If you would like to have your event added, please send us an email.
Annual Events in October
- Sydney Night Noodle Markets – TBC
- Sculpture by the Sea – 20 October – 6 November 2023
- Seven Bridges Walk – TBC
- Oktoberfest in the Gardens – TBC
festivals, fairs and community
Granny Smith Festival
Back in 1868, Ryde resident Maria Ann Smith grew the first crop of shiny green apples. Now known as Granny Smith’s, these crispy, crunchy apples are sold all over the world. The Granny Smith Festival celebrates the woman, the apple and is just a fun day out for the whole family.
The program provides more information on:
- Paw Patrol meet and greets
- Dami Imm
- Fireworks
- Parade
- Circus Playground
- The Core Youth Zone
- Batlow Cider Bar
When: 9am – 8:30pm Saturday 15 October 2022 2023 dates TBC
Cost: Free – More information on the website
Musicals, Opera and Theatre in October
Film Festival
COMEDY, MUSIC AND DANCE
Nights at the Museum
Enjoy live music and a drink at the pop-up bar as Sydney’s favourite FREE after hours culture fix is back! Explore our incredible galleries and exhibitions and be inspired by our natural history and cultural collections.
Where: Museum-wide
When: Every Wednesday at 5pm – 9pm
Cost: Free. More info on the official site.
Art and Exhibitions
Waranara Tours
Expand your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures on this unique tour of objects from the Australian Museum’s exhibitions, led by a First Nations guide.
Where: LG, Patricia McDonald Education Rooms
When: Saturday 20 May 2023 at 10.30am – 1pm & 2pm – 4.30pm
Tickets: $100 Members, $125 non-Members$100 Members, $125 non-Members. For more details, check their website.
Food and Drink
Sport and Outdoor
Our two first sport related events this week are also fundraising for incredibly worthwhile causes. Why not get outdoors, get some exercise and do some good this month?
Seven Bridges Walk
The Seven Bridges walk will challenge you to cover 28km as you walk around the spectacular harbour and across 7 iconic bridges.
A major fundraiser for the Cancer Council, the Seven Bridges Walk, is a fantastic event that, along with providing a great challenge for walkers and a source of funds for the Cancer Council, is just a brilliant walking route for anyone to take.
The walk is long, 28km in total, but there is plenty of fun along the way with entertainment set up at Pyrmont, Rozelle, Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Wollstonecraft and Milsons Point. Buses will be available for transport along the route if needed.
Where: Starts and ends in Milsons Point
When: date TBC for 2023
Cost: $70 early bird or $90 after Sept 30
More information on the website
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: 9:30am, every Sundays (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
Where: Capitol Theatre, Sydney
When:
Where: Lyric Theatre, Sydney
When:
Where: Lyric Theatre, Sydney
When:
Where: Theatre Royal, Sydney
When:
Told as a theatrical triptych, Anatomy of a Suicide sees three generations of mothers and daughters’ lives intertwine on stage, delivering a haunting tale of motherhood, mental health and female pain.
Where: Seymour Centre Chippendale
When:
Where: The Rebel Theatre
When:
Looking for Alibrandi
Where: Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre
Where: Sydney Opera House
When:
Where: Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli
Film Festivals
The 2022 Greek Film Festival Sydney
Where: Palace Norton Street, 99 Norton Street, Leichhardt
When: TBC
Full guide here
Talks
PIER GROUP EVENTS
A series of special fundraising events offering a rare opportunity to hear directly from the artists and creative team. The Pier Group are a group of dedicated volunteer fundraisers who have been generously supporting STC for over 30 years, and throughout the year they host a series of fun events for theatre lovers and friends. Everyone is welcome to attend! Proceeds from the events go towards the company’s creation of ambitious new works.
Where: The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf
When: 31 July 2023 – 23 October 2023
More details here
Art, Exhibitions and Workshops
The North Sydney Living Futures Sustainability Festival
An event not to be missed! This is a day for inspiration and information, entertainment, fun, networking and socialising. Stage entertainment, workshops, stalls, kids’ activities, guided walks and tours are just a few of the things that will be on offer for a great day out at one of Sydney’s most iconic harbourside sites.
When: Sunday 29 October 2023, 10am to 4pm
Where: The Coal Loader
More details are here.
When:
Where: Museum of Sydney
Cost: free
When:
Where: Powerhouse Museum Pyrmont
Cost: free
Foodi and Drink Events
Pinot Palooza
For wine lovers, this is for you! Join the Pinot Palooza Community and get loads of perks including hard-to-get ‘drops’, event tickets, merch, free shipping and more.
When: 6-7 October 2023
For more information about tickets and the venue, check their website
The Burton Bar – A Halloween Pop Up: Sydney
Love Halloween & Tim Burton is an immersive Halloween bar coming to town this October!
It offers a variety of activities, including 1 x Boozy Welcome Drink, 90 minutes in the themed Halloween bar, Games, additional activations and a Ghost Host.
When: 04 October 2023 to 31 October 2023
Where: 280 Cleveland St., Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales
Tickets: From A$15.00 pp – A$16.00. Full details here
NSW Regional Events in October
Dubbo Dream Festival – Connect | Celebrate | Illuminate
Dubbo DREAM Festival celebrates all forms of creativity from lights, lanterns, music, markets, art competitions and more.
Check out the program jam-packed full of things that are new and interesting to spark the imagination of attendees. From enlightening experiences such as lantern making workshops or Fong Lees Lane to the well-known favourites: DREAM Lanterns, which includes the lantern parade, market stalls and entertainment to suit everyone.
Feature events include Sky Castle by ENESS, the Aussie Night markets, Catching Dreams – Pinot & Picasso, Zoocoustic and more!
Where: Dubbo NSW
When: 2023 dates TBC
Cost: free
More: Visit the festival website
Grafton Jacaranda Festival
If you are heading north, schedule a stop in Grafton for one of the most colourful festivals in the country. With the streets full of purple blooms, the markets, exhibitions, concerts and parade will play second fiddle.
Where: Grafton
When: 2023 dates TBC
Details: Check the festival website
Leura Gardens Festival
Leura is the prettiest village in the Blue Mountains and every October for the last 55 years, their gardens festival has attracted visitors keen to check them out in full bloom.
This year, eight gardens are open to the public. Highlights include stunning displays of azaleas, tulips, bluebells, rhododendrons and my favourite peonies. There is a festival bus to ferry visitors between the properties and art and music events to complement the garden displays.
Where: Leura NSW
When: 29 Sept – 2 October 2023
More: all the details
Southern Highlands Food & Wine Festival
We are big fans of weekend getaways to the Southern Highlands, but if you need an extra push, this is the month to do it. The Southern Highlands Food and Wine Festival showcases the very best producers in the region.
You can leave the car at home and travel to Moss Vale by train from Sydney, where transport will be provided to get you to the event.
If you have never visited the area before, check out our beginner’s guide to the Southern Highlands, it will help you decide what else to see and do while you are here.
Where: Moss Vale Showground
When: 2023 dates TBC
Cost: $16.50-$55
More: all the details on the festival website
