Photo: Sail GP Australia
February in Sydney is peak summer rhythm: beach mornings, harbour sunsets, late-night culture, and the first big festival energy of the year. This guide is built for locals and repeat visitors who want the best of the month — with a mix of date-specific highlights and reliable weekly favourites.
Note: Some major programs (especially festival schedules) publish final dates closer to the month. Where dates are marked “TBA”, use the official links in the Sources section to confirm.
Highlights & Big City Moments:
Pop Culture & Community:
Concerts & Music:
Art & Exhibitions:
Festivals & Special Events:
Theatre, Performance & Musicals:
Sport:
Food, Drink & Nightlife:
Workshops & Learning:
Conferences & Expos:
Want more What’s On details?
Highlights & Big City Moments
- Sydney Harbour at Golden Hour: ferry-hopping mini adventure
- Dates: Any day in February (sunset best)
- Where: Circular Quay + any harbour wharf
- Details: Pick 2–3 wharves (Manly, Balmain, Watsons Bay) and turn it into a self-guided harbour crawl.
- Outdoor cinema season
- Dates: Evenings throughout February (session times vary)
- Where: Across Sydney (parks + pop-up venues)
- Details: Bring a picnic blanket; check session calendars for films and weather updates.
- Summer by the sea: coastal walk sunrise challenge
- Dates: Daily (early morning)
- Where: Bondi–Coogee / Manly Scenic Walkway / Hermitage Foreshore
- Details: Choose one route, start before 7am, and finish with a coffee reward.
- Museum late nights & after-hours openings
- Dates: Selected nights in February (varies)
- Where: CBD museums + galleries
- Details: Many venues run late sessions with talks, bars, or special exhibitions—check listings.
Pop Culture & Community
- Sydney’s Chinatown Night Market vibes
- Dates: Selected nights (dates TBA)
- Where: Dixon St / Haymarket
- Details: Street food, lanterns, and pop-up stalls—look for council/precinct announcements.
- Laneway art hunt: Newtown & Enmore
- Dates: Any day (best in daylight)
- Where: Newtown / Enmore / Marrickville
- Details: Walk-and-spot: murals, paste-ups, and tiny galleries—make it a photo scavenger list.
- Barangaroo weekend waterfront program
- Dates: Weekends (varies)
- Where: Barangaroo Reserve + foreshore
- Details: Often includes free activities, guided walks, and pop-ups—check the Barangaroo site.
- Darling Harbour Tumbalong Park free gigs & screenings
- Dates: Weekends and selected nights (varies)
- Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour
- Details: Keep an eye on the Darling Harbour events calendar for free live music and outdoor entertainment.
- Carriageworks Farmers Market
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Where: Eveleigh
- Details: Local produce, coffee, pastries—arrive early for the best stalls.
- Paddington Markets
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Where: Paddington
- Details: Handmade goods, fashion, and local makers.
- Bondi Markets
- Dates: Saturdays (farmers) + Sundays (general) – check schedule
- Where: Bondi Beach Public School
- Details: Easy beach + browse combo.
- Rozelle Collectors Market
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Where: Rozelle Public School
- Details: Vintage finds, collectibles, and bargain browsing.
- Glebe Markets
- Dates: Every Saturday
- Where: Glebe Public School
- Details: Second-hand fashion + crafts—great for a lazy morning.
- Manly Fresh Produce Market
- Dates: Selected weekends (check schedule)
- Where: Manly
- Details: Grab brunch, then do the Manly scenic walk.
Concerts & Music
- Sydney Symphony / classical season picks
- Dates: February (dates vary)
- Where: Sydney Opera House + major venues
- Details: Browse the monthly program and choose one ‘big night out’ concert.
- Live gigs in Newtown
- Dates: Nightly options
- Where: Enmore Rd / King St venues
- Details: Pick a venue crawl: 2 small gigs + late-night snack.
- Jazz nights (weekly)
- Dates: Weekly (varies by venue)
- Where: CBD / Inner West jazz bars
- Details: Many venues run regular jazz sessions—check their calendars for line-ups.
- Harbour-side live music sessions
- Dates: Weekends (varies)
- Where: Circular Quay / Barangaroo / Darling Harbour
- Details: Look for free or ticketed waterfront gigs—often family-friendly early sets.
Art & Exhibitions
- Art Gallery of NSW summer exhibitions
- Dates: All month
- Where: Art Gallery of NSW, The Domain
- Details: Check what’s on across both buildings; plan a 90-minute highlights loop.
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) exhibitions
- Dates: All month
- Where: MCA, Circular Quay
- Details: Mix the galleries with a harbour walk; after-hours sessions vary.
- White Rabbit Gallery (Chippendale)
- Dates: Feb opening days (check schedule)
- Where: White Rabbit Collection, Chippendale
- Details: Iconic contemporary collection—arrive early; it gets busy.
- Sculpture walks & public art
- Dates: Any day
- Where: Barangaroo / CBD / Olympic Park
- Details: Turn it into a ‘spot the sculpture’ trail—great with kids.
Festivals & Special Events
- Lunar New Year in Sydney (citywide)
- Dates: Late Jan–Feb 2026 (dates TBA)
- Where: CBD + Haymarket + across suburbs
- Details: Dragon dances, lanterns, food events, and cultural performances—official program varies each year.
- Sydney Lunar Festival: lanterns + performances
- Dates: February 2026 (dates TBA)
- Where: Haymarket / Chinatown
- Details: Expect night markets and cultural showcases—confirm program times before you go.
- Tea + dumplings learning session
- Dates: February (classes run weekly)
- Where: CBD / Inner West cooking schools
- Details: Book a dumpling or tea ceremony class—great rainy-day local learning.
- Community cultural celebrations (suburbs)
- Dates: Weekends in February (varies)
- Where: Strathfield / Hurstville / Chatswood + more
- Details: Many councils run Lunar New Year celebrations—check local council event pages.
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras season
- Dates: 13th February – 1st March 2026
- Where: Oxford St precinct + venues citywide
- Details: Parade, parties, talks, and community events—official program releases closer to the date.
- Mardi Gras Fair Day
- Dates: February 2026 (date TBA)
- Where: Victoria Park
- Details: A big community day with stalls, performances and picnics—family-friendly and free.
- Queer art + film nights
- Dates: Throughout Mardi Gras season (varies)
- Where: Inner-city cinemas + galleries
- Details: Look for special screenings and exhibitions tied to the festival program.
- Drag brunch & cabaret nights
- Dates: Weekends (varies)
- Where: Surry Hills / Darlinghurst / CBD venues
- Details: Book ahead—these fill fast during Mardi Gras season.
Theatre, Performance & Musicals
- Comedy club season
- Dates: February (weekly line-ups)
- Where: CBD / Darlinghurst / Inner West
- Details: Stand-up, improv and touring acts—book for Fri/Sat nights.
- Theatre season at major venues
- Dates: February (varies)
- Where: Sydney Theatre Company / Belvoir / Opera House
- Details: Choose one headline show and one smaller experimental production.
- Live cabaret & variety nights
- Dates: Selected nights (varies)
- Where: CBD + Inner East venues
- Details: Great ‘date night’ option—check venue socials for schedules.
- Family shows + matinees
- Dates: Weekends and school holiday spillover (varies)
- Where: CBD theatres + entertainment venues
- Details: Perfect for visiting families—look for daytime performances.
Sport
- Summer sport fixtures (varies week to week)
- Dates: All month (check weekly fixtures)
- Where: Sydney venues (varies)
- Details: If you want a live-stadium night, browse current fixtures for your teams/leagues and pick a home game that suits your week.
- Community runs + park events (weekly)
- Dates: Weekly (Saturday mornings in many suburbs)
- Where: Parks across Greater Sydney
- Details: Great low-effort way to “do something active” and still have the rest of your day free.
- Coastal swims + ocean pools (anytime)
- Dates: Daily (weather dependent)
- Where: Ocean pools + harbour swims
- Details: Pair a sunrise swim with a coastal walk for the classic Sydney summer combo.
- 2026 DUNLOP Sydney 500
- Dates: 20th – 22nd February 2026
- Where: Sydney Motorsport Park, Horsley Park
- Details: The Repco Supercars Championship kicks off at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the return of the Dunlop Sydney 500.
- Website: More info
- KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix
- Dates: 28th February to 1st March 2026
- Where: Sydney Harbour
- Details: A cornerstone of the Australian summer sporting calendar, the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix draws thousands of fans from around the globe. In a world-first for SailGP, a twilight racing window (5:30-7:00pm) will produce a spectacular golden hour backdrop for all of the heart-stopping action
- Website: More info
Food, Drink & Nightlife
- Sydney’s best coastal fish & chips mission
- Dates: Any day
- Where: Bondi / Coogee / Manly
- Details: Pick a beach, pick a shop, and rate it (crispy factor + view factor).
- Rooftop bars (summer peak)
- Dates: Evenings
- Where: CBD / Surry Hills / Darlinghurst
- Details: Go early for sunset; many have walk-ins midweek.
- Breweries + taproom crawl (Inner West)
- Dates: Weekends
- Where: Marrickville / St Peters
- Details: Choose 2–3 breweries; add a food-truck stop.
- Night noodle markets / street-food pop-ups
- Dates: Dates vary
- Where: CBD precincts
- Details: Keep an eye on seasonal street-food programs and pop-ups.
Workshops & Learning
- One-day creative workshops (art, photo, craft)
- Dates: Various (often weekends)
- Where: Inner-city studios + galleries
- Details: Keep an eye on museum, gallery, and studio calendars — this is where Sydney’s best “learn something new” days appear.
- Food + drink classes (tastings, cooking, coffee)
- Dates: Various
- Where: CBD + inner suburbs
- Details: Perfect for a rainy day plan or a mid-week “do something different” night.
Conferences & Expos
- Expos + trade shows (seasonal)
- Dates: Various (announced via venue calendars)
- Where: Sydney Olympic Park / ICC Sydney / major venues
- Details: If you’re into design, tech, travel, outdoors, or food — Sydney’s expo calendar is surprisingly dense.
Want more What’s On details?
- Source links (Sydney):
End summary: Feeling vibrant and festive, February in Sydney is the peak of summer, buzzing with high-energy, humid days and warm, balmy nights.
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