Best Things To Do In Sydney This Month
What’s happening in September 2026
Spring has sprung in Sydney and there’s plenty happening all around town. Here’s what to do this month.
The city's largest independent arts festival is back for 2026 with more than 350 events to choose from. For six weeks catch everything from burlesque shows to family-friendly circus events. On now at events across Sydney until 11 October.
Spend the month sipping Riojas as Spain's largest food and wine celebration touches down in Sydney this September. Restaurants, bars and gourmet shops across the city are running Spanish inspired menus, tastings and cooking demos.
Float River Festival brings a free-entry riverside program to Parramatta River Foreshore from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September, with markets, live music, giant inflatable ducks and twilight lighting. Don't miss the Charity Rubber Duck Race, with cash prizes up for grabs.
For one day only, on 5 September, five restaurants and five local wineries come together in the Hunter Valley for Chefs in the Vines, a food and wine event built around regional produce and the people behind the plates.
Escape the gym for something calmer: Cedar & Salt's Finnish sauna pops up at Manly's Wharf Precinct until end of September 2026, pairing wood-fired sauna rituals with harbour views and a bracing ocean dip. Sessions fit ten guests, cost $40pp, with multipacks available.
Suntory House takes over Sakura House's basement izakaya from 31 July to 3 October, channelling Tokyo's after-work drinking culture. Expect inventive Suntory cocktails, elevated izakaya bites and playful touches, plus a vending machine stocked with exclusive merch, Japanese snacks and surprise prizes.
No tarot experience required, and no judgement if you have got a full deck at home either. Settle into a table at the Paddo Inn, order a glass of wine and some il Baretto Italian food, and let the cards do their thing.
For one night only, three-hatted Brae chef Dan Hunter takes over Bessie's kitchen on Tuesday 15 September, launching The Goodies Hospitality's new Goodies & Friends series with a bespoke five-course menu. Tickets are $240 per person, with seats capped at 70.
Sydney Sake Festival returns to the Overseas Passenger Terminal from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September, with over 400 sakes to taste from 80+ Australian and Japanese producers, alongside Japanese food, ceramics, crafts and a full seminar program. Tickets from $69.
55 North at Cibaria Manly transforms into a Mediterranean-inspired day club on Saturday 12 September, 2pm–4pm, kicking off Sydney Bar Week with Italian disco by DJ The Original Roman, bespoke cocktails and playful cocktail-inspired gelato. Free entry, no booking required, capacity 120
St Vincent's College Art Exhibition returns to Potts Point on 11 and 13 September, showcasing established and emerging Australian artists in a group show, with 100% of sale commissions donated to Open Support, supporting women and children affected by abuse.
Sydney's starlit concert series returns to North Head Sanctuary from 11 September to 3 October, with a stacked lineup spanning Boy & Bear, The Temper Trap, PNAU, Ben Folds, Jet and more, set against a stunning Sydney Harbour backdrop. Tickets via Ticketmaster.