From the spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks display at Sydney Harbour which is the perfect way to ring in the New Year to the Chinese New Year, we start celebrating every year with fun events which characterize the young soul of the city from the very start.
From December to March, the climate is mild, summer is all around and the city centre is constantly animated by shows, ballets and multicoloured parades.
The Sydney Festival held every January is a celebration of art and music which attracts and calls hundreds of artists arriving from all over the country, ready to animate the streets of Sydney with dance, theatre, music and forum performances. Held every year since 1977, the Sydney Festival has been one of the most important events in the Australian calendar: three weeks of guaranteed fun to discover the Australian city in one of its best seasons.
From the Sydney Theatre to the Carriage Works to the City Recital Hall and even the Sydney Opera House, over thirty locations host its planned events.
This festival offers film screenings, concerts and ballets, a series of performances, seminars and exhibitions that reflect the different cultures of Sydney.
The festival involves also many great artists of international fame and descent: from choreographers to legendary theater directors to singers and songwriters.
The festival offers a program that includes hundreds of shows but most events are paid.
The origins of the festival date back to the Waratah Festival, established in 1956 by the Sydney Committee. This took place from late October to early November and it included a parade, a folk art competition, beauty contests, exhibitions and shows. Then it was decided to do things in a big way and the Sydney Festival was established by the Sydney Committee, the State Government and the City of Sydney.
It started offering vintage car rallies, face-painting sessions, dog training lessons and Chinese dances. Over the years the variety of the events grew as its number and the festival just got bigger and bigger until it became what it is today.
It attracts local and international tourists and it is hard to get around town during the festival as the city gets to be really crowded.
As I mentioned, it is not a single event so you can just choose from its online program and book the activity which suits you best.
Those who are in Sydney at the end of January can also take advantage of the Chinese New Year and celebrate the world's entry into the year of Snake together with the Chinatown community. These in Sydney are believed to be the largest celebrations in the world outside of China: more than fifty events are scheduled every year, including exhibitions, parades, film screenings, sports competitions and public readings.
Not to miss is the opening ceremony at Belmore Park with a free tasting of Chinese food products and many more dishes to purchase on offer.
The Chinese neighbourhood is the right location where to immerse yourself in the flavors and colors of oriental culture, particularly the Chinese New Year Markets, a three-day event with famous chefs who are there to teach how to make tasty specialties for the new year.
