The best things to do in Sydney in July

If you’ve ever heard talk of secret tunnels and winding labyrinths from World War II that lie forgotten beneath Sydney city, you’re not alone. Well, it turns out, the rumours are true. And the best bit? Finally, we are allowed to see them with our own eyes. Better yet – they’re going to be filled with a wild light show, laser beams and robots. Yes. This is real life.  The entrance to this secret tunnel is hidden in plain sight in one of Sydney’s busiest train station thoroughfares. If you’ve ever grabbed something from the Wynyard Coles, you may not have ever paid too much attention to the emergency access door that’s situated right next to it. Unbeknownst to most of us, this nondescript door has long been the entrance to a series of secret tunnels that lie beneath Wynyard Station. For the last century, these tunnels were the abandoned relics of a city engineer’s grand plans to build a train line between Mosman and the Northern Beaches, but (as it is with many things), this plan fell to the wayside, and into decades of obscurity.  Now, in a move that’s been in the works for a long, long time, ‘Dark Spectrum’ will be taking over this historical subterranean network during Vivid, 2023.  Kicking off on May 26, and running until July 16, this wild and immersive light show will take visitors through 900 metres of the tunnel system, where they will be taken through eight underground rooms that will each be decked out in a vibrant variety of lights, robots, animations and laser show

A rooftop might not be the cosiest venue when the mercury plummets, but the East Village Sydney is having a crack at keeping their lofty drinking spot popular in the colder months, with their sparkling Winter Garden makeover (now in its second year running). From Wednesday, June 21, and all through winter, the rooftop terrace will be adorned in fairy lights, rosy lighting and festive decorations – and yes, heaters will be on full blast. They're going with a European Christmas night market theme, so menu highlights include not one but two types of fondues: a four-cheese fondue for two, served with a selection of melting cheeses, pickled vegetables, cured meats and bread (oh, and spiked with booze); plus a Belgian hot chocolate fondue set for dessert, served with a selection of cakes, fruit, brioche and bickies. This one's going to be a hit, so they recommend booking in, here. The cold is well and truly here. Why not warm up in front of a fire place at one of these Sydney pubs? Or here are 27 cool ways to make the most of Sydney in winter.

Beauty and the Beast the Musical revives Disney’s 1991 animation in a theatrical masterpiece that captures a tale as old as time, through the panorama of a multi-sensory spectacle in this two-and-a-half hour production. Before you see anything, it’s what you hear that captivates your attention. The orchestration by Danny Troob and sound design of John Shivers completely shifts the atmosphere in each scene, accentuating that gravitas of emotional range of the characters and their circumstances. The presence and influence of the music and orchestration is truly felt in the few moments of its absence. In an artform where too much music can easily become overkill, the sound design shifts seamlessly between diegetic and non-diegetic to support transitions between dialogue and musical scores.  Shubshri Kandiah, who plays Belle (and who also played princesses in Disney’s Aladdin, Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Belvoir St Theatre’s Into The Woods), has become Australia’s go-to princess, and deservedly so. Kandiah’s performance carries the youthfulness and animation of a Disney cartoon while exuding the elegance of a woman born to be royalty. While Belle’s disdain for Gaston (Jackson Head) falters in the pair’s duet, ‘Me’, this oversight is beyond compensated for in her timbre and melody throughout the rest of the performance.  Head plays the repugnant role of Gaston delightfully. His performance elicits a tug-of-war of admiration for his execution but also an unease at the sl

Australia’s most famous beach will once again come alive this winter for Bondi Festival's best event to date. From June 30 to July 16, the festival will turn up the heat with 17 days and nights of fun by the sea. This year’s jam-packed line-up includes world-class theatre, comedy premieres, cabaret hits and unique interactive experiences, along with the return of Bondi Festival’s famous ferris wheel and ice-skating rink. Celebrating its 12th year, Bondi Festival is ready to reclaim its spiritual home at the newly refurbished Bondi Pavilion and will also take over local hotspots including Curly Lewis Brewing Co and Bondi Bowling Club for a program of Bondi Festival Local events. Once again, Campbell Parade will transform into a scenic ice rink so you can skate to the soothing sounds of the sea, with push-along penguins for first-timers. Of course, Bondi Festival would be incomplete without the famous 32-metre-high Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel boasting unbeatable 360-degree views across the ocean and beach.  This year’s festival welcomes a stellar line-up of artists, international guests, national festival favourites and emerging stars. Program highlights include musical comedian Gillian Cosgriff, who won the Most Outstanding Show Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2023; the Trash Queen of Cabaret, Tash York’s Happy Hour; cabaret singer Rosie Rai’s queer singalong piano bar – 1800-Request; Cake’s queer burlesque circus and clowning; workshops with Brisbane’s award

Ramen lovers, listen up. A six-week ramen festival is kicking off in Sydney, and you’re invited. Sydney Ramen Festival is a celebration of the tastiest ramen joints that this city has to offer, and of course, all things ramen – from the soul-warming broths to the chewy noodles, succulent pork, and jammy eggs. The festival is going down in ramen restaurants all over Sydney. Think Rising Sun Workshop, RaRa Ramen, Bones Ramen, Butter, Ippudo, IIKO Mazesoba and loads more, and it’s running from Saturday, June 17 through to Saturday, July 29. So, how does it work?  Basically, when you visit a participating ramen restaurant during the festival, and enjoy a delicious bowl of goodness, you get a digital stamp. The more stamps you collect, the more chances you have of winning great prizes, like free bowls of ramen, gift vouchers, hand painted cherry blossom ramen bowls, and a whole lot more. The team from Sydney Ramen Festival says: “The festival aims to cultivate an appreciation of different styles and variations of Japanese ramen available in Sydney, and acts as a guide as well as to encourage discovery for restaurants.” “We aim to encourage Sydneysiders to try all the different types of ramen and open up their taste buds to different styles. Tonkotsu, shoyu, shio, miso and more…you will find it all during the Sydney Ramen Festival.” So, you get to check out Sydney’s best ramen restaurants and win some fun prizes (aka: more ramen) at the same time? Sounds like a win win to us. Here

Dig out your best berets and stripiest t-shirts, because your favourite Frenchies are back for the 10th anniversary Bastille Festival. This free, four-day fête makes its grand return to Circular Quay and the Rocks from July 13-16 with 70 pop-up restaurants, 150 shows, free silent discos, street parties and more.  Don’t succumb to this French affair on an empty stomach. You’ll find winter comfort at every corner of the Parisian Foodie Village at Customs House with fresh baguettes, croque-monsieur, raclette, crêpes, macarons and croissants baked daily by Infinity Bakery. You can also enjoy the crème de la crème of French cuisine and wine at the Chef Village, which will pop up next to the MCA. Think piping hot boeuf bourguignon, famous fondue savoyarde in a cob, and warming escargot and French onion soup. Bastille Festival has lined up the perfect menu of Champagne, imported wines and mulled wine to accompany your feast. This year, you can once again go on a wine tour through France without the jetlag by booking a passport for the beloved 1.2km Bastille Wine Walk. You’ll journey through France's most reputable wine regions with four or eight tastings from Bordeaux, Loire, Provence and more.  To celebrate its 10th birthday, Bastille Festival is hosting giant French B-Days Parties in Circular Quay every night from July 13-16. You’re invited to sing, dance and party with French DJ sets and bands, cabaret hits and free silent discos in the festival’s newest village in Quay Quarter L

If you’ve ever wanted to submerge yourself in another (considerably more frightening) world of plane crashes and ghostly séances, look no further. After a long time away, the terrifyingly brilliant alt-universe of Darkfield has finally made its grandiose return to Sydney – and boy, are we shivering in our wee little boots already.  Over 15,000 people have flocked to the experience already, causing most sessions to sell out. So due to popular demand, the season has been extended through to July 2. Darkfield is an experience that straddles technology, theatre and horror movies, with punters made to sit inside a tiny space in total darkness while an immersive audio experience (through headphones, shall we add) takes them far, far away to a scary someplace else. Séance and Flight are the two wild experiences that Sydneysiders have the chance to sit in on, and each of them brings their own individual brand of eeriness for those willing to take the ride. Designed by UK-based creative directors Glen Neath and David Rosenberg, these experiences go down in specially-made shipping containers that are temporarily popping-up outside the Powerhouse Museum. We went down to see what all the fuss is about, read on for our reviews: Séance  Darkfield’s set-up outside the Powerhouse Museum may appear unassuming, but the extraordinarily dark interior provokes more than enough of the unease necessary for a premium immersive horror experience. Believe me when I say that the interior of the shippin

Wizards and witches – dust off your wands and dress in your fanciest robes for a Wizardry High Tea at Shangri-La Sydney. Hosted in the hotel’s grand ballroom, this high tea is a twist on the British afternoon tradition featuring a bedazzling buffet of treats and drinks. It’s promising a magical experience for both the young and the young-at-heart, and is exclusively available across three weekends during the winter school holidays from July 1-16. You’ll start with a selection of finger sandwiches including hypnotised ham and cheese, time-turning turkey and brie, and enchanted egg and mayo. The culinary wizards of Shangri-La will then treat you to bite-size sweets including chocolate chip cockroach clusters, blood-flavoured cake pops, golden quartz pocket macarons and spell gem lamingtons.  A wizard’s feast is incomplete without mystical potions and the little ones can opt for bubbling hot chocolate, juice and soft drinks. Wizards over 18 may prefer coffee and tea, but can also add on spiked brews.  The Shangri-La Wizardry High Tea will be hosted across two seating times from 11am-1pm and 2.30-4.30pm on July 1-2, 7-9 and 14-16. Tickets are $59 for kids aged four to 11 and $79 for ages 12 and up.  Book this magical Wizardry High Tea here.

Think Jay Gatsby hosted the best roaring '20s parties? Not anymore. It’s time to crack open some Champagne, because this scintillating smash-hit show is back for a third encore run! The sparkling toast of the Sydney summer, Blanc de Blanc Encore has been wowing audiences since it opened in January in the totally refurbished cabaret venue the Grand Electric (on the Redfern end of Surry Hills). Clearly, Sydney can't get enough – this much-loved cabaret, circus and burlesque show is back for another season from June 9 to July 30.  The Blanc experience serves up the top shelf of cabaret-burlesque-circus entertainment with a smile and a knowing wink. This show is bubbling over with hilarious hosts, talented perfomers dressed up (and down) in dazzling couture-fashion-level costuming, interactive stunts and so-rude-it's-right jokes. It's quite an accomplishment to stage a variety production that can so seamlessly gear-change from crotches in faces to superb aerial artistry, and from phallic percussion to a soulful pop crooner – all whist maintaining a fun, playfully risqué vibe.  Our tip is to not cut your arrival too close to the curtain, and make sure you have a little time to luxuriate in the French-inspired courtyard peppered with original mural artwork by Max Elbourne. The seating is also quite snug, so you may want to fork out for a ring-side cabaret table if you'd like more room to spread-eagle. (And if you have any aversion to flying feathers or bubbles, good luck to you!)

Something that Vivid Sydney has proven year after year: bright lights will bring people out on winter nights. So we're excited about this regional festival held on the banks of the beautiful Murray River. The NSW/Vic border community of Echuca Moama is throwing a magical night fest, Moama Lights. Moama Lights is an immersive sound and light event that runs from June 30 to July 23, 2023, at the Horseshoe Lagoon, a 600m-long lit-up trail of installations and projections that visitors can explore. A light show will be projected across the lagoon among hundreds of flickering stars lights, and you’ll be able to see a field of illuminated flowers and colours shining across the Murray River.  In addition to this artistic display of cutting-edge light technology, there will also be an ice-skating rink, kids entertainment and food trucks. Entry to Moama Lights is cheap – just $20 for adults and $10 for children. You can book at the website. Want more? Borealis in the Vines is another event that's all about bright lights. Love lights but don't want to leave Sydney for them? Check out the Vivid 2023 program.