The 7 Best Things To Do In Sydney This August
We can see the bright lights of spring from here, but we’re not forgetting what time of year it is. This August is going to be quite the delight with a plethora of ways to warm up inside and out. We’ve got activities that allow you to enjoy Sydney’s pinch-yourself harbour setting, and we’ve curated enough culture for a balanced social diet.
[listicle]Let loose at Sydney’s tea festival
The humble loose leaf tea is certainly something to celebrate, so we’ll be heading down to Eveleigh this August for the Sydney Tea Festival. Now in its third year, the annual event is in expansion mode, moving from the outside to the inside of Carriageworks for a day of markets and workshops that are good for the soul.
An array of artisanal tea sellers will be there to blow your mind with the wonder of the leaf, as well as food trucks and sweet treats to keep your energy levels high. Chill out while you warm up in the Brew Lounge, or wander the stalls to find some unique blends to take home. This year the workshops are worth exploring, offering the opportunity to do tea tastings, understand more about tea and food pairings, take part in a tea ceremony, or simply learn about the history and health benefits of the drink that we consume 7.7 billion cups of per year. It’s going to be tea-licious! See you there on August 21 from 9am.
Photo: Alana Dimou/Sydney Tea Festival
Surf city
There’s something disturbingly addictive about the City to Surf. Whether you’re a participant or a spectator, this annual event, now in its 46th year, is something of a rite-of-passage for Sydneysiders and visitors alike. Runners will get hyped on the buzz at the marshalling area near Hyde Park on a fresh August morning, and delight in seeing nothing but foot traffic on William Street. Pedestrians will own the streets along some of Sydney’s most picturesque routes in the east. As a spectator, don’t feel too bad as the 80,000+ runners make your Sunday look lazy; get vocal instead and cheer on the brave souls who take on Heartbreak Hill before descending into Bondi. Along the way there’ll be an array of DJs, musicians and sideliners cheering the runners along, complete with water and lolly stops, and the occasional sprinkler or bubble blowing machine. Whether you want to get sweaty or not, plan to end up at Bondi for a day of festivities on Sunday August 14. Register here.
Movie LOLs
Take one of Sydney’s best cinemas, press play on the cult hit Ghost (which bagged five Oscar nominations and was the highest grossing film of 1990) and then have a panel of funny people voice the whole film. That’s what this brand new event brings you, with the no-bones-about-it title: Comedians Talk Over Movies. It’s the brilliant brainchild of Golden Age Cinema & Bar and the funny buggers at Giant Dwarf/Comedyish. The evening will see a panel of some of Sydney’s best comedians entertain you in weird and wonderful ways.
With sold-out sessions including Psycho, Speed and Jurassic Park under their belt, this is an event that needs to (quite literally) be seen and heard to be believed. It happens on Friday August 26. Book now.
An Oxford Art stop in
As an over-achieving 17-year-old, Gab Strum (aka Japanese Wallpaper) found fame winning triple j’s Unearthed High competition. Having just wrapped up a national tour supporting M83, the now over-achieving 19-year-old is coming to Sydney for two nights only. Playing at the Oxford Art Factory (the Saturday August 6 gig is sold out, but tickets are still available for Sunday 7), this will be Japanese Wallpaper’s first headline tour in over a year. Fresh from featuring such voices as Jesse Davidson and Airling, this gig will showcase tracks from his 2015 EP, as well as some yet-to-be-released material. Get your tickets here.
We all scream
So you’ve tried the cronut, you’ve navigated the Halal Snack Pack and you’re on the lookout for the next foodie dream. Well we’ve found it for you, and it’s ready to warm you up in the serene setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Piccolo Me has set up shop in our harbourside gardens, selling its Choco Mintolo. This hot chocolate is minty-fresh, and comes complete with crushed Oreos, ice cream and a rich chocolate sauce.
Or, if you’re looking to eat a record-setter, then try their World’s Largest Nutella Fried Icecream. This insane treat is a whole litre of Nutella and vanilla ice cream, topped with crushed Maltesers and complete with the ultimate addiction indicator: a syringe filled with warm salted caramel sauce. Find Piccolo Me in the gardens near the Palace Gates Entrance (adjacent to Macquarie Street). We suggest talking the long walk around to prepare thy self for what’s to come. Enjoy!
Photo: Piccolo Me/Facebook
Sculpture by the….sort of sea
After extending their reach far across the country and overseas (with instalments in Cottesloe, WA and Aarhus, Denmark), Sculpture by the Sea is branching out a little closer to home with the inaugural Sculpture at Barangaroo from August 6 – 21. Across the stunning revitalised headland reserve will be 12 outdoor artworks, transforming the foreshore into a temporary exhibition space.
The event is free and features talks by exhibiting artists throughout the 16-day exhibition. It will coincide with the first anniversary of the opening of Barangaroo on Sunday August 21, so keep an eye out for a line-up of festivities.
Photo: Provided
Celebrate science week with a science rockstar
There’s a certain skill in taking science and presenting it in ways that has mass appeal, sparks interest, and keeps an audience awake. David Attenborough and Dr Karl both have this skill , but there’s another science rock-star in the same ranks: Professor Brain Cox. The former keyboarder for the band D:Ream (of Things Can Only Get Better fame) is now a physics academic, and he’ll be taking us on a journey into deep space for one night only. This captivating speaker will delve into such optics as “are we alone in the universe?”, “what was the origin of life on earth?” and other existential-crises catalysts. It happens at the State Theatre on Thursday August 11. Book here. [/listicle]
(Lead image: Piccolo Me)
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