Sydney turning up the heat this winter: introducing Sydney Solstice

Spread out across four different precincts, more than 200 events will be held at restaurants, pubs, art galleries, museums and live-music venues. Highlights include the inaugural Country and Inner Western Festival, dance parties, craft beer festivals and art installations. All events will be held in the CBD, Darling Harbour, Newtown, Oxford Street and their surrounds.

“We are thrilled at the response and interest from local Sydney businesses with more than 150 venues and hundreds of artists, chefs and performers participating in Sydney Solstice,” said Stuart Ayres, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney.

“We anticipate Sydney Solstice will attract many locals and visitors to Sydney, and particularly, the four key precincts activated as part of the program. This is incredibly positive for so many businesses that were affected by COVID-19 restrictions to help support their recovery, as well as the community, who are looking for new ways to rediscover the Harbour City and restore their social calendar to its pre-COVID heights.

“We are activating a wide range of venues across four precincts, some of which have not been open for public enjoyment for some time, across a broad range of interests. There’s never been a more appealing invitation to eat out, see a show, have a drink or embark on a new adventure in Sydney,” he said.

Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong, one of the ambassadors of Sydney Solstice, will be promoting Sydney’s newest food and beverage area, South Eveleigh in the city’s southwest.

“It’s really important that we keep driving Sydney’s recovery and to celebrate all of the beautiful things we love about this city,” said Ms Kwong.

“For me, I’m really looking forward to bringing in the cultural community of Sydney through food and drinks, music, art and First Nations culture.

“I really feel that this program is such a beautiful way where we can all come together and collaborate through the wintertime,” she added.

• An immersive multi-sensory Qween’s Feast dining-and-art experience at Sydney Town Hall will feature four female chefs.

• A celebration of local seasonal produce and NSW wines will be held at Aria restaurant.

• A series of music, dance, theatre and art events will come to new small bar precinct, YCK Laneways.

• Late-night DJs, dancing and Mr Wong dim sum.

• The Darling Harbour Winter Fair will feature

an ice-skating rink, arctic ice slide and German-themed chalets and

daily local musician or DJ performances.

• A series of inflatables will capture the spirit of ocean creatures at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

• A craft Beer Festival will be held at the Terminus Hotel, Pyrmont.

• South Eveleigh will come alive with local restaurant heroes, such as Kylie Kwong’s Eat Fuh, RaRa Chan and Steve Costi’s Famous Fish. Music, entertainment and live performances will fill the streets from June 18-19.  

• The inaugural Country and Inner Western will showcase the genre’s

best artists.

• Emerging female Australian voices will feature in a performance curated by singer-songwriter Jack River.

• All things fermentation – brewers, winemakers, bakers and cheesemakers – will be at Bitter Phew bar.

• A celebration of music, food, dance and light will be held at Altar Danceteria in Hotel Harry.

• FBi’s electronic music show Sunset will head out of the studio to host two intimate live broadcast events at the Golden Age Cinema and Bar.

When: Sydney Solstice will be held from 8-20 June 2021.

Drive: From Wollongong, Sydney is about a 1.5-hour drive; from Bathurst or Canberra,

it’s about three hours. From Tamworth, Sydney is about five hours’ drive.

Fly: Jetstar flies to Sydney twice per week from Launceston, starting from $170. Visit jetstar.com.au.

Stay: The luxurious Shangri-La in The Rocks is priced from $295 for two nights. Visit shangri-la.com.

Explore more: sydneysolstice.com