SXSW Sydney at Tumbalong Park

Overview

No wristband or badge? No worries — SXSW Sydney's free festival hub at Tumbalong Park is open to everyone, whether you've already planned out your whole week or are just curious to see what the fuss is about. Running for the duration of SXSW, from Sunday, October 15, to Sunday, October 22, the event will feature brand activations, live music, tech demos, gaming competitions, presentations and an outdoor cinema — it's basically a self-contained sample of the entire SXSW program.

Wander through the maze at CommBank House to learn about CommBank's latest innovations in tech and how they're helping young adults save and earn more, manage their money and stay safe from cybercrime. Popular bakery Lode will serve coffees and pastries at Porsche House, where tattoos, photography and art will be featured, before it turns into a bar come sunset.

You (visually and figuratively) can't miss Suntory Minus 196's 12-metre-tall Extreme Vending Machine. Enjoy a cold one at the Double Lemon Garden on the ground floor before moving through the structure to a display of the brand's freezing technology and then up to the rooftop bar, where there'll be a selection of Japanese snacks, Double Lemon and Grape drinks, plus a DJ.

Back on the ground, you can catch live music sets from a selection of local and international artists at the Music Festival Presentation, which will run for five days throughout the week.  Young Henry's Rock & Roll Circus on Wednesday, October 18, will feature artists such as Dan Sultan, Wallice and Tyne-James Organ covering rock classics, while Touchdown Down Under on Thursday, October 19, and Friday, October 20, will showcase musical artists from Asia to the Middle East.

For the film fanatics, you can celebrate the start of the screen program at the Screen Festival Opening Party with bands and DJs from 7–10pm on Sunday, October 15. There will also be a series of movie screenings at the outdoor cinema on select days throughout the week.

Jess Gleeson

Gamers can tag along to the Games Festival Presentation on Sunday, October 15, and Sunday, October 22, or flex their skills at the community esports competition on Tuesday, October 17.

You might not be able to hear from Chance the Rapper or Nicole Kidman, but you can still get inspired at one of the presentations, demonstrations or talks at Tumbalong Park. See rockets, rovers and go-karts designed by UTS students or watch a cooking demonstration by artist Yiying Lu (creator of the dumpling emoji) and James Beard Award-winning chef Martin Yan. And don't forget to mark your diaries for national treasure Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, who will join comedian and presenter Adam Spencer on Saturday, October 21.

SXSW Sydney's festival hub will take over Tumbalong Park from Sunday, October 15, to Sunday, October 22. Check out the full program for Tumbalong Park at the SXSW Sydney website. 

Top image: Tumbalong Park, Vivid, Destination NSW.