Harbour Hoopla at the Royal Botanic Garden

Overview

Run away with the circus on New Year's Eve (and stay there for early morning on New Year's Day).

If your new year celebrations are often filled with unrealised expectations and warm beer, this year could be the year you vow to make it different — and the perfect solution might be Sydney's Harbour Hoopla, a new event looking forward to shaking its sequins and twirling its hoops at you.

Harbour Hoopla is 'vintage-circus themed', meaning there will be some highly sassy costumes as well as props popping up everywhere. Held at Tarpeian Way (inside the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney precinct), there will be games, a theatrical photo booth, circus performers a-plenty, and a DJ once the night gets into swing. More than that, it's the perfect location to see the iconic Sydney fireworks on New Years Eve, with incredible views of the harbour bridge (which is just next door).

You and your friends can come dressed in your circus best (or your stroke-of-midnight-best will do), or hit up the photo booth props at the venue for some snaps. Hungry after all that frolicking? You get a picnic hamper upon entry with a salad, poached chicken main, cheese plate and dessert, and there's a (cash only) bar on premises. BYO rug, that ridiculous dress at the back of your wardrobe, and cash (no ATMs on site). We also suggest you start practicing your cartwheels for when you decide that joining the circus is the best thing to do with your life this year.

Tickets are selling fast — two out of four of the Royal Botanic Garden's events have already sold out. We're also giving away six tickets, so you can go and take a group of friends with you — enter here.

Gates open at 6:00pm and close at 1:30am.