Sydney Festival Village 2014

Overview

This article is sponsored by our partners, the Sydney Festival.

We all know Hyde Park is much better when conceived as a kind of Midsummer Night's Dream: a magical, atmospheric hub bounded by strings of lights. This Sydney Festival promises a Festival Village in Hyde Park, thrice as sprawling as last year's Festival Garden, stretching along College Street past the Archibald Fountain and housing the Spiegeltent, Circus Ronaldo tent as well as five bars. The Village's free activities, music and nommy nomz will take you from day to night with the laidback, buzzy vibe that's unique to Sydney in January.

Gelato Messina, Food Society, Jafe Jaffles and Woofys hot dogs have your voracious stomach's needs completely covered (just behold these custom-built Messina creations). But this is not just about slobbering gluttony, you barbarian. It's also about playtime. Melbourne-based Boxwars will entertain kids with art workshops where they can do neat stuff with reclaimed cardboard. City of Sydney's Lawn Library offers books and workshops by day, and Adult Storytime with comedy by Campfire Collective by night. Bounce on Jeremy Deller's inflatable Stonehenge, Sacrilege, and enjoy intimate serenades care of Folk in a Box.

And what is the soundtrack to all this hubbub? The tunes are plentifully provided at the Village Bandstand and Rekorderlig Gazebo in sets by DJs including Captain Franco, Marcus King, Smart Casual, Radge, Tyson Koh, Sweetie, Andy Votel, Jimmy Sing, Gramophone Man, The Laurels, The Crusty Suitcase Band, The Ukes of Today and Saint Tropez All Day. How will you cope, sipping a cold one to the smooth grooves of these soundsters, and sampling all these Sydney summer delights?

Festival Village is open 9am-2am, January 9-26 (closed Mondays). For bookings call 1300 668 812 or visit the Sydney Festival website.

Image by Prudence Upton.