Everything You Need to Put in Your Diary for May
Catch the take free dance classes at the Sydney Opera House or hit a pop-up roller rink in Western Sydney.

Everything You Need to Put in Your Diary for May
A lot happens in this big, bustling city of ours. Think movie marathons, exhibitions, and everything from booze-fuelled shindigs to outdoor adventures in between. And, of course, there's always more around the corner, with next month no different. That means that there's plenty to look forward to, and plenty of activities to fill your diary to the brim. To help you plot things out, make plans with the gang and make the most of every moment, we've rounded up Sydney's best happenings for May. Don't say you don't have anything to do this month.
Top image: Messina Rosebery HQ
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Arts & Entertainment
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2022
See the winners of this year's prizes — then vote for your favourites.
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Arts & Entertainment
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
The Broadway hit is finally bringing its all-singing, all-dancing romance to Sydney.
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Arts & Entertainment
Sydney Writers' Festival 2022
Almost 400 writers and thinkers will take to the stage across 234 events, all linked to this year's theme 'Change My Mind'.
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Design & Style
In Bed Market Day Sydney
This luxury homewares label is transforming its Paddington store into a pop-up marketplace, with a dreamy curation of food, flowers, bedding and more.
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Arts & Entertainment
Benched — Darlinghurst Theatre Company
This intimate and immersive theatre piece reflects on the relationship between athleticism and disability.
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Arts & Entertainment
Wild Lights at Taronga Zoo
Discover luminous animal installations and take in Sydney Harbour during Vivid from a sky-high cable car at Taronga Zoo.
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Arts & Entertainment
Firestarter
Bringing Stephen King's 1980 novel to the big screen for the second time, this dull remake only burns two things: its audience's time and patience.
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Arts & Entertainment
This Much I Know to Be True
Celebrating the creative partnership between Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is a transcendent experience in this phenomenal music documentary.
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Food & Drink
Monkey Mixer
A giant orange truck is serving free cocktails at Sydney breweries for three days.
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Food & Drink
Nour x Olio: A Taste of Siqilliya
Nour's Gianluca Lonati and Olio's Lino Sauro are coming together for a night dedicated to exploring Arabic and Sicilian cuisine.
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Travel & Leisure
Igloos on the Pier 2022
Igloos are popping up at Pier One again — and this year, they're surrounded by lit-up cherry blossom trees.
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Food & Drink
Greyt Masters Art and Ales
Yulli's Brews is raising money for Greyhound Rescue by hosting an art auction for paintings created by the rescued greyhounds.
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Arts & Entertainment
Vivid Sydney 2022
Vivid Sydney's annual festival of light, music and ideas is back to transform the city once again.
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Food & Drink
Fonda x Wonderbao
The humble bao has been given a Mexican twist for Fonda's new limited-edition collaboration menu.
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Food & Drink
Taco Swap
Show a photo of your regular lunch at your nearest Taco Bell store to score a free Taco Supreme between 12–2pm.
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Food & Drink
Bottomless Wings
This Darling Square wing joint is serving up two-hours of all-you-can-eat chicken or cauliflower, plus free-flowing drinks Friday–Sunday.
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Arts & Entertainment
Yulli's Psych Fest
Yulli's is throwing a huge night of psych rock with free beers for those that get down early.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
After reimagining Henry Lawson's short story for the stage and page, Leah Purcell brings her First Nations, feminist and anti-colonial take on the tale to cinemas.
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Arts & Entertainment
Petite Maman
'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' filmmaker Céline Sciamma returns with a magical and insightful tale about childhood — and it's one of her best movies yet.
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Travel & Leisure
Chatswood Nights — Roaming Gnomes
Find your way gnome and back with this month-long installation throughout Chatswood's CBD this May.
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Arts & Entertainment
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Directed by 'Evil Dead' legend Sam Raimi, the latest MCU film about surgeon-turned-sorcerer Dr Stephen Strange is darker and trippier but still dispiritingly standard.
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Arts & Entertainment
Glow
Over three weeks, Sydney Zoo will become home to a heap of light activations, luminescent animals, an ice rink, glow-in-the-dark golf and a pop-up bar from 4 Pines.
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Arts & Entertainment
Monster Fest Weekender 2022
Spend three days watching weird and wonderful flicks — including cult 80s hits, new horror gems and a documentary about the original 'It' TV miniseries
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Dinner at Celo's x PS40 Culinary Takeover
Catch Continental Deli's head chef, Marcelo "Celo" Munoz bringing big flavoured bar bites at PS40's latest Tuesday Takeover collab.
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Arts & Entertainment
Kunstkamer — The Australian Ballet
Catch this jagged and boundary-pushing two-part contemporary ballet before it heads to Melbourne.
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Food & Drink
Nomad Wine Dinner Series: Yangarra Estate
Sample wines from Yangarra Estate paired with a feast from Nomad's Jacqui Challinor.
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Food & Drink
Taste of the Beaches 2022
Pop-ups on the sand, food truck parties and craft brews aplenty — they're all a part of this northern beaches food festival.
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Food & Drink
Drag 'N' Dine: American Express delicious. Month Out Edition
Head to this inner west pub for a glittering night of drag performances and tasty treats hosted by Khanh Ong.
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Design & Style
The Makers and Shakers Market 2022
This design-focused favourite makes a return to Sydney, featuring over 100 stalls showcasing handmade and locally made wares.
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Arts & Entertainment
Cut N Polish: Artist Car Boot Sale
A whopping 90-plus Greater Sydney artists are selling their works directly to the public at this one-day-only art car boot sale.
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Arts & Entertainment
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
'Drive My Car' may have won an Oscar, but Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's second powerful and poignant drama of the past year is equally as masterful.
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Arts & Entertainment
After Yang
Colin Farrell is haunting in this exceptional sci-fi drama about androids, memory, family, the ties that bind and what it truly means to live.
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Arts & Entertainment
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Despite its title, the second 'Downton Abbey' movie serves up more of the same upstairs-downstairs dramas — but Maggie Smith still steals every scene she's in.
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Food & Drink
Baba's Jus Presents: The Other Europe
Spend your Sunday sipping natural wine at this celebration of Eastern and Central European wineries.
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Food & Drink
GABS 2022
The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular returns to Sydney with 120 brews, including beers inspired by cheesecake and poutine.
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Food & Drink
Harry's and Don Julio Camino De La Margarita
This Surry Hill favourite is hosting a month-long marg fest with prawn taquitos and birria tacos.
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Arts & Entertainment
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022
Direct from London's Natural History Museum, the best nature photographs from the past year are now on display in Sydney.
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Food & Drink
Yarra Valley Rocky Road Festival At Home 2022
Get a box filled with 31 different flavours of rocky road delivered to your door.
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Food & Drink
The Fork Festival 2022
A heap of Sydney restaurants are offering half-price meals till the end of May.
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Food & Drink
Butter Ramen Club Tour 2022
Butter's tour of creative ramen dishes is back by popular demand — starting with its OG fried chicken ramen, of course.
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Food & Drink
Chiswick's Tenth Birthday Collective Menu
Matt Moran's Woollahra restaurant is turning ten — and celebrating with a special birthday menu.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Northman
Directed by 'The Witch' and 'The Lighthouse' filmmaker Robert Eggers, this Alexander Skarsgård-starring Viking epic is bold, bloody, brutal and brilliant.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The one and only Nicolas Cage plays himself — and gloriously so — in this gleefully adoring and enjoyable action-comedy.
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Travel & Leisure
Where Plants Meets Science
Visit this interactive openair laboratory for beauty education, free skincare samples and giveaways.
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Arts & Entertainment
Sydney Comedy Festival 2022
Local and international comedic greats are descending on Sydney to deliver a month-long program jam-packed with laughs.
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Arts & Entertainment
Become The One
What happens when the national sport is forced to dismantle its heteronormativity?
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Arts & Entertainment
An American in Paris
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical is bringing romance and old-world charm to Sydney.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Good Boss
Javier Bardem is magnetic in this Spanish award-winner, which savagely and smartly satirises power, privilege and workplace life.
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Arts & Entertainment
Happening
Winner of the 2021's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion, this French drama about abortion in the 1960s is haunting, confronting and important.
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Arts & Entertainment
Banff Mountain Film Festival 2022 Tour
This annual showcase of adventurous cinema is bringing nine mountain-focused flicks to Sydney.
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Food & Drink
Australian Cocktail Month 2022
Twenty-five of Sydney's favourite bars are whipping up exclusive cocktails during this month-long festival of booze.
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Arts & Entertainment
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Michelle Yeoh navigates the multiverse in this bold, clever, revelatory and gloriously chaotic funhouse of a film from the directors of 'Swiss Army Man'.
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Food & Drink
YCK Laneways Intersections
YCK Laneways is throwing a six-week food and music festival, headed-up by a three day celebration with Maybe Sammy, Cantina OK!, Sneaky Sound System and Day1 in Barrack Street.
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Arts & Entertainment
Even Cheaper Budget Tuesdays at Dendy Newtown
Head to the flicks for a tenner every Tuesday.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Lost City
Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum's combined charms go a long way in this breezily entertaining action-adventure rom-com.
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Arts & Entertainment
Spanish Film Festival 2022
Movies starring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Javier Bardem feature prominently in this year's 34-film showcase of Spanish and Latin American cinema.
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Arts & Entertainment
Lost Sundays
Catch a cutting-edge lineup of local and international DJs at this party from the Lost Paradise crew every Sunday.
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Arts & Entertainment
Our House
Shell House is throwing a two-month food and music festival with sets from Nina Las Vegas, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Touch Sensitive and pop-ups from Licoreria Limantour and Attaboy.
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Arts & Entertainment
Ambulance
OTT car chases, constantly zipping camerawork, a villainous Jake Gyllenhaal — when Michael Bay's latest high-intensity action flick works, it's a wildly entertaining ride.
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Arts & Entertainment
MCA Late
The MCA's weekly culture trip here to shake up your after-dark activity rotation.
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Food & Drink
Cherry Bomb
Goros is throwing a six-week cherry blossom-themed party with pink sushi, pink burgers and bubble tea cocktails.
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Arts & Entertainment
Nights at the Museum
Your culture trip just got better, with live music, late nights and a pop-up bar joining the Australian Museum.
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Arts & Entertainment
Fantastic Film Festival Australia 2022
Viking epics, possession thrillers, sci-fi western fantasies, nude screenings of 'The Full Monty' — they're all on the lineup at this weird and wonderful film fest.
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Arts & Entertainment
Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London
Peruse portraits of famous faces from the past 500 years — The Beatles, David Bowie, Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Nelson Mandela and Malala Yousafzai all included.
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Arts & Entertainment
23rd Biennale of Sydney
The 23rd edition of Sydney's Biennale will feature a 600-metre-square bamboo structure, a huge mirrored pavilion and intricate portraits made out of grass.
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Food & Drink
All-You-Can-Eat Moules Frites 2022
Fill up on mussels and fries every Thursday for just $29.
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Arts & Entertainment
'Jurassic World' by Brickman
Lego finds a way — with more than 50 dinosaurs, props and scenes from the movie built out of the popular plastic bricks.
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Arts & Entertainment
Powerhouse Late 2022
Catch free talks, musical performances and exhibitions alongside a pop-up cocktail bar at the Powerhouse Museum after dark.
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Arts & Entertainment
Magnums and Movies 2022
Restaurant Hubert is dedicating nine decadent evenings to cinema and super-sized vino, all over dinner.
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Arts & Entertainment
Pedro Almodovar: A Complete Retrospective
Watch all 22 of the Spanish auteur's films on the big screen, including classics like 'All About My Mother' and his latest feature 'Parallel Mothers'.
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Arts & Entertainment
Inside the Tide
Over 20,000 plants have been installed, including one of the largest vertical green walls in the southern hemisphere.
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Food & Drink
Three Blue Ducks Barbecue Sundays
Head to Three Blue Ducks Rosebery every Sunday for a next-level barbecue feast and live music.
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Arts & Entertainment
Australians & Hollywood
Explore Australia's most iconic contributions to cinema via this exclusive exhibition of costumes, props and behind-the-scenes footage.
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Food & Drink
Rocker Sundays
Head to Rocker each Sunday arvo for two hours of free-flowing rose, Sydney rock oysters, cauliflower hummus and live tunes.
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Arts & Entertainment
Art Pharmacy Installations at The Rocks
Discover these five public art installations that have popped up in The Rocks.
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Arts & Entertainment
Big in China
White Rabbit Gallery's exhibition will explore how to get a narrative or piece of work to cut through in a nation of over one billion people.
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Food & Drink
About Time Pop-Up Bar
Sip Frosty Fruit slushies and eat roast lamb damper rolls at this limited-time bar in Sydney's CBD before it's demolished to make room for the new metro line.
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Food & Drink
Pinsa Night at Casa Mia
Nab Roman-style pizzas and a glass of wine for $20 from this new inner west restaurant every Wednesday.
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Arts & Entertainment
Frankie's World Famous House Band
Catch covers of rock and heavy metal classics with a slice of pizza in hand.
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Arts & Entertainment
Eucalyptusdom
An exhibition of art, science and history examines our changing attitudes to the humble eucalyptus family.
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Travel & Leisure
Stargazing Tour with an Astrophysicist
Explore the night sky at this astronomical tour in the Blue Mountains.
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Food & Drink
Saturday Breakfast at Fred's
The Paddington restaurant serves coffee, scones and canelés from 8am, and sells boxes of fresh produce too.
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Travel & Leisure
Yoga at Pocket City Farms
Finally a yoga practice where you can literally touch the earth.