Artheads, it’s that time of the year again. Ever since January 1977, the Sydney Festival has taken Australia by storm, and 2024 is no exception. This year’s festival is platforming over 100 events, ranging from theatrical pieces to art installations to cultural workshops. Until January 28, you can gorge yourself on the best our art scene has to offer.
However, if you have a job or a loving family, it would be impossible to hit up each and every Sydney Festival event. So, which events should you sign up for? How do you prevent yourself from scoring choice paralysis? Don’t panic, we’re here to help. Here are five Sydney Festival events you should hit up in 2024.
The Best Sydney Festival Events of 2024
Overflow
In Overflow, Rosie is trapped in a flooding toilet cubicle. However, instead of calling for help, she distracts herself with memories of her most memorable bathroom encounters. Rosie regals stories of drunken heart-to-hearts, friendships forged in front of crowded mirrors, and hiding away from real troubles.
If you’ve ever been trapped in a club bathroom, then Travis Alabanza’s Overflow will speak to your restroom soul. This work is a vaporwave classic that’s more relevant than ever.
Overflow is playing at Darlinghurst’s Eternity Playhouse from January 17 until January 27. If you want to get tickets to this Sydney Festival event, click the link here.
Torres Strait Culture Sharing Workshop
Ryka Ali is a man whose heritage stems from the Yidinji clans of Cairns, the Kuku Yalinji clans of Mossman, and the Torres Strait Islands. Additionally, he’s a proud ambassador for Australia’s Indigenous youth.
For the Sydney Festival, Ali is leading a Torres Strait Culture Sharing Workshop. In this workshop, Ali will give you a rare chance to have a tactile experience with the Torres Strait Island’s unique storytelling methods. This workshop is limited to 30 participants, but all ages, abilities, and experiences are welcome.
Ali’s Torres Strait Culture Sharing Workshop is taking place at Sydney Dance Company’s Neilson Studio on January 18 and January 19. If you want to get tickets to this Sydney Festival workshop, click the link here.
High-Vis
On Walsh Bay’s wharf, there’s currently a 46-metre-long installation that’s striped sunflower yellow and ladybug red and looks like the spawn of a balloon dog and an ill snake.
But as day turns to night, this installation changes and begins to glow in the dark. According to some participants, it almost looks like it moves.
If this description doesn’t sell you on Michael Shaw’s High-Vis installation, then nothing will. It’s an ambitious, delightfully absurd work, and it’s only available to gawk at this January.
Michael Shaw’s High-Vis is being presented each night from January 9 until January 28. If you want to learn more about this Sydney Festival event, click the link here.
Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours
Hey, do you want to see a group of humans transform into a sculpture of a parrot? Do you want to watch people elegantly thrown, like birds in flight? Well, then Living Sculptures is an event just for you.
Thanks to the minds and bodies of Arc Circus, Sydney is hosting an adaptation of the Dreamtime story, How the Birds Got Their Colours. This artwork fuses traditional First Nations dances and contemporary circus to tell a classic story that will tug on your heartstrings.
What’s more, this event is free, being performed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, South Cronulla Beach, South Steyne Beach, and Bondi Beach. Seriously, you don’t want to miss this one, you’ll regret it.
Living Sculptures is being performed from January 11 until January 14. If you want to learn more about this 2024 Sydney Festival event, click the link here.
Dinosaur World Live
No, we don’t care that Dinosaur World Live is aimed at children. We want to see an almost life-size triceratops. We want to scream as a tyrannosaurus rex walks onto the stage.
Dinosaur World Live is a puppet show being performed from January 18 until January 20. If you want to learn more about this Sydney Festival event, click the link here.
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