From kick-off to final whistle, Sydney will play host to football fans from around the country (and the world) as the city hosts 11 matches for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. Running from July 20 to August 20, the tournament’s Sydney matches include both the opening match to be played in Australia and the final, making the city the global focus of women’s football for a month.
If you’re making the trip over to the Harbour City to see a few matches, there’s also the matter of planning your outings for the days without any games planned. Even in winter, Sydney has no shortage of activities, from markets offering gourmet produce to world-class arts programming. With the Blue Mountains less than two hours’ drive away, you can even work a nourishing nature expedition into your visit.
And you can also get involved with the matches even if you don’t have tickets, with Tumbalong Park at Darling Harbour hosting the FIFA Fan Festival, where you can watch televised matches alongside a crowd, for free.
With all this in mind, here are our top picks for winter-friendly events.
Sydney Vegan Market
If you’re keen to graze around plant-based food and drinks while also shopping for cruelty-free fashion, Cathy Freeman Park’s monthly vegan market will tick all the boxes. It’s held on the third Sunday of each month (with the next one taking place on August 20) and includes yoga, live music, kids’ activities and plenty of space for open-air picnics. In terms of food, you’ll be able to get your hands on pies, pastries, banh mi, kebabs, burritos, salads, cookies, ice-cream, chocolates and pantry essentials. You can also browse accessories, perfume, jewellery, knitwear and body products, while learning more about local animal sanctuaries. After all, the market’s ethos extends to composting, recycling and other aspects of everyday sustainability, as is reflected in the stalls on offer. It’s also just a lovely day under the fig trees.
Daytrip to Three Sisters Walk
A 1.5-hour drive from the city, the Three Sisters Walk at Katoomba is a jaw-dropping nature reset that doubles as an excuse to spend time in the Blue Mountains. Featuring panoramic views, the famous natural sandstone formation, which is steeped in Aboriginal legend, can be admired from either a viewing platform or, if you’ve a good head for heights, from Honeymoon Bridge. A designated trail takes you past countless eucalypts and several lookouts, and whether you’re wanting to pick up a few souvenirs or simply plan your route, the Echo Point Visitor Centre acts as a helpful place to start (and finish).
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes Exhibition
The Archibald Prize tends to overshadow its sibling art gongs in terms of public awareness, but seeing the finalists for all three prizes is a great way to take in the bigger picture of emerging Australian art. The Wynne honours the best landscape painting of Australian scenery (or figure sculpture), while the Sulman honours the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project. The works of this year’s finalists are on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales now through September 3, with public voting open for the ANZ People’s Choice award until August 6. There’s also the Young Archie portrait competition, showcasing artists between the ages of five and 18.
Carriageworks Nights
Carriageworks’ winter late-night program concludes with a trio of events at the museum’s multidisciplinary space in Eveleigh. Hands (July 20) examines the role of its titular appendages with live music, DJ sets, weaving circles and Auslan signing workshops, while Fellowship (August 3) hosts six artists from the 2023 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) for a cross-section of performances and workshops tied in with the exhibition at Artspace. The series closes with Consent (August 24), which explores the topic with a group of sex workers, BDSM practitioners and artists, complete with music by BVT and Haiku Hands. All three events represent Carriageworks’ signature mix of presentation forms, as well as a sharply curated mix of artistic voices.
Central Park Farmers Market
Chippendale’s Central Park Mall hosts a farmers markets every Saturday from 8.30am to 2pm, with nearly 50 stalls in the mix each week. Do your weekly grocery shop and get your hands on local produce galore. There’s also pizza, seafood, handmade pasta, baked goods, cheeses, desserts and of course topnotch coffee, making it an ideal spot to catch up with a friend over some good food. Alongside the food, florists are also on-site each week, so you can pick up a bunch of fresh flowers to bring home. The market is also dog-friendly (leads are recommended), so it makes for an easy whole family outing – while also supporting local farmers.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Destination NSW.
