Returning for its third year, Forage The Rocks is taking over venues around the historic sandstone district for the whole of August, meaning happy hours, meal deals, activities and events to keep you going all month long. Whether you want to enrol in a mixology masterclass, meet new people over board games, eat some cheap pizza or just take advantage of a good happy hour deal, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top recommendations from this year’s program.

The Cocktail Trail

If you work in The Rocks, you’re sorted for after-work drinks this month. And if you don’t, it’s worth heading in just to take advantage of the deals. A range of venues are doing $25 cocktail-and-canape deals as part of Forage The Rocks. At Pony Dining you’ll find the Smoking Pony (Moroccan spiced pear syrup, mezcal and egg white) paired with woodfire-grilled pear, prosciutto, blue cheese and oatmeal biscuit; Le Foote is offering a a two-sip martini paired with marinated olives; and Frank Macs has a Four Pillars Gin Martini served alongside four-cheese arancini. There are plenty of other venues taking part as well, so make sure you check out the full list.

Taste Trail Food Tour

Every Saturday in August, you can take part in a food-focused walking tour as part of Forage The Rocks. It takes place in The Rocks Markets, where you’ll get to chat with the makers at different stalls while sampling artisan pizza, fudge, nuts, mulled wine and paella. Tours run from 11am to 12pm and are capped at 10 people, so you don’t need to worry about spreading the tasters too thin (but make sure you book your ticket ($40) in advance). You’ll get a tote bag and a $20 market voucher, so you can bring home your favourite bites after the tour. If wine tasting is more your thing, the NSW Wine Cellar Door on August 3 and 4 lets you taste three wines from each of the featured cool-climate producers for $5, or get wines by the glass from $10.

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Mixology Masterclasses

As well as deals, you’ll find plenty of activities at Forage The Rocks. Take part in a mixology class at Blu Bar or Bar Lulu, so you can impress your friends the next time it’s your turn to host. At Blu Bar – on level 36 of the Shangri-La Sydney, overlooking the harbour – sessions run from 2pm to 4pm from Sunday to Thursday, with tickets starting at $105 per person. At Bar Lulu, you’ll be taken through the essentials in a 90-minute session, where you’ll learn how to make two cocktails, each requiring different skills. The class is available to groups of 10 or more, with tickets starting at $120 per person. They include a glass of sparkling upon arrival and snacks to pair with your cocktails after class.

Happy Hours and Easy Eats

If you’re just looking to get your hands on cheap drinks and dinner, old-school favourite The Glenmore Hotel has daily deals, including a $19.90 steak night on Mondays, $12 cheeseburgers on Tuesdays, $1 wings and $6 beers on Wednesdays. Over at The Orient and Mrs Jones, you can get a $20 early- week lunch specials every Monday and Tuesday, and North Sandwiches has delicious sandwiches starting from $15, so don’t forget to stop in for lunch. There are also plenty of happy hour options, including Social Hour at Bar Lulu from 4.30pm to 7pm from Wednesdays to Fridays, with $8 beer and $10 wine and cocktails. You’ll find a full list of participating venues online.

Other events

There’s heaps more you can do throughout the month of August. Join Luna Lu’s dumpling experts for a hands-on dumpling masterclass, where you’ll learn to make the restaurant’s signature dumplings from scratch. The Conscious Connections events at The Rawson and The Australian Heritage Hotel encourage you to make friends over tapas-style dishes, drinks and board games. And every Friday, homegrown talent is taking over The Rocks Square for free Jazz Sessions.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with the The Rocks.