Free things to do in Sydney during the break

See the best of Vivid, for free

It’s Vivid mayhem again in Sydney until 15 June, and there's heaps of amazing events, activities and exhibitions to see for free.

Close your wallet, tie up your laces and embark on the 8.5km Vivid Light Walk, spend an evening. Or, simply wander around the city and take in the light shows on projected onto landmarks like the Sydney Opera House sails and Harbour Bridge. 

Nourish your sustainable mindset

With Plastic Free July and National Tree Day on 26 July, there’s no better time to get involved with reducing our impact on the environment.  

Take part in local efforts to revegetate the landscape and create a greener community this National Tree Day. With hundreds of planting events happening around Australia, visit the Planet Ark website to find a site near you.

Celebrate First Nations history and culture at NAIDOC

This year, the theme for NAIDOC is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. Celebrations across the city are held from 7-14 July. 

Returning to Gadigal land at The Rocks, see creations and performances from First Nations artists, designers and makers and participate in workshops at the unmissable National Indigenous Art Fair 2024 on 29-30 June. 

NAIDOC in the City on 10 July is a fantastic annual event to discover food, song, art, dance and stories in Hyde Park.

Watch whales by the sea

Admire the Big Blue and the power of her inhabitants by witnessing a humpback whale journey north to warmer waters. As a city on the sea, Sydney is a prime spot to watch these magnificent creatures traverse across the NSW coastline from May through till August.

Try your luck to get a glimpse of the gentle giants at Barrenjoey Lighthouse at Palm Beach, Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, or anywhere along the Coast Track walking trail in the Royal National Park.

Chuckle and chortle at The Laugh Inn

Every Wednesday at 9 pm, Newtown Hotel hosts the freshest and funniest upcoming talent on the comedy scene with its Amateur Open Mic night. While not exactly free, entry is only $7. But a belly full of laughs? Priceless.

Immerse yourself in art on campus

If you plan to visit or stay on Camperdown/Darlington campus over the break, it's worth checking out our galleries. 

At the Tin Shed Gallery, the Garden at the End of Time exhibit explores climate change and capitalism within contemporary gardens. The exhibit is open until 19 July. 

Only a stone's throw away from Tin Shed Galleries is USU's Verge Gallery. Verge is currently hosting the exhibit Into the Interconnectendness that Spans the Vastness of Space and the Infitisimal Scale of Microcosoms by Vicky Browne, which explores the interconnected complexities of technology, material and ecology. This exhibit is running until 5 July.

Updated: 6 June 2024