top ten annual events in sydney

Sydney is an amazing city -- it's got the harbour, the bridge, gorgeous beaches, oh, and that Opera House they take all those pictures of.  But it's not just a pretty face.  Sydney's got character, too, and it hosts a ton of cool annual events.  Here's my pick for its top ten.  (And can I just mention that these are only my top ten?  As in, I had to leave lots of others out because they didn't make the cut.  Not bad, hey?)

1.  New Years' Eve.  This has to be number one for me.  I absolutely love New Years in Sydney.  Fireworks get me every time and the ones here are quite literally the best in the world.  I know you wouldn't think Cincinnati, Ohio would give it much competition, but Cincinnati's Labor Day fireworks are nothing to sneeze at and honestly the closest competition I've seen for Sydney.  The scale and vibe and Harbour Bridge, not to mention the fireworks themselves, just push Sydney right over the top, though.  I can't wait to see them again!

2.  Carols under the Bridge.  Perhaps it's a bit risky throwing in an event I've never actually been to and that isn't actually a Sydney city event, but I'm going to risk it and slot it in at number two.  It's my church's carols service and draws huge crowds (okay, not as big as NYE, but bigger than, say, the number of people reading my blog on any given day) for the free sing-a-long under the bridge.  It's got to be weird singing "Joy to the World" in the middle of summer (still getting used to this Christmas-in-winter thing), but I guess ye faithful o come despite the weather.

Sidenote:  maybe I've mentioned this before, but the fact remains:  Sydney (by which I mean any city located in the southern hemisphere), while odd to celebrate Christmas in (it really does seem most suited to a winter climate -- though I will admit to loving wearing summer dresses for Christmas parties! -- but how are you supposed to gorge yourself and then don swimwear?!), is really amazingly suited to New Years.  And Cincinnati, say (by which I mean any city located in the northern hemisphere), is really amazingly suited to Christmas (what with the snow and all), but could have such a better New Years if it were warm.  So it's rather impossible to get the best of both worlds (unless you do what I've been known to do and fly between them between the holidays), but each has something quite grand to offer.

3.  Sculpture by the Sea.  Always around Halloween and shortly thereafter.  It's fantastic -- intriguing sculptures situated along one of the most scenic walks in the city.  It spans from Bondi to Bronte (or Tamarama?) beaches and is an annual highlight.  What's even better is that, while the art is generally great, even if there's an off year, it's still okay because the scenery is still so beautiful.  It's a great way to make sure to do the lovely walk at least once a year, too.

4.  The Aroma Festival.  Held in the Rocks when it's on the chilly side, the Aroma Festival features tons of chocolate, tea, coffee and goodies (i.e., cupcakes).  It's also been known to include camel rides, which are a particular draw for me, as if the chocolate weren't enough.  It's gotten really huge and has not only free samples, but also clever names for various stalls.  What more do you want in an Aroma Festival?

5.  Cinema over the harbour.  This one's coming up, too -- I think maybe in January?  It's great, too:  you get to watch a movie outside (novelty right there!) but with the Opera House and harbour for a backdrop.  It reminds me of the question I had when touring the Greek theatre in Taormina, Sicily -- how did they tear themselves from the view long enough to actually watch the performance?  Here it's a bit easier because night falls and it's a bit hard to see.  Perhaps that's how they handled it, too.  You tend to get a few goodies, too -- Lindt chocolate among them.  And last year featured a free ride by a tuxed up young chauffeur in a new hybrid car.  If only there'd been roses.

6.  The Sydney Writers' Festival.  So this might be a bit esoteric, but it's my list and I happen to be a bit biased.  Writers' Festivals are cool.  Period.

7.  Shakespeare by the Sea.  Again, not technically a "Sydney" event, but it's close enough.  It's at Balmoral, which is just one of my favorite spots to begin with.  Though I tend to find the productions a bit blah, free outdoor Shakespeare at Balmoral is pretty hard to turn down.  Besides, you just end up feeling so darn cultured.

8.  The Sydney Summer Festival.  From the "this is our city in summer!" banners forward, it's hard to be anything but jubilant in Sydney's summer.  I have yet to come to the Festival First Night (on my list!), but I imagine it's pretty worth it.  The free events are my favorites (the pay-for theatre events I find to be a little too hit or miss to be entirely worth it) -- particularly in the Domain.  It's just such a fun, big crowd atmosphere.  And easy enough to blend in on your own if necessary ...

9.  Tropfest.  Speaking of the Domain, Tropfest is another of my yearly excitements.  I've only been once so far, but am keen (he he!  see how Australian I sound!) to go again.  It's a night of short films put forward for various awards, and generally lots of fun.  There's such diversity of films it's great because even if you don't like one, well, it's already almost over.

10.  The Noodle Markets.  Another annual event.  A bit more overpriced, but a fun night (or nights) out.  You can't deny Sydney's got its fair share of noodles, and Hyde Park's not a bad place to sample them in.

There you have it.  Sydney through the year.  And like I said -- these are just the beginning!