Get your fun on at the 2019 Sydney Festival and its 40+ free events

9 Jan 2019

3 min read

You can even walk on the moon...kinda.

We're a week or so into the new year but the fun is about to get a big shot in the arm because the 2019 Sydney Festival is kicking off!

The annual event kicks off today and the theme this year is quite the big one - celebrating human endeavour and the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

Three big interactive arts precincts holding over 40 free events will up an running in celebration of this theme: Fly Me To the Moon at World Square, Apollo 11 at Barangaroo, and Moon Drops at Darling Harbour.

Let's take a look at all the shenanigans you can get up to at this year's Sydney Festival, shall we?

Fly Me To the Moon at World Square

The gist of this precinct is pretty simple yet cool - Fly Me To The Moon challenges the Sydney public to collectively cycle the 384,400km distance needed to reach the moon.

To that end, there will be stationary bikes and a special stationary richshaw bike with wings (awesomely named the Lunar Velocipede) set up at World Square for anyone who wants to pedal some kms to the moon.

If this tickles your fancy, then register RIGHT HERE and you'll be blasted into the running for a bunch of prizes, including two business class flights with China Southern Airlines. Exercise with prizes at the end? Sounds damn good to us!

Should cycling not be your thing, there are also Rhythm Spin Mini classes held at World Square. For those who want to do zero exercise, there's the option to sing "Fly Me To The Moon" with The Welcome Choir on January 15.

Apollo 11 at Barangaroo

This installation celebrates all the unsung heroes of space exploration by having 11 three-metre orange astronauts representing important figures - such as Valeri Polyakov, Dr Jennifer Heldmann, and Michael Collins - hidden around Barangaroo. It'll be like a space version of Where's Wally except there are 11 to find!

For the kiddies, BOXWARS will be hosting four free workshops where children can create their own rocket ship and spacesuit out of cardboard. There's also a free walking photography workshop called Finding Space Objects through a Lens and will take place twice a day from January 11 to 27.

Moon Drops at Darling Harbour

This is the one we're most excited for!

Darling Harbour will host seven 3m-8m diameter rubber-encased giant drops of water and these things will allow people to experience weightlessness.

It'll be like walking on the moon! Sorta.

Other activities

If all those aforementioned activities enough to whet your appetite then you're in for a treat because there are a heap of other free activities, including:

An installation of six-metre high letters on the Barangaroo headland spelling the word ALWAYS that references the phrase "always was, always will be Aboriginal land"
The Vigil - an all-night bonfire that reflects on the impact of colonisation in Australia leading into 26 January with musical performances and stories from current and future community Elders
Bayala - local language courses developed with Eora and Darug community leaders and language experts
The Dollar Bin Darlings - The DJ duo are hosting festivities in the Spiegeltent, including Disco in the Mirror Ball
Circus Comes To Town - A bonkers weekend of circus, workshops, outdoor performances and a parade down the main street of Parramatta featuring Heliosphere, an aerialist hovering 20 metres above the crowd below a gigantic helium balloon
Sydney Symphony Under The Stars - a moon-themed concert on a summer’s evening in Parramatta Park by the renowned Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

One thing's for sure, Sydneysiders won't be bored over the next few weeks!

Image Credit: Supplied

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