Sep

Unlock The Rocks

Art and Culture Month

Stumble into a month-long spell of art and spontaneity. This September, The Rocks becomes a living gallery, with art on every corner and every street a stage.

When

Tuesday,

01 Sep 2026

Wednesday,

30 Sep 2026

Art, music, comedy and live performance take over Sydney's oldest neighbourhood this September. Come Unlock The Rocks with us as Art & Culture Month turns the historic precinct into an open-air cultural celebration.

Drop in after work, make a weekend of it or plan ahead. Much of the program is free.

Use the quick links below to explore the program, find your way around and see what’s happening throughout the month.

What's on

Not everything here needs a plan, but these are the ones worth turning up for.

After dark

When the sandstone turns theatrical

THURSDAYS | 6–8.30PM

Jazz Sessions

Live jazz is back in The Rocks Square, every Thursday through September, and it won't cost you a thing. Food and a drink are never far, so pull up a spot and let the night unfold.

See program

THURSDAYS | 5–9pm

MCA Late

The museum stays open long after the day crowd's gone. MCA Late runs every Thursday with 2-for-1 entry, drinks and harbour views, and on two of them drop-in drawing hands you the materials and a spot in the galleries.

FRIDAYS | 5.30–8pm

Unfiltered

Some nights you watch. These ones you're part of, live and unrehearsed, where a heckle can change the whole show. Raw, live and only happening once at The Rocks Square.

Comedy: 11 & 25 Sep
Poetry: 18 Sep

FRIDAYS | 6–8PM

Unscripted with fbi.radio

No scripts. No rehearsed answers. Just live music and the kind of close, honest conversation you rarely get.

Hosted by fbi.radio and All The Best, The Rocks Discovery Museum becomes a room for curious minds and the ideas shaping Sydney now.

See lineup

While it's light

Slow mornings and laneways worth the detour

SUNDAYS | 10AM–5PM

Record Rummage

Dig through crates and discover vinyl treasures at this pop-up at The Rocks Square, meet knowledgeable stallholders, connect with fellow music enthusiasts, and take home a record that sparks nostalgia or new memories.

Go crate-digging

SUNDAYS | 10.30AM–12PM

Workshops under the Bridge

Same spot, same hour, three Sundays running. Set up at Dawes Point Park with the Opera House across the water and make something with your hands, no experience asked for.

Painting: 6 Sep
Weaving: 13 Sep
Sketching: 20 Sep

FRI 10AM - 8.30PM SAT & SUN 10AM–7PM

The Rocks Markets

This month the person who made it is usually standing right behind it. Wander the stalls, ask how the thing got made, and walk out with something nobody else will have. Friday nights run late through September, so there's no rush to any of it.

Plan your wander

Unbound: Street Performance Festival

For one weekend the performers spill out and take over the streets in The Rocks. Turn a corner, find a show. Then another.

SAT 26 – SUN 27 SEP | 11AM – 7PM

The finale weekend goes out loud. Kath and Kim inspired duo host a wine session at the Cellar Door, giant bin-chicken puppets cause trouble down the laneways, and Legs on the Wall turn the harbour steps into a stage. Buskers, fire-eaters and a DIY disco where you pick the playlist fill in the gaps.

Two days, no set route, and the whole precinct in on it. Free to wander, so just turn up and follow the noise.

See what's on

Thu 24 Sep | 7pm

Free Murder Mystery Club

Follow the clues, solve the puzzle and put detective skills to the test at The Australian Heritage Hotel's interactive Murder Mystery Club. Free to book, better secure your spot now before all filled.

Book your spot

Sun 27 Sep | 2pm

Free Balter Beer Tasting

Beer lovers are invited to The Aussie for a complimentary tasting with the team from Balter Brewing.

Book now

26–27 SEP | 10AM–7PM

NSW Wine Cellar Door

Discover the best of NSW’s wines at the Cellar Door experience this September at Dawes Point Park, located under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Find out more

Fringe on The Rocks

2 SEP – 11 OCT

Six weeks of cabaret, punk theatre, roving circus and a typewriter you're invited to add a line to.

Part of Sydney Fringe, spread across Atherden Street and The Rocks Square. Grab your tickets now.

In These Shoes: fashion cabaret, 2–6 Sep
Boomalli: On the Fringes: NSW Aboriginal art, 2–27 Sep
Copa on The Rocks: tropical cabaret lounge, 2 Sep–11 Oct
Cold War 2.0: punk anti-theatre, 9–20 Sep
Claire Robin: Nun Slut: comedy cabaret, 23 Sep–4 Oct
Dear Stranger: letter-writing, all ages, Saturdays 5–26 Sep
Roaming Fringe: free roving circus, Saturdays 5–26 Sep
Wildcard: a free one-off each Saturday, 5–26 Sep

See full program

Planned or not

A Thursday night on a whim, a weekend you've had in the diary. However you land here, there's always more to unlock in The Rocks.

Thursdays

The night the week loosens up

May

Sep

Jazz Sessions in The Rocks

Sandstone walls, a double bass, a Thursday you didn't plan to remember. Jazz Sessions is back for a third year, curated by SIMA and built for Australia's best contemporary players.

View Event

Jul

Oct

MCA Late: 2-for-1 Museum Admission Tickets

Experience art after hours with 2-for-1 Museum Admission tickets every Thursday night at MCA Late.

View Event

Sep

24 SEP | 7PM

Thursday Murder Mystery Club

Follow the clues, solve the puzzle and put detective skills to the test at The Aussie’s interactive Mystery Club.

View Offer

Sep

Oct

Fringe on The Rocks

Get immersed and be amazed at Fringe on The Rocks. Discover an artsy hangout of music, performance, and laughter.

View Details

Fridays

Clock off, walk over

Sep

Every Friday, 6-8pm

fbi.radio presents Unscripted

Every Friday, listen to live, unscripted conversations with emerging musicians and creatives at The Rocks Discovery Museum.

View Event

Sep

Unfiltered: Comedy

We're bringing the funny to The Rocks. Grab your mates and settle in for an evening of stand-up comedy that'll have you talking all weekend.

View Event

Sep

Unfiltered: Poetry

The stage is calling Sydney's strongest voices. Come listen, cheer, judge and be part of an electric night of spoken word at The Rocks.

View Event

Sep

Oct

Fringe on The Rocks

Get immersed and be amazed at Fringe on The Rocks. Discover an artsy hangout of music, performance, and laughter.

View Details

The Rocks Markets

Art, beats, eats and remedies every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at The Rocks Markets. Take a walk, warm up and meet some true one-offs.

View Details

Weekends

Nowhere to be, all day to be here

Sep

Record Rummage

Dig through crates of vinyl at Record Rummage, a pop-up for music lovers.

View Event

Sep

The Big Busk 2026

Catch the next generation of musicians in action at the Sydney Youth Orchestra Big Busk! Enjoy free live performances as talented young musicians transform First Fleet Park into an outdoor concert hall, while raising funds to support music education across NSW.

View Event

Sep

Sketching Under the Bridge

Step outside the studio and into the fresh air with this special Sketch Club with Julian Ashton Art School.

View Event

Sep

Unbound: Street Performance Festival

Join us for a weekend of free entertainment, roaming performers, vibrant installations and unexpected moments throughout The Rocks.

View Event

Sep

10am–7pm

NSW Wine Cellar Door

Sip your way through NSW without leaving Sydney. Discover standout wines from producers across the state as the NSW Wine Cellar Door comes to The Rocks Markets for one delicious weekend.

View Details

Sep

Free Balter Beer Tasting

Beer lovers are invited to The Aussie for a complimentary tasting with the team from Balter Brewing.

View Offer

Sep

Oct

Fringe on The Rocks

Get immersed and be amazed at Fringe on The Rocks. Discover an artsy hangout of music, performance, and laughter.

View Details

The Rocks Markets

Art, beats, eats and remedies every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at The Rocks Markets. Take a walk, warm up and meet some true one-offs.

View Details

Art, unhurried

Slow down and notice what's been here all along

Captivating Art: The Rocks Markets

The Rocks Markets showcases a vibrant tapestry of artistic talent, offering an opportunity to engage with talented artists, discovering unique creations firsthand.

Read Article

Discover Public Art at The Rocks

The Rocks is more than cobblestone streets and historic laneways — it’s an open-air gallery where art and storytelling coexist. This art and culture month, embark on a self guided art tour and experience Sydney's creative spirit in unexpected ways.

Read Article

Aug

Mar

Connections: MCA x Tate

Discover contemporary artworks from the collections of MCA Australia and Tate, bringing together stories of culture, connection and identity.

View Event