What’s On

Welcome to our events, exhibitions and showcase listing page. If you have a special showcase, exhibition or event that you’d like us to promote on this page, please email us the full details of the program along with the relevant photos to editor@dailystraits.com. We accept listings from around the globe, just be sure to shoot us an email with the complete details and we will do the rest.

Sydney Night Markets Return

Perth, Sept 1: Eat Drink Nights will return to Sydney this spring and summer, bringing international street food, live music and free family entertainment to five locations across the city.
Presented by Cambridge Markets and supported by Tynan Motors and GAC Sutherland, the 2026 season will visit Kirrawee, Bankstown, Wentworth Point, Engadine and Cronulla, with entry free at all events.
The season begins at Biddy Giles Park in Kirrawee on Sept 4 and 5 from 5pm to 9pm, marking the first night food market held in the suburb.
“Kirrawee has never had a night market before, and Biddy Giles Park is exactly the right place to start one,” said Madelienne Anderson, Director of Cambridge Markets.
“More than 125 Sutherland Shire businesses traded with us last year. Having Tynan Motors and GAC Sutherland behind the Kirrawee event means Shire businesses are backing Shire businesses — and it is why we can keep entry free.”
Up to 40 vendors will serve food ranging from Malaysian satay and Japanese okonomiyaki to birria tacos, Greek souvlaki, paella, dumplings and desserts. Live music and free children’s entertainment will also feature.
Eat Drink Nights then returns to Paul Keating Reserve in Bankstown on Sept 12, followed by Wentworth Point on Sept 19.
The Wentworth Point opening will coincide with a Moon Festival celebration featuring cultural performances, festive lighting and food. A Diwali celebration will follow on Oct 17.
Engadine Town Square will host the markets on Oct 2 and 3, before Eat Drink Nights heads to Dunningham Park in Cronulla on Dec 4 and 5 for a Christmas-themed market near the beach.
All markets run from 5pm to 9pm, with free entry.

Oz Comic-Con Reveals Star-Studded September line-up

Perth, Sept 1: Oz Comic-Con has announced five new guests for its Brisbane and Sydney events this September, spanning film, TV and anime.
Leading the line-up is Australian actor Miranda Otto, known for playing Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and for roles in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Talk to Me. She’s joined by Brandon Rogers, voice of Blitzø in Helluva Boss, alongside anime voice actors Lizzie Freeman (Genshin Impact, The Amazing Digital Circus), Adam McArthur (Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen) and Griffin Burns (Muichiro Tokito in Demon Slayer).
All five guests will appear at both events for photo sessions, autographs and live panels.
Event Director Zac Fitzroy said the line-up reflects Oz Comic-Con’s aim of bringing together “iconic screen talent, world-class voice actors and creators” for fans of anime, fantasy, gaming and animation.
Oz Comic-Con Sydney: Sydney Showground, 12–13 September 2026
Oz Comic-Con Brisbane: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, 19–20 September 2026
Tickets available now at ozcomiccon.com.

Spartan Launches Multi-Lap Challenge in Wollongong

Sydney, Sept 1: Spartan Australia will launch its first backyard ultra-style event at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium on October 10.
The new Spartan Multi-Lap Challenge will give participants seven hours to complete as many laps as possible of a 5km Spartan Stadion course.
Inspired by the growing backyard ultra format, the event will take competitors through WIN Stadium’s stairs, bleachers and concourses, with the 22,000-seat venue overlooking Wollongong’s City Beach.
The Multi-Lap Challenge will form part of the 2026 Wollongong Spartan Stadion, which will also feature a 5km Stadion race with more than 20 obstacles, a Doubles Duo category and a Kids Race.
The traditional 5km event will take runners through the stadium and its bleachers, while the Doubles Duo allows two participants to tackle the course together, with only one member required to complete each obstacle.
The event will be held at WIN Stadium, Wollongong, on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

Halloween Takes Over The Rocks

Perth, Sept 14: George Street will shut to traffic and The Rocks will become a free, four-night Halloween festival this October, as Ghost in The Rocks returns from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026.
George Street and the Overseas Passenger Terminal will close from 7pm to midnight on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, turning the precinct fully pedestrian. Entry is free across all four nights, with live music and DJ sets running until the streets reopen at midnight. More than 250,000 people attended in 2025, with organisers expecting over 300,000 this year as Halloween falls on a Saturday.
Creative Director Vincent Hernandez said: “Sydney owns New Year’s Eve. Sydney owns Vivid. Halloween is still unclaimed, and this is the year we go after it. The Rocks has been telling these stories since it was built. It’s the perfect place. We close George Street, we dim the lights and we turn the music on. Four nights, free, and Sydney gets the Halloween it has never had.”
The festival draws its theme from local history, with 2026 centred on Anne Kirkman, said to have kept rooms at the Hero of Waterloo from 1849, and Thomas Warne, murdered in The Rocks in November 1844.
Ghost in The Rocks is produced by BBR Group, with Poliakov Vodka, Casa Spirits, Tourism Ireland and Audible as naming partners. Seven experiences will run across four realms, with the full programme announced through September.

PAX Aus Reveals Indie Winners

Melbourne, Sept 17: PAX Aus has revealed the 12 winners of its 2026 Indie Showcase, bringing a mix of Australian-made digital and tabletop games to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 9 to 11.
Supported by Superloop, this year’s showcase features six digital games and six tabletop titles, with visitors able to play the games and meet their developers throughout PAX Aus.
The digital showcase includes Cozy Game Restoration by Parasol Corp, a relaxing simulator centred on restoring old video game cartridges; Key Fairy by Owl Machine, a hand-drawn pacifist action-adventure; and Finch & Archie by Octarine Arts, an episodic co-op murder mystery starring detective Jack Finch and police dog Archie.
Also selected are Ironworks Games’ retro-inspired shooter The Last Exterminator, Polarity Games’ co-op roguelike shooter Mission Delta, and Silakka’s comedy game A Real Life Party.
The tabletop winners are Thrive by Avant-Card Games, Roman duck-themed deck-builder Aqueducks by Corkscrew Games, political card game Deathbed by Devil Juice, family adventure Drago’s Dreamland by Emily Dallwitz, mystery TTRPG Caught in the Rain by The Ravensridge Emporium, and cyberpunk card game Wireburn.
Superloop will provide upgraded technology and additional space for the Indie Showcase pods. Each winning team will also receive 12 months of internet service and an eero 7 modem.
Visitors can experience all 12 Indie Showcase winners at PAX Aus 2026, October 9–11, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Bondi Hosts Free Breakfast Dating Event

Perth, Sept 17: Sydney singles are being invited to swap dating apps for a free breakfast dating event in Bondi next week. Hosted by Merge Dating in partnership with Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut, the event will bring together 60 singles under 35 for a morning of guided “Sweet & Spicy” dating rotations, conversation starters and in-person connections, led by dating expert Nicole Colantoni.
The event marks the launch of Crunchy Nut Hot Honey, with guests among the first to sample the new sweet-and-spicy cereal through an exclusive breakfast menu, including halloumi and avocado toast with hot honey and Crunchy Nut Hot Honey dukkah, spicy cacao porridge topped with Crunchy Nut Hot Honey crumb, and a DIY cereal station with a range of milks and toppings.
The event runs from 7:00am to 8:45am on Thursday, September 24 at The Depot, Bondi, and is free to attend for singles under 35. Ticket registration and more information are available via Eventbrite.

Singapore Tennis Open Starts Today

Perth, Sept 21: The Singapore Tennis Open main draw begins today at OCBC Arena at The Kallang, with play starting at 11am local time. In its second year, the tournament has been upgraded from a WTA 250 to a WTA 500 event, according to organisers.
Mirra Andreeva is the top seed, followed by Amanda Anisimova, Alexandra Eala and defending champion Elise Mertens. The tournament features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, with US$1.2 million in prize money.
Fans can take part in player meet-and-greets, tennis clinics with The Kallang’s tennis ambassadors, interactive activities and free live screenings of selected matches in the fan zone.
Tickets, including hospitality packages at ACES Club, are on sale, with limited weekday tickets remaining. StarHub is broadcasting coverage in Singapore, and meWATCH is streaming selected matches.

Little Chef Returns to Darling Quarter

Perth, Sept 23: Sydney kids can cook alongside Morgan Hipworth, Amina Elshafei and Declan Cleary this school holidays, as Darling Quarter turns its North Village Green into an outdoor kitchen for Little Chef — a free hands-on cooking program for ages 6–12, running 3–11 October.|
Kids will prepare their own dishes with guidance from the chefs and Sydney nutritionist Gabriella Ratner, then take home an apron, recipe card, certificate and badge. Demand has been strong, with the first two ticket releases selling out within days — a third and final release opens Friday, 25 September at little-chef.com.au. Parents can relax at the dedicated Parents’ Terrace, with food and drink available from Darling Quarter retailers.

THE DETAILS
What: Little Chef — free kids’ cooking masterclasses
Where: Darling Quarter North Village Green, Darling Harbour
When: Sat 3 Oct – Sun 11 Oct 2026
Who: Ages 6–12
Guest chefs: Morgan Hipworth, Amina Elshafei, Declan Cleary, Gabriella Ratner
Price: Free
Bookings: little-chef.com.au (third release opens Fri 25 Sept)

Sony’s SceneScape Heads to Melbourne

Perth, Sept 24: Sony Australia’s photography, filmmaking and content creation expo, SceneScape, will be held in Melbourne for the first time, at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton on 3–4 October.
The two-day event, open to creators of all levels, offers hands-on access to Sony’s camera and lens range, speaker sessions, workshops, the Alpha Awards photo gallery and the Catchlight Film Festival.
Speakers include Wētā FX Melbourne head of studio Sharna Hackett, whose credits include Blade Runner 2049 and Talk to Me, and ACS award-winning cinematographer Liam Brennan. Photographers Andyescapes and Joselyn Hanna will also present a session on travel and street photography.
SceneScape is part of Sony’s Scene Festival, which runs until 31 October. Every attendee at a festival event is automatically entered into a draw to win one of five trips to Japan, valued at more than $5,000.
Tickets start at $45 for a single day, $65 for a two-day adult pass and $29 for students. Under 18s attend free but need a ticket.

Citrawarna Speed Festival Revs Up

Perth, Sept 24: The Citrawarna Speed Festival 2026 kicked off on 23 September, combining Malaysian cultural arts with motorsport across IOI City Mall Putrajaya, KLIA Terminal 1 and Sama-Sama Hotel KLIA until 4 October.
At IOI City Mall, visitors can try a racing simulator competition, visit tourism information booths, watch live cultural performances at 14 arts and crafts stations, and meet festival mascots Wira and Manja. Travellers at KLIA Terminal 1 and Sama-Sama Hotel will be greeted with cultural dances, automotive displays, traditional games such as gasing and congkak, and simulator sessions.
The highlight is the Colours of Parade at IOI City Mall on 3 October at 8.30pm, featuring 1,500 cultural dancers and performers. The festival closes on 4 October with a gathering of about 100 supercars.
The event is held in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign. The full schedule is available on Citrawarna Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram pages.