ATE MEDIA INFORMATION | EVENTS IN SYDNEY EVENTS IN SYDNEY Following the recent World Festival & Event City Award from The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) for New South Wales (NSW), the state has another spellbinding season of cultural, artistic and sporting spectacles planned for 2015 and beyond. The NSW events calendar, developed by Destination NSW, outlines an outstanding selection of world-class experiences guaranteed to keep Sydney front of mind for visitors. Near the top of the must- experience list is Vivid Sydney, owned and managed by Destination NSW, and now the southern hemisphere’s biggest annual celebration of light, music and ideas, staged over 18 nights each year in May and June. Vivid Sydney was awarded Australian Event of the Year and Best Tourism Event at the 2013 Australian Event Awards and is a major contributor to the NSW economy. In 2014, more than 1.4 million visitors attended, 20,000 of them travelling on Vivid packages, generating more than $20 million. NEW EVENTS COMING UP FOR SYDNEY IN 2015 AND 2016 Netball World Cup August 7-16, 2015: Held every four years since 1963, Netball World Cup is the pinnacle event for international netball. While the Australian Diamonds go into the event as reigning champions, they’ll face fierce competition from arch rivals, the Silver Ferns, as well as rising powers England, Jamaica, South Africa and Malawi. Matilda The Musical, 2015: The Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book, Matilda, will make its Australian premiere at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre from July 28, 2015. Having already wowed audiences in New York and London, the show features music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer, Tim Minchin. Sydney Sevens will take place at Allianz Stadium in Sydney for the next four years, with dates to be confirmed soon by World Rugby. Currently in its 16th season, the Sevens World Series consists of nine tournaments held around the world, in which national Sevens teams compete for World Series points at each round. Fast-paced and thrilling, the inaugural Sydney Sevens will be held just months before Rugby Sevens makes its debut at the TOP: VIVID SYDNEY 2015. MIDDLE: BLEDISLOE CUP AT ANZ 2016 Olympics in Rio. STADIUM 2014. BOTTOM: HANDA OPERA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR. BEST OF ANNUAL SYDNEY EVENTS Sydney Chinese New Year, February 2016: Sydney is home to one of the largest Chinese New Year festivals outside Asia, with a month- Bledisloe Cup Festival, August 5-8, 2015: A variety of football- long program of events including the exciting Twilight Parade. themed events builds up to the much anticipated clash between Australia’s Wallabies and New Zealand’s All Blacks for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, February – March 2016: Bledisloe Cup. This month-long celebration culminates in the famous Mardi Gras Parade, the biggest event of its kind in the world, bursting with Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, September 20, 2015: creativity and fun. The festival attracts around 36,000 participants and has been awarded a prestigious silver label from the International Association of Sydney Royal Easter Show, March - April 2016: Australia’s Athletics Federations (IAAF). Each event takes participants over the largest annual event sees the country come to the city for Sydney Harbour Bridge; two events finish at the Sydney Opera House. agricultural competitions, animal farms, family entertainment, carnival fun, show bags and much more. Sculpture by the Sea, 22 October – November 8, 2015: Returning to the spectacular coastal walkway from Bondi Beach to Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, March - April 2016: Tamarama Beach, this popular free outdoor art event transforms The success of the past three operas staged on Sydney Harbour the path into a 2km-long temporary sculpture park featuring more has led to support for three more stunning events to be staged by than 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the globe. Opera Australia in Sydney. Emirates Australian Open of Golf, November 2015: The world’s 20th Biennale of Sydney, March - June 2016: The Biennale is on best golfers battle it out at The Australian Golf Club for the most show at five venues across Sydney, including the Art Gallery of prized trophy in Australian golf. New South Wales, Artspace, Carriageworks, Cockatoo Island and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. A program of talks, New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2015: Sydney welcomes the new forums, guided tours and family days are all free to the public. year with a world-famous fireworks show over the harbour, The next Biennale will be held in 2018. Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. A must-do-at-least- once experience. Vivid Sydney, May - June 2016: A celebration of light, music and ideas includes a mesmerising free public exhibition of outdoor Sydney Festival, January 2016: This summer festival presents the lighting sculptures, a cutting-edge contemporary music program best of world talent in the performing arts and is staged in diverse and the spectacular illumination of the Sydney Opera House and venues from the CBD to Parramatta. harbour foreshore. One of the signature events in the Sydney & Australia Day, January 26, 2016: This all-day celebration begins NSW Events Calendar, Vivid Sydney is owned and managed by with the Great Ferry Race or “ferrython” on Sydney Harbour Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government. followed by a vintage car display along Macquarie Street, family Sydney Film Festival, June 2016: The 63rd Sydney Film Festival fun and fabulous fireworks showcases the best in cinema from across Australia and around Hurley Australian Open of Surfing, February 2016: All eyes the globe. More than 190 films screen from over 50 countries in are on Manly Beach for this action-packed sporting event that an inspiring collection of features, documentaries, short films, showcases the best in surfing, skating, music, fashion and art. retrospectives, restorations, animations and more. FOR MORE INFORMATION sydney.com, visitnsw.com SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: @sydney_sider, @NSWtips Facebook: facebook.com/seesydney, facebook.com/visitnsw Instagram: @sydney, @visitnsw PR CONTACT Allison Lee Director, Media & Public Relations BLACKMORES SYDNEY RUNNING FESTIVAL Destination NSW +61 (0) 2 9931 1318 / +61 (0) 437 490 187 [email protected] IMAGES To view and order images from the Destination NSW image library, go to: images.destinationnsw.com.au Create an account in order to view and order images required. Note: Some images require mandatory credits. BIENNALE OF SYDNEY.