We're appearing to you this Friday afternoon to bring you a piping hot dispatch of the best activities taking place this weekend. Western Sydney is the place to be, with Sound West. Ease into the festivities at The Albion with DJ Discretion and end your weekend with an afternoon session at Pari. MCA is opening late tonight to host Our House, an evening celebrating Australian Ballroom culture, with workshops, a pole performance by Basjia Almaan and Queer storytelling. Meanwhile, Freedom Day Festival is taking place on Gurindji Country across three days to celebrate the birth of Land Rights and commemorate the Wave Hill Walk-Off. As for the rest? Find out what's on this weekend across Australia, below.
NSW
Ease into Sound West this weekend at The Albion with DJ Discretion behind the decks. And gear up for Xaddy's Out Westie with my Bestie party on Saturday night, that's if you got tickets. Otherwise on Sunday, Serwah and Kai have curated a lineup of DJs to kick off an afternoon session at Pari.
Pop over to MCA Late for Our House, an evening celebrating Australian Ballroom culture and its connections to family, community, identity and Queer stories.
Meremere, an award-winning performance documentary from renowned dancer and performer Rodney Bell Ngāti Maniapoto is being shown this weekend. It draws on his Māori culture and extraordinary life experience.
Presented from August 16 until September 30, Sydney Fringe Festival is bringing six weeks of theatre, comedy, music, dance to inner city hubs and Greater Sydney venues. Explore the program now.
Whitefella Yella Tree, a gripping and heartbreaking play that explores how the development of queer Aboriginal identities were impacted due to British colonisers importing their beliefs and laws surrounding homosexuality, is on this weekend at SBW Stables Theatre.
The National Basketball Association announced NBA Gallery, an immersive pop-up exhibition that will take place until September 1. The free exhibition, which will showcase the convergence of the NBA and popular culture as well as Australia’s many connections to the NBA, will take place at EDDY at Central Station.
Darling Square will transform into a world of colour in celebration of the annual Darling Square Moon Festival. Traditionally observed in Chinese culture, the festival will see the Darling Square precinct come to life with hundreds of bright lanterns lighting up the night, an exclusive mooncake pop-up stall from Thai Kee IGA’s Gong Grocer, DJ sets and an immersive projection experience.
Kip Williams is back, this time with an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at Roslyn Packer Theatre.
Settle in at Ensemble Theatre for one final round of playwright Vanessa Bates' play The One.
It's your last chance to see the 2022 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes at the Art Gallery of NSW this weekend.
Victoria
Bangarra Dance Theatre’s SandSong: Stories from the Great Sandy Desert will be performing at the Arts Centre Melbourne.
Hannah Gadsby presents Body of Work at Arts Centre Melbourne this weekend.
Anna K, a play about how women in public roles are attacked by hostile voices intent on silencing them, is on at Malthouse Theatre tonight.
If you digged Looking for Alibrandi, you'll want to get tickets to Laurinda. It's an adaptation of Alice Pung's novel of the same name featuring Fiona Choi, Gemma Chua-Tran from Netflix's Heartbreak High reboot, and is set in the schoolyard as a study of culture and class.
Come From Away has finally reached its Melbourne leg. Snatch up a seat as it opens this weekend.
Queensland
Confidence Man are playing a gig at Fortitude Music Hall tonight and 1300 are supporting them.
W Brisbane’s WET Deck has been transformed into a winter playground. Get amongst it.
Brisbane Music Festival is bringing the joy of sound to the city this weekend.
The Soul Trembles highlights twenty-five years of Chiharu Shiota’s artistic practice. Open at QAGOMA this weekend.
Brisbane's best local comedians come together for After Hours at Brisbane Powerhouse.
ACT
Thelma Plum is performing her new album Meanjin at UC Refectory this Saturday night.
Girl From the North Country is now playing at Canberra Theatre Centre.
Step into the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia to see Australians & Hollywood.
Spend your afternoon hanging out at Capital Brewing Co.
Hippo Co. are leading one of its famous whisky tastings on Saturday evening at 6pm.
South Australia
A tale of star-crossed lovers is coming to the stage of Her Majesty's Theatre with La Traviata.
Explore the Fleurieu Peninsula, starting with these 5 beaches.
Western Australia
Freo.Social is your reliable source for a good time. Head down there on Sunday for its Front Yard Sessions.
Hayden James is bringing his Lifted Tour to Red Hill Auditorium this Saturday eve.
Catch some live music this Sunday at Fremantle Arts Centre.
Northern Territory
The Gurindji people are hosting three days of celebration with Freedom Day Festival to commemorate the legendary Wave Hill Walk-off and the birth of Land Rights.
Explore a side of the Territory you haven't seen before with this guide.
Make your way over to Nightcliff Markets for Laksa, pastries, massages, and jewellery.
Tasmania
Unyoked has added two new off-the-grid accommodation sites to its portfolio, this time in Hobart. Book your next weekend getaway now.
As always, Music at Mona is on this weekend. This time around Hetty Kate and Spike Mason Trio are just some of the acts set to perform.
Salamanca Market is open and calling your name this Saturday.
Road trip your way to any of these magical stays in Tasmania.
If art is on the menu this weekend then take this guide to Australian art in August.
Images: Instagram - Jase McCormack
