0°C | Thursday November 13, 2025 
21 December 2023
By Hannah Wilcox
As the new year quickly approaches, the Sun has compiled a collection of ‘what’s on’ around North Sydney in January including local events, markets, shows and workshops to make the most of the holidays.
The much-loved Sunset Cinema has made a comeback this year, with screenings of all the classics such as Home Alone, Love Actually and 10 Things I Hate About You running as well as hot new flicks including Wonka, Saltburn, Priscilla and the recently rebooted Mean Girls. Kicking off in early December, the cinema will continue well into the new year at North Sydney Oval. Tickets are available on the website for $25 per person. So jump in a beanbag, get your snacks at the fully licensed snack bar and settle in for an evening of entertainment.
Exciting news for Luna Park lovers with the Big Top relaunching on December 20. Reimagined as an extravaganza of ‘dreams and escape’, Dream Circus is an immersive multimedia experience decked out with 360-degree projections, blockbuster surround sound, holograms and a sprinkle of magic. Suitable for young people, and the young at heart, sessions will run for an hour with tickets starting at $45 for adults (14+) and $35 for children.
As a part of the Sydney Festival, Coney Island will be immersed in a haunting choral experience featuring artists from the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, vocal soloists Peter Coleman Wright AO and Cheryl Barker AO, a children’s ensemble, and chamber orchestra performing music by Poulenc, Stravinsky and Mahler. ‘Night Songs’ seeks to ‘observe innocent children on the ride of their life .. an evocative experience like no other, reflecting on innocence lost during times of conflict and greed’, the website reads. Tickets start at $110 with the performance running over three evenings starting on January 22.
Meanwhile, the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability in Waverton will be running a series of eco events and workshops.
On January 13, the ‘Fix-it Hub’ repair workshop will be run by volunteers in collaboration with the Sydney Library of Things from 10am to 1pm, looking to renew and repair any and all items. It is free to attend but organisers have requested visitors to book in for a 20 minute session on the North Sydney Council website.
For the little ones, the Stanton Library will be running the Summer of Stories! workshops throughout January. It kicks off on the 10th with the ‘How to be an author’ workshop run by children’s author Heidi Walkinshaw for five to 12 year olds from 11am to 12pm, followed by special storytime sessions from 11am to 12pm on the 12th, 17th and 24th for the littles ones aged two to eight years. The Strange adventures writing workshop for tweens aged 11 to 13 led by award-winning children’s author Ursula Dubosarsky will run on January 15, 11am to 12.15pm. Award-winning filmmaker Margaret Macdonald will be running the micro-filmmaking workshops on how to write and film three minute cinematic stories on January 18 – 12 to 14 years session will run between 11am to 12pm and 15 to 18 years between 12.30pm to 1.30pm. On January 22 Sami Bayly will teach five to 12 year olds how to draw some of the world’s most unusual animals between 10am to 12pm whilst Dreamtime stories with First Nations presenter Majeda Beatty for kids aged five to 12 years old will be held on January 23, 11am to 12pm. All of the Summer of Stories! sessions are free, bookings required through the Council website.
The Coal Loader will also be hosting the Eco Holidays Green Streets program on January 15, 10.30am to 11.30am, where kids aged six to 10 (and their parents) can engage with interactive games, hunt for green treasure and build a green street using preloved lego and living plants. It is free and will run in the Genia McCaffery Centre, bookings essential.
Held on the third Saturday of every month, over 50 stalls will deck Crows Nest’s Ernest Place for the Rotary Market on January 20, running from 9am to 4pm.
For those who enjoy a night of live entertainment, Kirribilli’s own Ensemble Theatre will be hosting the world premiere of Mark Kilmurry and Jamie Oxenbould’s MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL. The comedy ‘looks behind the scenes at the world of amateur theatre, where luck, determination and unbridled confidence rule the day’, the Ensemble website reads. Running for just over two hours, the cast is made up of Sam O’Sullivan, Jamie Oxenbould, Ariadne Sgouros and Eloise Snape and will be showing up until January 14.
Meanwhile, the Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne will be hosting a special preview event of Priscilla, telling her story of love, fantasy and fame through the rockstar’s wife’s eyes. Running on January 11, doors will open at 7pm with all tickets including a glass of sparkling on arrival. Local musician Kristina Reitsma will perform acoustic Elvis covers for pre show entertainment. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for concession and are available online.
Looking for a laugh? The Hayden Orpheum Comedy Club, presented by Comedy Store, kicks off on January 17 at 8.30pm. The expertly curated lineup including MC Ray Badran, headliner Justin Hamilton, Bec De Unamuno, 2015 RAW Comedy Winner Angus Gordon, Craig Quartermaine, 2020 and 2022 Raw Comedy State Finalist Laura Coleman, My Cousin Vlad alongside Gruen and Question Everything writer James Colley will have you in stitches.
North Sydney’s iconic watering hole the Greenwood Hotel is set to transform for a night of spectacular showtunes for Club Broadway on January 6. Decked out with a massive outdoor stage, LED screens and surround sound the evening promises visitors a ‘euphoric journey through the heart of Broadway and beyond’ from 5pm.