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The Winter Festival is back in Sydney, and for the first time it will be held at Darling Harbour offering a central location for all the community. 

Since 2009 it has grown to become Australia’s biggest winter event.
For a month Darling Harbour will be transformed into a spectacular winter park, offering a variety of activities such as open air ice skating, a snow pit, snow slide, floating icebergs, igloos, a glittering frozen forest, frosty fireworks, etc.

To treat yourself you will be able to enjoy the traditional winter refreshments as well as a gourmet winter cuisine.

The festival will take place from the 13th of June to the 13th of July, and it will have activities for everybody, children and adults.
For further information please visit the official website:

 

http://thewinterfestival.com.au/ 

From the 23rd of May to the 9th of June once again Vivid Sydney is back!

3D light projections will light up our beautiful city every night from 6pm to 12 midnight in wonderful colours, as well as holding a festival of local and international music, and public talks & debates from leading creative thinkers from around the world.
For further information, please visit the official site.

 

These photos below are taken during Vivid Sydney in the past. Look for more photo updates in the album in our Facebook! (www.facebook/PatricksFriendlyTours)  

 

             

   

YOU IMAGINE WHAT YOU DESIRE.

Countless artists and their work will gather in Sydney for the 19^th Biennnale, which is one of the largest contemporary and visual art festivals recording around 500,000 visitors in 2012.

The works include several performative projects which will be presented in & around Sydney CBD. The venues include the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), etc, as well as two heritage-listed sights: Cockatoo Island, a former prison and shipyard, and a former rail yard Carriageworks famous for large scale installations.  

The Biennale goes for three months, not only the exhibitions but with an accompanying program of artist talks, forums, guided tours and family days.

Dates: Friday 21-March to Monday 6-June 2014

Fee: FREE

Inquiries: Phone (02) 8484-8700

Website: www.biennnaleofsydney.com.au

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 "Lord Mayor's Inclusion Program" - Access programs for the 19^th Biennnale

There will be special presentations for visitors with wheelchairs, blind or visual impaired, hearing impaired in some locations during the Biennale. The venue provides audio-description tours, Auslan-interpreted tours, or a tour in easy-to understand English. 

Dates & Times depends on the venue and booking required. Please refer to the event’s website, go to “TOURS” and look for tours with "Lord Mayor's Inclusion Program".

Hylozic Series: Sibyl Project 2012 by Philip Beesley. Courtery of the artist.

The country’s biggest celebration of the year. Australia day which is celebrated on the 26th of January, is the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip’s arrival with the First Fleet of 11 convicts ships from Great Britain at Sydney Cove, who with the raising of the British flag marked what was to become a great nation. This day celebrates all what has been achieved and made us proud as a nation, and helps us to think on how we can make it an even better place for the new generations to come.
There will be events taking place all throughout the country, with many attending organised community events, and others getting together with familiy and friends but all with the same purpose, to celebrate all whats good about Australia & being an Australian, a united nation that strives to better itself.
In New South Wales alone, there will be over 5000 events taking place.

For further information please visit the official site for Australia Day.

“BOOK NOW, SEATS AVAILABLE FOR JANUARY 2014”

Date: 25 of January 2014.
Tour: DT1, Blue Mountains & Wildlife Park with or without lunch.
For more information regarding the tour please click on the following link:
http://patricksfriendlytours.com.au/dt1-blue-mountains-wildlife-park-tour.html  

Our operating dates/hours during the holiday season;

Wed 25 December – Closed

Tue 31 December – No City Sights. Other tours & services - operate as usual. (Because of road closures for Sydney Harbour & Darling Harbour NYE Fireworks, we might not be able to provide pickups & drop offs from/to your hotel. We will advise your most convenient location.)

 

Thank you all for your support throughout the year. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe & prosperous New Year!!

Roses are now in full bloom at the Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens. 
Miniatures, climbers, Old english, Hybrids, etc. You can find various kinds of roses in the Rose Garden where you can enjoy their beautiful colours & wonderful scents, so just follow your nose or simply pick a map from the sign posts or the information center. 

Beside the roses collection, there are large numbers of specimens of Australian natives and foreign plants collected from all around the world on display. Do not miss the colonial farm gardens! Entry is free except for the tropical glasshouse.    

Do not forget your sun protection! Wear a hut, sunglasses, sunscreen and take a bottle of water when you visit, then relax and take your time to smell the roses.

   

On the 20th of October 1973 HRH Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the iconic Sydney Opera House, since then it has welcomed over 65 million visitors. This month, it celebrates its 40th anniversary with a cake and song event & a special program that promises to be quite a party from mid to late October. It will have an impressive line-up of artists & guests, such as HRH Crown Prince Frederik and HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark who will be attending as Patrons of the Opera House.
For further information regarding the program of events, please visit the official website:

http://40.sydneyoperahouse.com/

 

 　

 

Spring has arrived to Sydney and with the biggest Australian food festival being renewed and returned as “The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month”.

More than 100 flavours from around the world will get together in numerous locations in Sydney City & suburbs, including Hyde Park. Lots of food stalls will line up to cater traditional & signature  food from around the world, while many restaurants provide special menus, cocktails, or dining packages to show case what Australia is made of, and embrace what we have.

The gastronomic culture of Australia has been influenced by immigrants with colourful backgrounds and produced a new peculiar trend. This would be a great opportunity for you to experience rare cuisine from around the world, to the latest of the modern Australian.

You will find South American food in Fairfield, Chinese & Asian in “Little Shanghai” Ashfield, Italian in Haberfield, Korean  in Strathfield, and visit Parramatta for BBQ feast. There will be more food & culture festivals held in other Sydney suburbs at the same time during October (Check “Community & Outdoor Festivals” in the event’s  website).

There will be plenty of demonstrations and cooking classes by celebrity chefs from different fields, art exhibitions with food themes, taste tours, cooking experience for children, etc.

Dates: Tuesday-1 to Wednesday-31-Oct (Various & limited dates for certain events.)
Locations: Hyde Park (Night Noodle Market), Sydney CBD, plus various suburbs throughout the community (visit the official site).

Night Noodle Market: October 9-12, 14-19, and 21-26, Mon & Tuesdays 17:00 – 21:00, Wednesdays 17:00 – 22:00, Thu & Fridays 17:00 – 23:00, Saturdays 16:00 – 22:00 @ Hyde Park. )

Fee: It may vary depending on each event. Some of them are FREE.

 For the full program and further information please visit the official website.

Official Website: http://www.sydney.goodfoodmonth.com/

Photo: Courtesy of Dominic Loneragan.

On its 43rd year the world's largest run, the popular Sydney’s City2Surf again is proving to be a success. This is a charity event that begun in 1971, becoming Sydney’s favourite sporting event, as well as attracting participants from all over the world including elite athletes.

The run is a 14km race that starts from Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD finishing at our popular Bondi Beach. It is divided into three groups, A, B & C, in group A are those that run the 14km in 100 minutes or less, in group B are those trying to improve themselves in order to into group A or run just for the fun of it. Group C is a fun group, where absolutely everyone can join it as they can walk or run, with many wearing fancy dress costumes.

In 2012 86,137 participants registered for this event, raising over $4.0 million for more than 600 charities.

The oldest person to compete in this event was a male participant aged 99 in 2003. He completed the course in 188 minutes, an example to us all.

The City2Surf race is Australia’s greatest community fitness event, and for a great cause.

This year’s event will take place on Sunday, August 11, 2013, and the goal is to raise $5 million in order to help over 700 charities.

Gold charity entries are still available. Please refer to the official site.