As the long weekend looms, so too does the age-old question. Should you continue to develop that butt groove in your couch, log into your Uber Eats account and work your through some shitty Adam Sandler Netflix movies, or do you actually get up off your arse and go do something?
We naturally vote for the latter, so here’s some of the best places to go and things to do over the three days.
Sunday January 26
Parramatta’s Australia Day celebration
While plenty of suburbs are throwing their own unique Australia Day shindigs, Paramatta’s is perhaps one of the most extravagant and impressive, with a whopping 15 hours of entertainment. Much better than enduring The Irishman four times in a row, right?
The big-ticket item is Aerial, which will become the biggest hot air balloon display in Sydney, featuring tethered rides for lucky ballot-winners taking place from 6am to 9am. Plus, the cost of your ticket will go towards Paramatta Mission – an organisation that helps combat homelessness, crisis and those living with mental illness.
If you’re not an early riser you can still check out a showcase of more than 300 classic vehicles, head to amusement city and find a ride that suits your particular thrill level and stick around for the day’s headline performers Sheppard and Triple J Unearthed winner ‘Asta‘. Hell, even B1 and B2 will be in attendance, and you just know those two know where the party’s at.
Finally, you’ll will be able to tuck into a huge line-up of tasty goodies ranging from Filipino Fire Pops and Middle Eastern Halal Skewers to Brazilian, Aussie and American slow cooked BBQ meats, meaning that even your frustratingly picky friend of yours (you know who they are) can be satisified. There’s also salads and kombuchas if you just missed cheat day.
Then, because it’s not all about you, as a kind gesture to all the fireys dedicating their time to protect our land, Parramatta Council will be setting up a ‘Thank a Firey’ stall where you can donate money to the RFS or write messages to the firefighters themselves. All money raised will go towards updating equipment for fire stations across the state.
Saturday January 25
Watch a movie at Moonlight Cinema
There’s nothing worse than going to watch a movie and have some wanker blocking your entire vision, leading you to bob and weave just in order to keep track of the action. Moonlight Cinema does away with all that and gives you all the leg room you could ask for as cinemagoers enjoy new hits or old classics under the stars. Plus, you won’t have pesky cinema staff eyeing out all your secretly hidden goodies – you can bring a whole bloody picnic if you please. Tonight’s movie is Jumanji: The Next Level – the latest opportunity to see The Rock flex his guns for over 90 minutes. You can head to either the Centennial Park or newer Western Sydney location.
Consider Australia’s Indigenous heritage
If hustle and bustle isn’t really your thing, returning once again to Barangaroo Reserve is The Vigil – an opportunity to reflect on the eve of Australia Day. Taking place from dusk until dawn (around 8pm until 6am, to be exact), you’ll be able to hear live music, choral and poetry performances, and guest talks in an attempt to highlight the First Nations culture by campfire.
Monday January 27
Get your art fix
Just because the long weekend is drawing to a close, doesn’t mean you need to start cuddling up next to a cuppa and lamenting the four painful days before your next reprieve. So, if you feel like embracing your inner art critic, or are just in for a bit of a mind trip, head on over to Carriageworks for VIDEO WORKS.
Originally part of Sydney Festival for 2020, Sydney-based Kudjala/Gangalu artist Daniel Boyd’s work is a set of three otherworldly video installations: A Darker Shade of Dark #1-4 (2012), History is Made at Night (2013) and Yamani (2018). Each one is said to cover the walls of the gallery with “Boyd’s infinite cosmos of dynamic compositions and prismatic colour”.
Sing it out at a live concert
For those who don’t want to experience a real-life version of Interstellar, you groove your way to the end of the long weekend at two top-tier, yet distinctly different live gigs. First up is Solange Knowles, who after wowing fans during Vivid in 2018, is back for her only shows in the country at the Opera House.
Alternatively, there’s Bastille – a British quartet known for lifting the roof of its venues and their incredibly popular banger that makes more than a few references to an ill-fated roman city (read: Pompeii). Honestly, we still don’t know how to feel about that one.
They’ll be in Sydney for one night only at Hordon Pavilion prompting their latest album Doom Days. Yeah, they’re a real happy bunch.
