Things to Do in Sydney, June 2011

Heading to Australia in winter? Here are great things to do in Sydney in June. This is the month of the festivals.

The night comes alive with lights on the sails of the Opera House for the Sydney Vivid festival, there are movies galore at the Films Festival and there's a jazz celebration in Darling Harbour.

Vivid Sydney Festival

It is all about creativity and also sustainability. In an era where energy consumption rules, the organisers of this event try to minimise energy by coming up with smart installations that don't use energy at all or are solar powered.

The Vivid Sydney festival started on 27 May and goes on till 13 June 2011, with lights on the sails of the opera since 6 pm every night. The special effects used make it one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Sydney. And the beauty of it is that most of the stunning programs are free and family friendly. Click on the images to get more information.

Things to do in Sydney in June - The Film Festival

The Film Festival is running every year since 1954, and while it started very small with screenings at the University of Sydney, it has grown to be a powerful event. This year there are 161 movies from 42 countries. There are brand new and old pictures, short films, documentaries.

The films are screened between 8 - 19 June at:

cinemas:

Event cinemas on George Street,
Dendy Opera Quays,

theatres,
the Town Hall,
educational centres:

University of New South Wales,
Australian Film, Television and Radio School,
Metro Screen

museums:

in open spaces - Martin Place,
lanes - the Grasshopper,
stores - the Apple store.

The festival opens and closes at the State Theatre, featuring Joe Wright's movie "Hanna", starring one of the famous Australian actresses, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana, another Aussie actor, on the first day and Mike Mill's film "Beginners" starring Ewan McGregor on the last night.

There are more than two dozen Australian films spanning across all types and genres: feature, documentary, animation and short movies, comedies, thrillers, romance, dramas and art films.

Make sure to grab tickets and see the winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or prize in Cannes, Terrence Malick's film "The Tree of Life", starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.

Things to do in Sydney in June - Jazz and Blues Festival

The Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival celebrates 21 years, so head up to Darling Harbour to listen to international and Australian musicians during this long weekend. It starts out on Friday afternoon, June 10, with an all-girls big band - The Sirens. Last time we heard them play was at the Town Hall, during the 2011 Sydney Festival, where they brought the audience on the dance floor to the beats of 1940s swing and lindy hop.

Then there's a line up of Australian jazz heavy weights such as James Morisson, Vince Jones, Katie Noonan and US Kurt Rosenwinkel, Topsy Chapman and Geoff Bull. These are just some of the names, you have to be there to enjoy all.

And if you want to be heard by the public, there's even an open microphone session on Monday, 13 June, at the Convention Centre Forecourt Stage, from 12.30 to 1.30 pm where you can showcase your talent.