From high-flying circus to soaring symphonies, there are shows aplenty to explore in Western Sydney this summer. The Festival returns to Parramatta, Bankstown, Blacktown and Casula with a fresh lineup of homegrown and international talent ripe for discovery.
There’s boundary-pushing theatre, immersive dance, sumptuous food and music, and art worth staying up late for. Here’s how the West is doing it best:
Parramatta: transporting you from the saloon to under the stars
At Riverside Theatres, wow the whole family with the delightfully eccentric circus experience Animal – with daring acrobatics, juggling (everything from eggs to giant cowbells) and rippin’ live music. Kids and their grownups will love the hilarious musical BullyBully – a squabble odyssey about two childish world leaders.
Musician Rainbow Chan 陳雋然 draws you into her lush world of The Bridal Lament 哭嫁歌 with projections, songs and movement. The dance-inclined can giddy up for Cowboy, an immersive contemporary work spanning railway robberies and saloon brawls, or go All In at the beautifully refurbished Parramatta Town Hall with some of Western Sydney’s finest creatives across flamenco, hip-hop, Bharatanatyam and Dharug dance.
At Parramatta Park, you can roll out the picnic rug for the return of free concert Sydney Symphony Under the Stars – with Egyptian-Australian oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros AM, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra legends and an epic fireworks finale.
Peckish? (Of course you are.) Head to delicious Festival Feast partner LILYMU before or after a show for dishes inspired by China and Southeast Asia.
Bankstown: celebrating unique perspectives
Bankstown goes big in 2025 with a rich array of performances and visual art. Pop in your headphones for audio walking tour Stories From Here, which invites you to see Bankstown through the eyes of young people. At Utp, Western Sydney-raised Ahilan Ratnamohan takes you through a moving performance entirely in Tamil, with his mother by his side, in The Tamilization of Ahilan Ratnamohan.
Art lovers will be in their element at Bankstown Arts Centre with Same Same/Different, which explores cultural connections, and can get their after-hours culture fix at Art Up Late, with poetic performances, experimental clay workshops and Lunar New Year celebrations.
Casula: serving up a visual (and culinary) feast
The most delicious experience in Western Sydney is surely A Taste of Spain, which celebrates the vibrant culture of the Iberian Peninsula. At Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre you can sip on sangria, dine on Spanish dishes and enjoy a flamenco performance from Compañía Pepa Molina with live music from the Western Sydney Youth Orchestra.
Blacktown: bringing you a festival of family fun
Keep the kiddos entertained and inspired at Hive Festival, taking over The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre. Children can explore a buzzing world of creativity and play, with art making, storytelling and playful performances. Just in time for school holidays, right?
If you’re up for more adventures, explore the full Festival program across Sydney here.
