The 7 Best Things To Do In Sydney This June

Madeleine is a Sydney-based freelancer who pretends she can speak…

After an extraordinarily warm autumn (hello global warming!) the weather might – just might – be finally cooling down. As we welcome winter, we’ve pulled together some of the toastiest things to do this June in Sydney. From fiery feasts, to street parties, creative sessions and a winter solstice festival, we’ve got you covered.

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Chilli Pizza Challenge at The Rose

The Rose Hotel have done the unthinkable – they’ve created a challenge so difficult, so incongruous, that it’ll excite any and all pizza fans. The challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to eat a large pizza made of a chilli tomato base, a haul of hot habaneros and topped off with perfectly melted cheese. For those playing at home, the fiery habanero is between 100,000 to 350,000 on the universal Scoville chilli scale. The humble jalapeño, by comparison, is between 2,500 to 10,000 Scovilles.

The rules: You must finish the pizza within 15 minutes of commencing. No drinks allowed during competition, or for five minutes after. You must keep the pizza down. If you win, you get your money back, and your mug on the Rose Hotel’s Wall of Fame forever. If you lose, however, the Rose keeps your money and there’s no glory for you.

The Rose donates any money raised from incomplete challenges to a charity each month too, so if you lose, someone else wins. The Chilli Pizza Challenge is at The Rose Hotel, Chippendale from 5pm every Monday. Oh yeah, and they’ll make you sign a waiver before entry! This is not for the faint-hearted.

Watching some whales on the coast

Sydney is the perfect place to enjoy a spot of whale watching in June. Get the blood flowing at the same time with a hike up to Barranjoey Lighthouse in the Ku-rin-gai Chase National Park on one of those famous blue-sky winter days.

Hike up the 91m high headland for a stunning view across the ocean in one direction, and across to Pittwater and the mouth of the Hawkesbury River to the other. If you’re lucky enough to spot whales, it’s something else. Lighthouse tours can be booked on Sundays, and provides an even more spectacular view.

Björk at Vivid

Vivid Sydney is a cacophony of performances, public ideas programs, workshops and ace lighting displays, so deciding on what you’re going to see is proving quite difficult. One thing that you simply cannot miss is Björk Digital. Björk Digital covers five spaces in this new virtual reality exhibition, with the enigmatic musician working alongside some of the most talented filmmakers and programmers in the world to create this masterpiece. There will be seven 360° videos for Vulnicura (Bjork’s ninth studio album) which will be merged with surround sound, making a virtual reality performance for the ages.

The exhibition will run from June 4 to 18, and entry is free but bookings are recommended. Book here.

A train journey to a fantastic winter festival

Train enthusiasts unite! The Heritage Express Blue Mountains Flyer will celebrate the history and style of Australian train travel for one day only. The carriages take you back to Edwardian style, and the train departing Central Station, Strathfield, Westmead and Penrith en route to celebrate the Blue Mountians.

Take in the sights and revel in nostalgia of steam travel, before you arrive at Katoomba at 11am for the excitement of the Winter Magic Festival. There will be feasts, arts, community involvement and entertainment all day long to celebrate the fast-approaching winter solstice. If you want to go all, opt for Lounge Class with open lounge seating, a private observation deck and waiter service including quality refreshments and platters throughout. The event will take place on Saturday June 18. For more info and to book your spot head here.

A foodie tour for the ages

The Holy Month of Ramadan commences at sundown on June 5, with millions of people across the world coming together together to celebrate a month of family, friendship and faith. Sydney’s Ramadan hub can be found in Lakemba and Greenacre, as thousands of people gather to break fast and enjoy a vibrant street festival.

Taste Cultural Food Tours will be hosting two events for you to get the most out of this significant event that will appeal to all foodies. Aiming to build strong social connections and cross-cultural understanding, you’ll uncover a side of Sydney that you’ll want to revisit. For Ramadan, Taste Cultural Food Tours are holding two types of tours: a Ramadan Evening Tour in Lakemba on June 19 and 26, and an Arabic Adventure in Greenacre on July 1. You’ll eat where the locals eat, meet the makers and enjoy a range of foods. Arrive hungry!

Soul Safari

Ken Done, Beci Orpin and Koskela’s Sasha Titchkosky walk into a room. This is not a joke. It’s actually a collection of some of the most exciting creatives hitting up town for a two-day extravaganza for Vivid Sydney. Soul Safari has curated a line-up of creative geniuses aiming to inspire and connect like-minded individuals.

Descending upon Rosebery on June 4-5, you’ll hear candid conversations on how some of these cultural icons do what they do, what makes them tick and how their work transforms and impacts communities near and far. The Saturday will see a full day of speakers, while the Sunday will see an all-day open house for hours of art, creativity and collaboration. Beci Orpin will be leading a massive mural, and you’ll be invited to meet the artists and designers with a Meetup & Mashup event.

Photo: Vivid Sydney

Purple Sneakers is back

The Noughties called and it wants its groove back. Purple Sneakers are making a comeback this month, celebrating ten years of existence (with a few disappearing acts in between) with ‘Ten Years Of Taste’. After making its mark at The Abercrombie Hotel circa 2005, Purple Sneakers then moved to The Lord Gladstone. It’s here that the event returns for a free night of good times and good tunes.

Thanks to UNDR Ctrol and FBi Radio there will be live sets and DJ spots from the likes of Indian Commander, Levins and Linda Marigliano. There will also be a full 90 minutes of retrospective music thanks to the Purple Sneakers DJs. June 18, The Lord Gladstone, Regent Street Chippendale – RSVP here to book your free spot.