Your guide to the best of the Inner West from 11 to 13 September

Good morning, Inner Westies.

The spring school holiday guide is live, Oz Comic-Con takes over Olympic Park, and Marrickville Road gets a new board game store on Saturday. Plus there is plenty of local markets and live music.

Grab your morning coffee and let’s explore the Inner West together.

Have a great weekend,
Jess

Note: Please check to confirm details are accurate with venues, event providers, restaurants and pubs by clicking through to their site. Events are occasionally cancelled at the last minute.

An off-market warehouse conversion by Carter Williamson Architects. Nearly a third of the original roof and floor was removed to make a planted courtyard in the middle of the house. The living, dining and kitchen sit under a double-height void. Steel windows and doors, exposed timber beams, the industrial structure left visible. Breccia Rosso marble, timber and aged brass warm the rooms. There's a curved island kitchen with a barbecue bar, a butler's pantry and a pool shared between the four homes.

📍 4 bed / 2 bath / 1 car / Guide $4,000,000
👉 Listed with BresicWhitney

Looking for things to do these spring school holidays? The guide is updated: full day camps, creative workshops, sport, STEM, free activities and family outings for kids and teens aged 3 to 18.

There are too many to list here, so click through to find something that suits. We will keep adding to it as more venues announce their programs.

👉 View the Spring School Holiday Guide

Girls Just Wanna Raise Funds is on at The Vanguard on Sunday 13 September, doors at 6pm. Dear Tommie, Charley Castle, Molly Millington and Amy Solylo are playing, with line dancing sessions from Rhinestone Rodeo in between. Solylo organised the night herself, after the recent run of news coverage about violence against women, and picked The Vanguard because it's female-owned. Everyone is playing for free, and all net proceeds go to Full Stop Australia, which supports people affected by sexual, domestic and family violence.

📆 Sun 13 Sep / 6pm
📍 The Vanguard, Newtown
👉 Get tickets here

🎉 Camperdown Commons First Birthday
Free barbecue, face painting, children's activities and live music by Armirline from 5pm.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / From 4pm
📍 Camperdown Commons, Camperdown

🎺  Kids Proms: It's Party Time! (ages 2–6)
An interactive concert band show with upbeat tunes and chances to clap, dance, march and sing.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 9:45am & 11am
📍 Leichhardt Town Hall

📚 Betsy & Bon: Three Sweet Stories Book Party
Simon Howe shares his new illustrated chapter book, followed by drawing, dress-ups and a bee-hive craft activity.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10:30am
📍 Gleebooks, Glebe

🛝 George Smith Playground Opening
The upgraded playground opens with free ice cream, coffee, face painting and an afternoon of play.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 12pm – 2pm
📍 George Smith Playground, Newtown

📚 Ella Series Finale Book Party
Cassy Polimeni and Hykie Breeze’s Ella series wraps up with games, quizzes and a frog-pond craft session hosted by Ashleigh Barton.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 2pm
📍 Gleebooks, Glebe

🧸 Toy Swap
Families can swap clean, gently used toys, books and games, reducing waste while finding new-to-them favourites.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 1pm – 3pm
📍 Concord Community Centre

📖 It's Story Time (ages 1–4)
A monthly storytime session with stories and activities for toddlers.
📆 Mon 14 Sep / 11am
📍 Marrickville Metro

🤖 Maker & Creator (ages 8–12)
A makerspace session using Spheros, Ozobots and Edison robots.
📆 Tue 15 Sep / 3:30pm – 4:30pm
📍 Darling Square Library, Haymarket

🎲 The Side Quest Society (ages 12–18)
A weekly youth program with activities and informal social time.
📆 Tue 15 Sep / 4:30pm – 5:45pm
📍 Little Big House, Summer Hill

🎬 Movies for Mums & Bubs
Cinema sessions with dimmed lighting and reduced sound for parents and babies.
📆 Wed 16 Sep / 10am
📍 Broadway Sydney, Ultimo

📗 Page-Turners Young Writers Group: Junk Journaling (ages 12–16)
A junk-journaling workshop using discarded books and magazines for blackout poetry, found poetry and visual storytelling.
📆 Wed 16 Sep / 5pm – 6pm
📍 Marrickville Library and Pavilion

🧪 Junior STEAM Club (ages 5–8)
A hands-on STEAM club exploring science, technology, engineering, art and maths.
📆 Thu 17 Sep / 3:30pm – 4:45pm
📍 Burwood Library and Community Hub

🌦️ STEM Workshop: Weather and Plants (ages 5–12)
A hands-on STEM workshop exploring how weather and climate affect plant growth.
📆 Thu 17 Sep / 4pm – 5pm
📍 St Peters/Sydenham Library

✍️ HSC Workshop: The Craft of Writing (English Advanced and Standard)
An HSC English workshop covering persuasive, discursive, reflective and imaginative writing.
📆 Sun 20 Sep / 12pm – 1:30pm
📍 Marrickville Library and Pavilion

COMING UP - BOOK IN ADVANCE

🎸 Small Fry Rock feat. Patience and Isabella Manfredi
Patience Hodgson and Isabella Manfredi play a family gig with colouring stations and quiet areas.
📆 Sun 8 Nov / 11am – 1pm
📍 Factory Theatre, Marrickville

KIDS EAT FREE - UPDATED

We’ve also refreshed our Kids Eat Free Guide for September, with local deals organised by day and suburb. One to bookmark for the school holiday juggle.

👉 View the Kids Eat Free Guide

ALL WEEKEND

🥳 Sydney Fringe Festival
Continues this week, running until 30 September. Check out what’s on in the Inner West Precinct, as well as what’s on this weekend in the Theatre & Comedy section later in this email.

📚 Great Hall Book Fair
A book fair supporting University projects and Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland's crisis-support work.
📆 Sat 12 Sep – Wed 16 Sep / 10am – 4pm
📍 The Great Hall, University of Sydney, Camperdown

🌱 The Garden Immersive Art Shop (last chance)
Hands-on Marrickville warehouse installation with a garden-themed art shop.
📆 Fri 31 Jul – Sun 13 Sep / 10am – 4pm
📍 Voluptuary Ceramics, Marrickville

🏓 Pickleball - Live Well
A daily pop-up pickleball court with free paddles and balls for casual play.
📆 Tue 8 – Sun 27 Sep / 8am – 6pm
📍 South Eveleigh

🏋️ AusFitness Expo
A fitness expo with live sport, challenges, athlete appearances and more than 150 health and nutrition brands.
📆 Fri 11 – Sun 13 Sep / 10am – 5pm
📍 ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour

FRIDAY

⛴️ Working Harbour Cruise
A heritage-vessel cruise exploring Sydney Harbour's maritime industries, waterways and working history.
📆 Wed 9 – Fri 11 Sep / 11am – 1pm
📍 Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour

🩺 Women's Health Week at Pyrmont Community Centre
A Women's Health Week program featuring a pink morning tea and Latin dance session.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / 11:15am – 1:30pm
📍 Pyrmont Community Centre

🎶 Friday Block Party
A Friday night block party with salsa, bachata, R&B, free dance classes, DJs and social dancing.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / 5pm – 11:30pm
📍 Hay St Market, Haymarket

🎲 Werewolf! a Night of Improvised Deception
An improvised social-deduction game where villagers question, bluff and identify hidden werewolves.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / 5:30pm – 7:30pm
📍 Little Big House, Summer Hill

🏉 NRLW: Tigers v Raiders
An NRLW match between Wests Tigers and Canberra Raiders.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / 5:40pm
📍 Leichhardt Oval

🏆 History Council of NSW Awards and Lecture
NSW historians and history makers are recognised at the annual awards, followed by Mitchell Librarian Richard Neville's Keeping Stories lecture.
📆 Fri 11 Sep / 6pm – 9pm
📍 Glebe Town Hall

SATURDAY

🗺️ Bike Marrickville Sustainable Home Tour
Pedal between the Inner West Tool Library, Among the Trees and Circle Paints Reuse, with stops for chocolate, coffee and a final drink at the Carlisle Castle Hotel.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 8:30am
📍 Camperdown Memorial Park

🃏 Hobbycon Sydney
A collectors convention with trading cards, comics, anime, sneakers, toys, figurines and gaming.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 9am – 4pm
📍 Wentworth Park Sporting Complex, Glebe

🪑 Rozelle Collectors Market: Furniture & Decor Pop-Up
Rozelle Collectors Market hosts a pop-up of one-off furniture and homewares, with food, coffee and live music.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 9am – 3pm
📍 Rozelle Public School

🚲 Guided Ride: Erskineville – Tempe Loop
A free, leisurely ride through cycleways, laneways, green spaces and the Alexandra Canal. Bring a roadworthy bike and helmet.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 9:30am – 11:30am
📍 Erskineville Train Station

🪦 History Week 2026: St Thomas Graveyard Tour
A guided tour of the historic graveyard at St Thomas Church in Enfield.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 9:30am – 10:30am
📍 St Thomas Anglican Church, Enfield

💍 Amulets and Adornment
A jewellery workshop inspired by objects from the Galloway Hoard.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10am – 4pm
📍 Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour

🗺️ Ultimo: Architecture as Art Walk
A guided walking tour exploring Ultimo's architectural history, including work by Frank Gehry and local heritage buildings.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10am – 12pm
📍 Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, Ultimo

🛍️ Metro Markets
A monthly market with gourmet food producers and independent makers.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10am – 4pm
📍 Marrickville Metro

💻 Makertime: Open Access
An open makerspace session with 3D printers, electronics, robotics kits, a laser cutter and hand tools.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10:30am – 12:30pm
📍 Darling Square Library, Haymarket

🏉 Jersey Flegg Cup Semi-Finals
Canterbury-Bankstown face Cronulla-Sutherland before St George Illawarra play Penrith in the under-21 double-header.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 10:45am
📍 Leichhardt Oval

🧘 9D Breathwork: Breakthrough
A guided group breathwork session using headphones, music and conscious breathing.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 12pm – 2:30pm
📍 Redfern Community Centre

🎶 Grounded Radio Fundraiser Launch
The new community radio station launches its Redfern live studio with DJ sets and station presenters.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 1pm – 6pm
📍 The Black Canoe Gallery and Cafe, Redfern

💬 “Honest Feedback” - A Workshop for People Who Often Ask or Get Asked for Reviews by Utopia Rising
A workshop on giving and receiving constructive feedback in creative communities.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 4pm – 7pm
📍 Little Big House, Summer Hill

🖼 Rinse and Repeat: Drinks with the Artists
Meet painter Lauren van Dort and jeweller Olivia Hussey at the exhibition's free opening drinks.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 5pm – 8pm
📍 Studio 551, Newtown

🎨 Ella Davison Gallery Opening
A one-night exhibition where Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym’s bouldering walls become the gallery for Ella Davison’s carpentry and oil works.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 6pm – 9pm
📍 Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym, St Peters

🌙 BACK2REDLINE
Spoken word and DJs share a night supporting the Mob Strong Fund and ongoing mutual aid for Sudan.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 7pm – Late
📍 Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville

🎶 Girls-Only DJs at The Chippo Hotel
An 18+ girls-only dance night with all-female DJs, throwbacks, pop edits and party songs.
📆 Sat 12 Sep / 7:30pm – 11:30pm
📍 The Chippo Hotel, Chippendale

SUNDAY

🏃 NSW Sydney Half Marathon
A 21.1km road race through the Olympic Park precinct.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 6:30am
📍 Sydney Olympic Park

🛍️ Second Life Markets
Seasonal market with more than 120 stalls of curated vintage finds, local DJs, food trucks and drinks.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 9:30am – 4pm
📍 Carriageworks, Eveleigh

🗺️ History Week 2026: Tour - Callan Park People - Keeping Their Stories
A walking tour sharing stories of people connected to Callan Park as an estate and psychiatric hospital.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 11am – 1pm
📍 Writing NSW, Lilyfield

🎬 Sydney Underground Film Festival
The festival marks its 20th anniversary with premieres, documentaries, cult films, Q&As and special guests.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 11am – 11pm
📍 The Factory Theatre, Marrickville

🏳️‍🌈 Cosy Craft for Queers: Sew Your Own Needle Case
A hand-sewing workshop making a needle case with basic stitches, beads and trim.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 12:30pm – 3:30pm
📍 Emanuel Tsardoulias Community Library, Dulwich Hill

💬 History Week 2026: The Federation House - Where It Really Came from with Mark Sabolch
An illustrated talk tracing the origins of Federation-era house design in the Ashfield district.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 2pm – 4pm
📍 Summer Hill Community Centre

🎶 Maple Social Club: Sunday Jazz
A Sunday afternoon of jazz at Buddy’s Bar, with smaller numbers and the venue’s self-pour drink taps.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 4pm – 6pm
📍 Buddy’s Bar, Newtown

COMING UP

💃 Saddle Club Weekly Line Dancing
Weekly LGBTQIA+ line-dancing classes with beginner-friendly lessons, open to all levels.
📆 Tue 1 Sep – Tue 29 Sep / 7pm – 8:30pm
📍 Sydney Portugal Community Club, Marrickville

💃 Fishbowl in Motion x The Jungle Body
Start with a dance class at The Jungle Body, then head to Fishbowl Newtown to eat together.
📆 Tue 15 Sep / 5:50pm – 7:45pm
📍 The Jungle Body Newtown, Newtown

🎤 House of Hymns
Karaoke singers perform pop and queer anthems backed by a live 12-person choir. This is a new kind of karaoke night!
📆 Thu 17 Sep / 7pm – 10pm
📍 Pleasure Club, Newtown

🛍️ The Big Design Market
Three-day market featuring more than 230 independent designers across homewares, fashion, jewellery, art and stationery.
📆 Fri 18 – Sun 20 Sep / 11am – 7pm
📍 Carriageworks, Eveleigh

🎨 BadJob Studios Launch Gallery
A two-day showcase of local and international artists, illustrators and animators, with artist stalls and music across the weekend.
📆 Sat 19 Sep – Sun 20 Sep / 12pm – 10pm
📍 Flow Studios 88, Camperdown

🍝 Thai Grand Festival
A weekend Thai cultural festival with music, dancing and food stalls.
📆 Sat 19 – Sun 20 Sep / 10am
📍 Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour

🎻 The Big Busk
A free outdoor concert by Sydney Youth Orchestra musicians raising funds for music education.
📆 Sat 19 Sep / 5pm
📍 International Convention Centre Forecourt, Darling Harbour

🍖 Twenty O' Nine Fest 2026
Open-fire South American food, cultural performances, live music and children's activities fill Fraser Park.
📆 Sun 20 Sep / 11am – 6pm
📍 Fraser Park Football Club, Marrickville

Good Games opens its Marrickville store this Saturday 12 September at 314-316 Marrickville Road. It stocks trading card games, board games and tabletop products, and there is a play space so people can sit down and play rather than buy and leave. The store will run events and learn to play sessions, and owner Cadhla Roberts says people should come in and tell him which games they want on. Plus, there will be free swag bags available on the day, while stocks last.

📍 314-316 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
👉 Find out more

Homes NSW wants to redevelop former WestConnex land at 240 Parramatta Road, Haberfield with four buildings of three to seven storeys. The plan includes around 340 homes, with about 100 social housing dwellings. Feedback is open until 28 September, before a formal planning application is lodged.

👉 Find out more

ABC News has reported that Anthony Albanese held an honorary membership at Marrickville Golf Club which was not recorded in his parliamentary register of interests. The club was awarded $6.05 million through an invite-only federal program for a clubhouse upgrade. Albanese says he did not know about the membership, which the club says was awarded years ago and has not been reaffirmed. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King says she made the final funding decision, while the Coalition wants more detail about how projects were selected.

👉 Read more

Premier Chris Minns has announced Inner West Deputy Mayor Philippa Scott as Labor’s candidate for Balmain at the next election. Scott has served on Inner West Council since 2021 and was recently re-elected Deputy Mayor.

👉 Find out more

CITY OF SYDNEY

City of Sydney has backed Wesley Mission's Put Pokies in Their Place campaign and called for cashless gaming, a post-midnight shutdown and stronger harm-minimisation measures.

👉 Find out more

The City of Sydney will soon allow community gardens in laneways, following a Council initiative to reclaim neglected spaces as green corridors.

👉 Find out more

INNER WEST COUNCIL

A group called Wests Tigers Unite plans to introduce itself at the One Last Roar concert at Leichhardt Oval on 19 September. It says it wants a stronger voice for members and supporters in the club’s future.

👉 Find out more

🍝 Luna Ristorante Opens In Five Dock
Luna Ristorante has opened at 106 Great North Road, bringing handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza to Five Dock. It is currently in soft launch, with rigatoni, pizza and sharing antipasto among the early menu posts. Luna is open Wednesday to Saturday for dinner, plus Sunday lunch and dinner. Bookings and walk-ins are available.
📍 106 Great North Road, Five Dock
👉 Find out more

🥩 Bottomless Steak Frites At Bistro Grenier
Wednesday dinner plans, sorted. Bistro Grenier is serving bottomless steak frites for $69 per person, with all-you-can-eat bavette steak, sauce au poivre, frites and condiments. You’ll have 90 minutes at the table, so come hungry. Bookings are essential. See venue for terms and conditions.
📆 Wednesdays
📍 Bistro Grenier Newtown
👉 Find out more

🌯 El Brekkie Burrito 2.0
Happy Shop’s September breakfast burrito brings together slow-cooked chilli con carne, mozzarella, hash browns, egg and poblano salsa.
📆 September
📍 Happy Shop, Haberfield

🍔 $4.99 Cheeseburgers at Cheeseburger Factory
The Burwood burger shop has dropped its usual $11.90 cheeseburger to $4.99 for the month – see venue for terms and conditions.
📆 September
📍 Cheeseburger Factory, Burwood

🍔 $10 Cheeseburgers Across Odd Culture Group
Buy a drink and get a cheeseburger for $10 at select hours across five Odd Culture Group venues – see venue for terms and conditions.
📆 Fri 18 Sep
📍 Odd Culture Newtown and The Duke of Enmore

🐶 Paws at the Pub
Pet stalls, portraits by Heather from Lenefsky Studio, activities, prizes and raffles make this a pub afternoon for dogs and their people.
📆 Sun 13 Sep / 12pm – 3pm
📍 Camelia Grove Hotel, Alexandria

COMING UP

🍺 Future Brewing Lager Festival
Seven Australian breweries pour festival lagers, including beers not previously served in Sydney.
📆 Wed 17 Sep – Sun 20 Sep / Various times
📍 Future Brewing, St Peters

HAPPY HOUR HEROES

🍸 Camelia Grove Hotel, Alexandria | Every day | 4pm – 6pm | $7 schooners and wines, $8 spirits and $12 cocktails - see venue for terms and conditions.

🍷 Drummoyne Sailing Club, Drummoyne | Monday to Tuesday, 4:30pm – 7pm; Wednesday to Friday, 4:30pm – 6:30pm; Sunday, 5pm – 7pm | Selected tap beers and house wines at special prices - see venue for terms and conditions.

🍷 The Erko, Erskineville | Monday to Friday | 4pm – 6pm | $8 selected schooners, $7 house wines and $12 large house wines - see venue for terms and conditions.

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Our deadline is the close of business on Wednesday for each Friday edition.