Good morning, Inner Westies.

From gig trails and writers festivals to dragon boating, vintage markets and a Filipino bloc party, there’s heaps happening across the Inner West this weekend.

Grab your morning coffee and join us as we 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.

From 18 May, local streets across Annandale and Leichhardt drop to 40km/h as Inner West Council's speed reduction program reaches its next stage. Booth Street, Balmain Road, Moore Street and The Crescent are all included.

Full story at the link below.

👉 Read more

We're back near Balmain and yes, another heritage home. I spotted this one and knew immediately it had to be this week's pick.

A sandstone residence built in 1857, just finished after a complete renovation by an award-winning builder. Original sandstone walls and restored timber detailing throughout, paired with a custom marble kitchen, Miele appliances, butler's pantry and American oak floors. Indoor heated magnesium pool, sauna and gym. Six-person glass hydraulic lift across all three levels. Five bedrooms all with ensuites, Harbour Bridge and water views, moments to the ferry. Five car spaces.

My only gripe? No floor plan. And I love a floor plan. But that pool and sauna make up for it.

📍 5 bed / 6 bath / 5 car
👉 Listed with The Joneses

Live music is taking over Newtown and Enmore this Saturday, 16 May, with the Great Southern Nights Gig Trail turning the precinct into one big roaming music crawl.

Venues including Bootleggers, The Duke, The Trocadero and more will host gigs from afternoon through to late, with multiple performances happening across the neighbourhood at the same time. Plan your own route, settle in at one venue or bounce between sets throughout the night.

📍 Newtown & Enmore / Saturday 16 May
👉 Check out the full Gig Trail + register for sessions

🎭 Sydney Comedy Festival: Kids & Family Day
Enjoy a full day of free family fun at the Sydney Comedy Festival with roving performers, facepainting, craft activities, a scavenger hunt, comedy shows, and the “What’s So Funny!?” Kids Comedy Comp featuring workshops and prizes.
📆 Sat 16 May / 11am
📍 Factory Theatre Festival Hub, Marrickville

🎨 Kids D.I.Y
A weekend of creative arts and crafts designed to inspire imagination and hands-on fun.
📆 Sat 16 May – Sun 17 May
📍 Bunnings Ashfield / 11am – 1pm
📍 Bunnings Rozelle / 11am – 12pm & 12pm –1pm

🛹 Skate of Mind (ages 6+)
Free skateboarding workshops, JAM sessions, demos and creative sound sampling activities invite skaters of all levels to build skills, confidence and community in a supportive environment. Registration required.
📆 Sat 16 May / 10am – 1:30pm
📍 Carriageworks, Eveleigh

🎨 Homebush Vibes — Free Kids Activities
Free face painting, cookie decorating and arts and craft activities for kids at this street party.
📆 Sat 16 May / 1pm – 6pm
📍 Rochester Street, Homebush

🗣️ Youth Workshop: Invent Your Own Fictional Language (ages 14+)
Design sounds, grammar and vocabulary for a brand-new language.
📆 Sat 16 May / 1:30pm – 3pm
📍 Leichhardt Library

🐾 Curious Tales Family Tour
Guided tour exploring Cockatoo Island's wacky real-life characters and creatures, with laughs for all ages.
📆 Sun 17 May / 5:30pm – 6:30pm
📍 Cockatoo Island

📚 Manga Club Workshop (ages 13–17)
Monthly club where students learn classic manga drawing techniques.
📆 Mon 18 May / 4pm – 5:30pm
📍 Darling Square Library

🔨 Homeschool Makertime - 3D Printing (ages 12–16)
Practical 2-hour makerspace session for home-schooled teens using tools and materials from the library.
📆 Tue 19 May / 10:30am – 12:30pm
📍 Darling Square Library

🧶 Kids Crochet Fun! (ages 5–12)
After-school crochet session. Beginners welcome, or continue a project already started.
📆 Tue 19 May / 3pm – 4:30pm
📍 Burwood Library

⚽ KUBS Multi-Sports Club (ages 4–5)
Weekly multi-sport session building coordination and confidence for preschoolers.
📆 Wed 20 May / 10:15am – 11am
📍 Perry Park Recreation Centre, Leichhardt

🌿 After School: Pot Painting and Planting (ages 8–12)
Kids paint a terracotta pot then plant a succulent to take home.
📆 Wed 20 May / 3:45pm – 4:45pm
📍 Balmain Library

🧠 Creative Space Workshop (ages 13–18)
Design and make your own sensory toy in this hands-on after-school workshop.
📆 Thu 21 May / 3pm – 5:30pm
📍 Cliff Noble Community Centre, Glebe

🌱 Youth Gardening and Cooking at Glebe (ages 12–17)
Free weekly program for high schoolers exploring food growing and cooking.
📆 Thu 21 May / 3:30pm – 5pm
📍 St Helen's Community Centre, Glebe

🔬 Junior STEAM Club (ages 5–8)
Monthly club exploring robotics, coding and augmented reality for early primary schoolers.
📆 Thu 21 May / 3:30pm – 4:45pm
📍 Burwood Library

🎶 Melody Mamas
Music and movement session for babies and toddlers with carers.
📆 Thu 21 May / 10am – 10:30am
📍 Burwood Library

🚌 Biennale of Sydney Heritage Bus Service
Ride historic double-decker buses between the Queen Victoria Building and White Bay Power Station as part of the Biennale of Sydney art event.
📆 Sat 14 Mar to Sun 14 June / Running Saturdays & Sundays
📍 Queen Victoria Building to White Bay Power Station return

🎡 Kegworth Public School Autumn Fair
Family fun day with carnival rides, music, food, pre-loved goods and craft stalls.
📆 Sun 24 May / 9am – 3pm
📍 Kegworth Public School, Leichhardt

Free kids meals at 35+ Inner West spots, filterable by day and suburb.
Kids Eat Free Guide →

🎨 GAS SYD presents LOUD!
A group exhibition featuring 29 independent artists exploring the relationship between art and sound through colour, rhythm, texture and live creative performances.
📆 Tue 12 May – Mon 18 May
📍 STUDIO 551, Newtown

🎸 Great Southern Nights 2026
The 17-night NSW live music festival continues this weekend with plenty of gigs across the Inner West. Check out their website for the full Inner West lineup.
📆 Fri 1 to Sun 17 May
📍 Various Inner West venues

🎭 Jagged Little Pill: The Musical
A new musical by Inner West Theatre Company inspired by Alanis Morissette’s iconic album as it follows a seemingly perfect family navigating hidden struggles.
📆 Starts Fri 8 to Sat 16 May / 7:30pm
📍 Petersham Town Hall

🖼 25th Biennale of Sydney
Major contemporary art exhibition featuring immersive installations, performances, markets, tours and special events celebrating memory, culture and storytelling.
📆 Sat 14 Mar to Sun 14 Jun / 10am – 5pm
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle

🚌 Biennale of Sydney Heritage Bus Service
Ride historic double-decker buses between the Queen Victoria Building and White Bay Power Station as part of the Biennale of Sydney art event.
📆 Sat 14 Mar to Sun 14 June / Running Saturdays & Sundays
📍 Queen Victoria Building to White Bay Power Station return

🍜 Memory Lane Markets
A food market celebrating global cultures with dishes and desserts inspired by memory, heritage and identity as part of the Biennale of Sydney.
📆 Sat & Sun / 10am – 5pm
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle

🖌️ GAS SYD presents LOUD! Live Painting
Live collaborative painting session as part of the LOUD group exhibition, final days.
📆 Fri 15 May / from 3pm
📍 Studio 551, Newtown

🚌 End of Atlanteans - 40 Year Anniversary
Retrace the final journey of Sydney’s original double-decker buses on a historic ride to Avalon with vintage buses, replica signage and photo stops along the way.
📆 Fri 15 May / 5pm – 10:30pm
📍 Sydney Bus Museum, Leichhardt

🎨 The Vincent Prize 2026
A grassroots exhibition featuring artists who entered the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, with winners announced on opening night by judge Laura Jones. Exhibition runs over the weekend. You can see Scott Marsh’s portrait of Sydney legend Danny Lim.
📆 Fri 15 May / 6pm – 9pm
📍 Scratch Art Space, Marrickville

🛍️ Rozelle Collectors Market Designer Pop-Up
Browse vintage, pre-loved and unique finds alongside a special designer pop-up at the weekly Rozelle Collectors Market.
📆 Sat 16 May / 9am – 3pm
📍 Rozelle Public School

🛶 New Mackey Park Canoe Ramp opening
Celebrate the opening of the new canoe ramp with a free BBQ and learn about the upgrade helping paddlers of all abilities get out on the water.
📆 Sat 16 May / 10am – 12pm
📍 Mackey Park Canoe Ramp, Marrickville

🖌️ GAS SYD presents LOUD! Live Painting
Second live collaborative painting session for the closing days of the LOUD group exhibition. Live painting from 3pm – 6 pm, and live music from 5pm – 7pm.
📆 Sat 16 May / 11am – 7pm
📍 Studio 551, Newtown

🎬 Leichhardt Town Hall Film Showcase
Film screenings, panel discussions and showcases celebrating local filmmakers, young creatives and screen storytelling from across the Inner West. Free entry.
📆 Sat 16 May / 1pm – 5pm
📍 Leichhardt Town Hall

🚣 Try Dragon Boating (men over 40)
Try dragon boating in a free beginner-friendly session for men over 40 on the Bay Run, with training and regatta opportunities for all fitness levels.
📆 Sat 16 May / 8:45am
📍 Canal Road, Lilyfield

💬 Sacred But Scorned? A Mother's Day Discussion
Join an open discussion exploring the realities, expectations and politics of motherhood.
📆 Sat 16 May / 4:30pm – 7pm
📍 The Women's Library, Newtown

🎶 Newtown Enmore Precinct Gig Trail: One Night Only
Great Southern Nights Gig Trail with artists across Bootleggers, Young Henrys, The Trocadero, Palomino Lounge, The Duke and more. Most gigs free.
📆 Sat 16 May / afternoon – late
📍 Various venues, Newtown and Enmore

🚶 Pyrmont Architectural Time Capsule Walk
Guided walking tour through Pyrmont's architectural history with stories of the area's transformation.
📆 Sat 16 May / 10am – 12pm
📍 Union Square, Pyrmont

🌱 Energy Efficiency Consultations
One-on-one consultations on reducing energy bills, reading electricity statements and switching to greener options. Bookings essential.
📆 Sat 16 May / 10am – 2pm
📍 Green Living Centre, Summer Hill

🏍️ Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride
See classic motorcycles and support a global fundraiser for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health.
📆 Sun 17 May / From 8am
📍 South Eveleigh

🛍️ Summer Hill Flour Mill Markets
A mix of market stalls featuring fresh flowers, produce, baked goods, food, homewares, clothing and it's dog-friendly.
📆 Sun 17 May / 9am – 1pm
📍 Flour Mill Markets, Summer Hill

🌿 Biennale Low Sensory Sessions
Quieter access to the Biennale for visitors who benefit from reduced sensory input. Free with entry.
📆 Sun 17 May / 9am – 11am
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle

🤲 Biennale Sensory Friendly Tactile Tours
Immersive hands-on tours of the Biennale designed for visitors with sensory needs.
📆 Sun 17 May / 9:30am – 10:30am
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle

🌿 Bonsai & Brews
Learn the basics of bonsai in this beginner-friendly hands-on workshop where you’ll shape your own tree while enjoying a drink with friends.
📆 Sun 17 May / 11am – 1pm
📍 2 Halfs Brewing & Distilling, Alexandria

🛍️ Chippo Hotel Market Day
Second-hand clothes, fresh screen prints, art, baked goods and music.
📆 Sun 17 May / 12pm – 5pm
📍 Chippo Hotel, Chippendale

🏛️ Hunter Baillie Memorial Presbyterian Church Heritage Day
Afternoon of organ recitals at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm, as well as church history tours and devonshire tea ($5). Plus at 1pm Marghanita da Cruz is running her 1 hour guided walk of Annandale ($25, bookings recommended).
📆 Sun 17 May / 12pm – 4pm
📍 Hunter Baillie Church, Annandale

🌿 Heritage Festival: The Greenway and Long Cove Creek Walk
Guided 2-hour walk along the Greenway tracing the history of Long Cove Creek.
📆 Sun 17 May / 1pm – 3pm
📍 Johnson Park, Dulwich Hill

🗣️ Talk: Anarchival Collage with Zoe Sadokierski
Designer and educator Zoe Sadokierski discusses collage as a mode of archival resistance.
📆 Sun 17 May / 2pm – 2:30pm
📍 Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Camperdown

🕯️ Sydney Candlelight Memorial
Annual candlelight vigil remembering those who have died from HIV/AIDS.
📆 Sun 17 May / 2:45pm – 4:20pm
📍 The Collider, Haymarket

👁️ Low Vision Artsmaking Workshop: Impact
Artsmaking workshop with artist Keith Rutherford, designed specifically for people with low vision.
📆 Sun 17 May / 3pm – 4pm
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle

🔬 Pint of Science
Researchers take over local pubs for three nights of accessible science talks over a drink.
📆 Mon 18 May – Wed 20 May / from 7pm
📍 Balmain Hotel / Botany View Hotel, Newtown / Hermann's Bar, UTS

🎥 Race Around the World: TV Studio Audience (ages 15+)
Be part of the live studio audience and watch 6 solo filmmakers race across the globe to create 10 films in 100 days.
📆 Wed 20 May / 1:15pm – 5pm
📍 ABC, Ultimo

🖼️ Sustained Visions
Explore paintings, mosaics, and ceramics by four artists (Carolyn Doherty, Hadijah Munting, Feyona van Stom, and Bruna Rodwell) that reflect on sustainability, beauty, and our connection to the natural world.
📆 21 May – 3 June / 10:30am – 5:30pm
📍 The Shop Gallery, Glebe

🎶 Art After Dark – Africa Day featuring Blissman and Timomatic
Enjoy a late-night celebration of Afro and Afro-Caribbean music, live DJs and food.
📆 Fri 22 May / 6pm – 9:30pm
📍 White Bay Power Station, Rozelle ♿️

🌮 Fiesta del Desapego
Curated clothes swap with styling session and drinks. Bring up to 5 items. $20 entry, limited spots.
📆 Sat 23 May / 10am – 1pm
📍 Centro Cultural Latino, Marrickville

🎬 The Winner Takes It All: Maxi Shield Tribute Screening
Private screening of the 2026 Director's Cut of Sydney drag cult classic, with welcome drinks at Websters Lounge Bar and after party at Stonewall Newtown. Proceeds to Twenty10 NSW.
📆 Sun 24 May / 4pm – 6:30pm
📍 Dendy Cinemas, Newtown

A community-led petition is calling on Inner West Council to keep Re Place at the Inner West Sustainability Hub, as the organisation competes in a new tender process for the space it has occupied for the past three years.

Known for its textile reuse, repair and recycling programs, Re Place says it has diverted 13.7 tonnes of clothing and textiles from landfill while building a strong circular economy community through workshops, repairs, volunteering and low-cost clothing initiatives. The not-for-profit’s fully tracked zero-waste model is unique in Australia.

Council is expected to decide the successful applicant in June, with the petition to be presented ahead of the Tuesday 19 May council meeting.

👉 Sign here and read more

🧁 Baking for Brain Cancer @ Sandy Bakeshop
Sandy Bakeshop is teaming up with Baking for Brain Cancer this May to raise funds for brain cancer research, with a raffle for a special prize. One lucky winner will score a “money can’t buy” three-hour high tea experience for 10 people, featuring cakes, savoury bites, florals by Flowers by Julia G, bubbles from Nacara Balmain, tea, tunes and plenty of Sandy-style banter. Tickets available now, with all funds supporting brain cancer research.
📍 Sandy Bakeshop, Balmain / Drawn Sunday 31 May 2026

🎉 PorkaTroya Newtown Turns Two
PorkaTroya is celebrating its second anniversary this Sunday with live music, cosy Italian-style hospitality and a complimentary glass of sparkling with every meal. The Newtown favourite will have tunes from 5pm. Walk-ins are welcome, or book ahead to join the celebrations.
📆 Sunday 17 May 2026 / 12pm – 10pm
📍 PorkaTroya, Newtown

Sydney Brewery Rozelle Joins the Inner West Ale Trail
The Inner West Ale Trail has welcomed a new stop, with Sydney Brewery Rozelle officially joining the local brewery line-up. Having taken over the former White Bay Brewing site in late 2025, the brewery has brought fresh energy back to the historic 150-year-old steel mill with 15 taps pouring beers and ciders, plus pizzas, share plates and family-friendly spaces. They have trivia nights, pool, footy on the big screen and happy hour specials from Wednesday to Friday.
📍 Sydney Brewery Rozelle, Rozelle

🍷 The Drummer Glebe | Wednesday to Friday | 4pm – 6pm | $8 selected beers and $8 select open wines – see venue for terms and conditions.

🍺 Heaps Normal Marrickville | Thursday to Sunday | 4–6pm | Half price tap beer & wine – see venue for terms and conditions.

🍻 The Noble Hops Redfern | Every weekday | 4–6pm | $8 pale ale & lager, $8 house wines and $8 spirits – see venue for terms and conditions.

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

Inner West Council Opens Draft Budget and Fees for Feedback

Inner West Council is inviting community feedback on its draft 2026/27 budget, fees and charges, and long-term financial plan.

The documents outline the services, infrastructure and projects Council plans to deliver over the next year, alongside its financial priorities through to 2036. The draft Fees and Charges schedule proposes a general 3.6% increase unless otherwise stated.

Community feedback is open until Sunday, 24 May, with all submissions to be considered before Council votes on the final documents at its 16 June meeting.

👉 Read the Draft Plans and Have Your Say

Inner West Council is asking for feedback on a new set of planning rules that will shape what can be built and renovated across the area.

The draft Development Control Plan would replace multiple existing plans with one unified system, as part of broader changes to housing and development across the Inner West. Consultation is open until 28 June.

👉 Have Your Say

Inner West Council is seeking community feedback on its draft Affordable Housing Policy, aimed at increasing affordable housing options across the Inner West.

The policy outlines how Council plans to support more affordable housing through planning controls, partnerships and advocacy, as housing affordability pressures continue to rise across Sydney.

👉 Read the Draft Policy and Have Your Say

Sydney’s urban tree canopy has grown to 21.7%, up 6.2% since canopy mapping began in 2008. The latest figures shared by Lord Mayor Clover Moore show a major increase in green cover across the city, with the equivalent of almost 94 Sydney Cricket Grounds added over the past 18 years.

According to the City of Sydney, areas with less than 10% canopy cover have more than halved, while areas with more than 30% canopy cover have more than doubled. The city is aiming for 40% green cover and 27% canopy cover by 2050.

👉 Read More

A multimillion-dollar upgrade is underway at Five Dock Park, bringing new recreation facilities, improved road safety and upgraded amenities to the area.

The project includes a refurbished multi-court, an additional court, 19 new parking spaces, bike racks, and traffic-calming measures. A new amenities building with change rooms, a kiosk, a club room and storage will follow.

👉 Read more