Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sydney

52  INTRODUCING SY DNEY

Average Monthly Rainfall Rainfall Chart
Autumn is Sydney’s
mm Inches rainiest season, with
300 12 March being the
240 wettest month, while
9 spring is the driest
180 time of year. Rainfall,
6 however, can often be
120 unpredictable. Long
3 stretches of sunny
60 weather are common,
but so, too, are periods
0 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec of unrelenting rain.
Seniors Week (mid-Mar),
Autumn statewide. Activities and events,
After the humidity of the many of them free, including
summer, autumn brings fresh talks, exhibitions and concerts
mornings and cooler days for the state’s older citizens.
that are tailor-made for outdoor St Patrick’s Day (17 Mar, or
pursuits. There are many closest Sun). The city’s Irish pubs
sporting and cultural events – mark the day with celebrations
some of them colourful and and music, serving Irish food and,
eccentric – to tempt the visitor. sometimes, green beer (see p45).
For many, the Royal Easter Sydney Regatta (early Mar).
Show is the highlight of the One of the largest competitive
season. Anzac Day (25 April) keelboat regattas in Australia.
is a national holiday on which Autumn Racing Carnival
Australians commemorate (six weeks during Mar and Entrant in a woodchopping competition
their war dead. Apr). Sydney’s premier at the Easter Show
horse racing event,
March held at Randwick race- sheep dog trials, craft displays
Dragon Boat Races course, with millions of and sideshow alley attractions.
Festival (late Feb–early dollars in prize money
Mar), Darling Harbour up for grabs. April
(see pp94–5). Brilliantly National Trust Heritage
decorated Chinese Easter Festival (dates vary). Celebration
dragon boats race Sydney Royal Easter Show of the natural and cultural
across Cockle Bay. (opens for two weeks over heritage of Sydney (see www.
ArtExpress (all month), Easter period), Olympic nsw.nationaltrust.org.au).
Art Gallery of NSW St Patrick’s Park, Homebush. Country Anzac Day (25 Apr). Dawn
(pp110–13). Exhibition of Day beer meets city for around remembrance service held
major artworks by the pick 14 days of ring events, at the Cenotaph, Martin Place
of the state’s best graduating livestock and produce judging, (see p86), with a parade by war
high school students. wood chopping competitions, veterans along George Street.
Sydney Comedy Festival (late
Apr–late May). Sketches, satire,
improv, magic and more by the
world’s best and top emerging
talent at venues across Sydney.
May
Sydney Writers’ Festival (dates
vary, one week mid-May), Pier
4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay.
Australia’s finest literary cele bra-
tion, with more than 300 events
featuring Australian and inter-
national writers and publishers.
Vivid Sydney (late May–early
Jun). Sydney is transformed into
a canvas of lights, music and
Traditional decorative dragon boats on Darling Harbour’s Cockle Bay creative forums (see pp32–3).

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