Spring is festival season across Sydney, and one lower North Shore suburb is dedicating an entire month to celebrating local arts, culture and community. Lane Cove, recently named Australia’s most liveable suburb, will host a packed program of live performances, markets, art exhibitions, family-friendly activities and Sydney Fringe events across parks, plazas and venues throughout the suburb. Many events are free, making it the perfect excuse to explore the suburb while catching everything from outdoor concerts and comedy to guided bushwalks and creative workshops. Whether you’re visiting for a headline event or simply looking for something new to do as the weather warms up, there’s plenty to choose from throughout the month.
Lane Cove Festival returns this spring
The festival’s highlight is the Big Day Out at The Canopy on Saturday, 12 September, bringing together live entertainment, workshops and family activities alongside the Made in Lane Cove Markets, where local makers will be selling everything from handcrafted ceramics and jewellery to artwork and homewares. The festivities will begin the previous week with Launch Night on Friday, 4 September, transforming The Canopy into an open-air performance space with live music, dance, circus acts and cabaret, plus plenty of food and drink. Music lovers can also catch Rumours: Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show on 26 September, while jazz fans will want to keep At Your Request on their radar, an interactive performance where the audience chooses the night’s setlist.
The program also extends well beyond the stage. Gallery Lane Cove will host the Lane Cove Art Award exhibition, showcasing works by Australian artists from 17 September to 3 October, while Pottery Lane Performance Space and the Lane Cove Civic Centre will present a diverse lineup of Sydney Fringe productions, including theatre, comedy and live music. Elsewhere, visitors can join guided bushwalks, explore community gardens, attend author talks and workshops at the library, enjoy history tours and Devonshire tea at Carisbrook Historic House, or take part in family-friendly activities including bug hunts, spotlight walks and community picnics throughout the month.
Find more information about the event here.
Key details
- What: Lane Cove Festival
- When: 4–30 September 2026
- Where: Various venues across Lane Cove, including The Canopy, Gallery Lane Cove, Pottery Lane Performance Space and the Lane Cove Civic Centre
- Entry: Many events are free; some Sydney Fringe performances are ticketed
