Sydney Festival 2014 FREE Events

Metro Hotels have partnered up with Sydney Festival 2014 to celebrate a summer of art, fun, shows and exhibitions all around Sydney.

The best of our city is back with a vengeance as Sydney Festival returns to its favourite indoor and outdoor venues throughout Sydney and beyond to present a huge and diverse program of free events. Comprised of 104 events, a staggering 21 are free in the 2014 Festival.

There’s no better way to get into the swing of summer in Sydney than by enjoying a free outdoor concert in the heart of the city, with 60,000 of your closest friends. Headlining Summer Sounds in The Domain and our opening weekend celebrations in style is the disco queen, Chaka Khan. Join us in a singalong extravaganza of hits spanning from the early 70s right up until the present day.

Bring the whole family and catch some of the Festival’s hottest acts free on January 10!

At Sydney Festival 2013, Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s 15-metre high yellow Rubber Duck made quite the splash in Darling Harbour, so we’ve brought it back. Parramatta residents and visitors are invited to Parramatta Park to get up-close-and-personal with Sydney’s favourite five-storey yellow bird.

Merchants Store may look like an ordinary 19th century Sydney building from afar, until you spot the people dangling from the windows, climbing up the walls and crawling on the roof…The life-size building façade is overshadowed by a giant mirror positioned at a precise 45 degree angle to the ground allowing the general public to play on the building layout, marvelling at their gravity-defying tricks and newfound ability to scale walls and perch on the rooftop.

Taking over a third of our newly expanded Festival Village in Hyde Park, Sacrilege, will be enjoyed equally by kids and kids at heart. Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller’s life-size bouncy castle version of Stonehenge has delighted kids of all ages around the UK, and is heading down under for Sydney Festival 2014. Boxwars will also bring its elaborate cardboard battalion to Festival Village to present hands-on workshops for kids of all ages.

Immersive installations will pop up across the city during the 2014 Festival including free events FUNPARK and The Very Near Future. The amusement parks that once graced Mount Druitt are long gone, but in January we will be welcoming back the crowds in the serious-minded fun of FUNPARK, whilst at Artspace The Very Near Future will find you in the backlot with the cast and crew of a film noir in the making.

Inviting you to explore the idea that all human life is the result of chance, Christian Boltanski presents his first major Australian installation, Chance. Responding to the architecture and scale of Carriageworks, this immense and complex installation allows you to witness lives unfolding, following the rhythm of births and deaths across the globe.

Here is the list of amazing FREE events to enjoy:

Boxwars (Australia) 
Festival Village, Sunday 12 - Friday 17 January from 10am–2pm (closed Monday 13 January)
FREE, suitable for all ages
www.sydneyfestival.org.au/box

Chance | Christian Boltanski (France) 

Festival Village, Friday 10, Friday 17 & Friday 24 January at 11.30pm 

FREE, 18+ 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/chance

Donny Benét & The Donny Benét Show Band (Australia) 

Festival Village, Friday 10, Friday 17 & Friday 24 January at 11.30pm 

FREE, 18+ 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/donny

Ferrython 

Sydney Harbour, Sunday 26 January at 11am 

FREE 

sydneyfestival.org.au/ferrython

FUNPARK (Australia) 

Bidwell Shopping Plaza, Carlisle Avenue, Bidwell, 18 & 19 January from 6pm 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/funpark

Merchants Park | Leandro Erlich (Argentina) 

Darling Harbour, 9-23 January 9am-9pm daily 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/store

Paradiso Lates 

Sydney Town Hall, 16-18, 22-25 January at 11.30pm, 19 & 26 January at 10.30pm 

FREE, 18+ 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/paradisolates

Project 28 : Roman Ondak (Slovakia) 

Parramatta Town Hall, 10 January 10am-10pm, 11-24 January 10am-6pm 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/project28

POP 2014 

Parramatta City Streets and Parks, Friday 10 January 6-11pm 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/pop

Rubber Duck | Florentijn Hofman (Netherlands) 

Parramatta River in Parramatta Park, 10-19 January 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/duck

Sacrilege | Jeremy Deller (UK) 

Festival Village, Preview: 8 January 5-9pm, Season: 9-26 January, 9am-9pm 

Except Baby Bounce and Accessibility Sessions: 14 & 21 January, 9-10am 

Closed Mondays 

FREE, suitable for all ages 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/sacrilege

Sky Terrace 

The Star Event Centre, 9-26 January 6pm-late daily 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/skyterrace

Summer Sounds in the Domain | Chaka Khan (US) 

The Domain, Saturday 11 January at 8pm 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/summer

Symphony in the Domain 

The Domain, Sunday 26 January at 8pm 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/symphony

The Very Near Future 

ARTSPACE, 16 January-16 February 11am-5pm (Closed Mondays & 26 January) 

FREE 

www.sydneyfestival.org.au/verynear

To view each act in detail, please visit Sydney Festival's website: http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2014/

Staying in Sydney for the 2014 Sydney Festival? Metro Hotels has got you covered, no matter where you want to stay in the city.

As a partner of the Sydney Festival, we have created hotels packages:

• Aspire - Sydney Festival special package: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/329
• Central Sydney Festival special package: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/328
• Pitt St Sydney Festival special package: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/330
• DH Sydney Festival special package: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/331

Celtic Women - Live In Concert Australia

With the Sydney show date re-scheduled, our four lovely, warm, strong and very gifted celestial sirens are sure to deliver a stunning evening performance combined with the sounds and sensibility blended with breath-taking renditions of contemporary ballads alongside traditional music from the Emerald Isle. 

Along with the distinct musical direction of Emmy® nominated musical producer, David Downes, the 2014 tour will feature a new stage production and the return of such enduring fan favourites as “You Raise Me Up” and “Orinoco Flow”.

Earlier this year, “Celtic Woman” vocalists Lisa Lambe, Susan McFadden and Celtic violinist Máiréad Nesbitt welcomed new addition - singer Máiréad Carlin - a talented young native of Derry in Ireland who already possesses a prestigious musical resume that includes performing at the 2013 BBC TV Gala concert "Sons and Daughters," a UK and Ireland concert tour with Don McLean and performing for the President of Ireland.

As a further highlight of this tour, “Celtic Woman” will be joined by 50 bright young stars from the Australian Girl’s Choir.  Known the country and indeed the world over for their angelic voices, the AGC is our country's leading performing arts organisation for girls and currently have over 4,000 choristers in training.   They have performed at many memorable events including World Reconciliation Day for Nelson Mandela, Ellen DeGeneres’ welcome party, Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama during official functions at Parliament House, Canberra.

The return visit to Sydney of “Celtic Woman” is sure to be an uplifting mix of timeless tradition and contemporary craft, transcending national and cultural borders to touch the hearts of a very devoted international fan base.

Ticketed Start Time 7.30pm

For VIP Package inclusions please click on the

Buy Tickets tab at the top of this page

Platinum	Cash	$	159.00
Gold	Cash	$	129.00
Silver	Cash	$	99.00

Platinum	Credit	$	162.00
Gold	Credit	$	131.42
Silver	Credit	$	100.83

VIP Package	Cash	$	299.00
VIP Package	Credit	$	304.73

Fri 17 January 2014

Starts at 7:30 PM

New Image Set Video from Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour Image Set Video

Timely Break for Lucky Winners

Exhausted from battling the recent fires: Seniors Lifestyle Competition winners Deb and Max Baigent from King Creek are delighted with their prize of a trip for two to Sydney

AFTER months of battling intense bush fires, one local volunteer will get a little respite he so well and truly deserves.

Captain of the King Creek Rural Fire Service Max Baigent and his wife Deb have been the lucky winners of the Senior Lifestyle Metro Sydney Escape competition.

The timing, the thankful and humble couple said, could not have been better.

Mr Baigent arrived home from the Harrington fires the day his wife heard the news.

"It's been a raging battle down there," he said. "We had a week of battling intense fires and I got back around midnight."

Utterly exhausted, the 57-year-old had mentioned earlier that he needed a holiday.

At first, his wife's words simply didn't register when she said they would be spending two nights in Sydney at the Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour.

"We're just so thankful to Senior Lifestyle for running this competition," he said. "All firies have just had a run of it the past five months, but all the crews have been doing such a fantastic job."

Her work with the Bundaleer Care Service also keeps Mrs Baigent on her feet. "You get so busy that you just don't take the time to rest," she said. "It makes it a bit different when you win something."

The 55-year-old said it would be nice to see her husband taking a break.

"It's an exhausting task they do, they get tired and weary but they all do it because they love it," she said. "It's their way of giving back to the community."

From the sleepy hollow of King Creek, to the hustle and bustle of the big smoke - the views over Darling Harbour will be a big change for the King Creek couple. "It's going to be very different, but it's going to be fantastic to have a bit of time to relax," Mr Baigent said.

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2014 Sydney Festival - Metro Hotels Accommodation Partner

Metro Hotels is an official Accommodation Partner of the 2014 Sydney Festival.

‘Grease’ is the word at Metro Apartments Darling Harbour - Metro Hotels

It’s time to don your leather jacket, loosen up your vocal cords and pull up the bobby socks because the hit musical ‘Grease’ is back in Sydney and Metro Apartment’s Darling Harbour has put together a great value accommodation package starting from just $199.00* per night.

Grease opened at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in Pyrmont last month and is already playing to packed houses and receiving rave reviews.  Starring former Australian Idol and ‘Wicked’ star Rob Mills as Danny and Gretel Scarlett as Sandy, the show has a hit cast of Australian music greats including Todd McKenney, Anthony Callea and Bert Newton.

To make it easy for visitors to Sydney to enjoy a night out at Grease without the hassle of travelling home afterwards, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is offering a Grease Special which includes a complimentary bottle of wine on arrival and a free upgrade to an Executive Apartment (subject to availability):

v  $199* per night from Sunday to Thursday

v  $299* per night on Friday and Saturday night

Situated in the heart of Sydney directly opposite the footbridge from The Star’s Lyric Theatre, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is a popular accommodation choice for couples and families looking for a ‘home away from home’ in close proximity to all Sydney’s major attractions.

With 32 recently renovated loft-style one-bedroom apartments, each with a queen sized bed and sofa bed, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour offer all the comforts of home with the convenience of a perfect city location.

Located in two separate buildings in Sussex and King Streets, guests can choose from the larger, contemporary-styled Sussex St apartments with views over Darling Harbour or a New York styled King Street apartment with access to rooftop pool.

Apartments have full kitchen and laundry facilities and spacious living rooms. Discount parking of $30 for 24 hours is provided nearby at 170 Sussex St Secure Car Parking.

*Terms and conditions apply. Minimum 2 night stay.  Offer valid until end of show season.

View this press release and more at Metro Hotels News