Rebecca Males shares three reasons you should experience the Sydney Festival this summer.

If your plan was to lie by the pool/couch/bed this weekend, scrap it. Snag some friends and come down to Festival Village in The Domain, part of the City of Sydney’s annual Sydney Festival. There’s a smorgasbord of cultural delights on offer, and hey, even if you don’t enjoy it, you’ve been culturally enlightened and can enjoy the bars with that learned halo of yours.

Admittedly, I have the musical insight of a panda, but here’s a pick and mix…

The Big Rubber Duck
Until January 19
Parramatta River
Parramatta Park, between Pavilion Flat and Government Farm

Well. He is nothing if not Instaworthy.

Il Carnivale de Gelato Messina
Until January 26
The Festival Village
Hyde Park North, Sydney, entry near the Archibald Fountain

I’ll be perfectly honest. This is Syd Fest’s crowning glory. Case in point:

That’s no ordinary hotdog. It’s a Yeaaah Dawg. A milk chocolate gelato dog, cushioned in a warm bun, and embellished with passionfruit ‘mustard’, raspberry ‘ketchup’, buttercream ‘mayo’ and coconut ‘onions’. The Messinawiener offers a decadent alternative – maple syrup gelato, deep fried, and drizzled with plum sauce. I couldn’t think of a tastier way to induce a heart attack.

Check out the full menu here.

Boxwars
Until January 17
10am-2pm
Festival Village
Hyde Park North, Sydney, entry near the Archibald Fountain

Make your own armour and pretend you’re in Game of Thrones, basically.

In between dressing up as a box, gazing at the rubber ducky and generally licking walls, you should go and have a look at some of the grown up events. Pan Pan Theatre is presenting All That Fall, a radio play in the Festival Village. There’s plenty of Summer Sounds in The Domain as well, with Chaka Khan and Hot Dub Time Machine making an appearance.

Go on. Be a tourist in this state’s capital city and learn something new.
You’ll find me in the Messina tent. Drooling.

Images: Sydney Festival 2014