Aussie Music Festival! This was such an amazing time! Heaps…read moreof fun! The Newtown area took over one of their local parks, set up music stages and food trucks and rocked out! I absolutely had a great time! For a mere 5 bucks, you get a full day of entertainment and fun in the sun! There were a huge sampling of food trucks, beer booths, and beverage carts. They sold stuff that was much fancier than the regular fair fare. There were merchant booths selling everything from raunchy patches to Nepalese jewelry to boomerangs. They had lots of political activist groups educating the public on the dangers of fracking, the police, groups advocating for looser pub laws, and field hockey! You can even take classes on mulching and recycling! Restrooms were plentiful and clean. Drinking water was supplied for free as well. There was plenty of security and things felt safe. They sold plenty of beer- all locally made in the 'hood! There was a bag check at the gates, but they hardly did a good job of checking. After the festival was over, the party spills out on to the streets where the fun continues! If you're around for this festival, I highly recommend it.

Newtown Festival always seems to fall on the most humid day of November, year after year. Thus, a…read moreday at the festival involves a tonne of cold drinks, plenty of sunscreen (thankfully available from one stall every 50 metres), plenty of sunburn (no matter how you've tried to combat it) and oftena mild case of sunstroke. Plus, you may end up getting rained on at some point. But more often than not, it's worth it. Basically, Newtown festival is a giant market that takes up Newtown's iconic Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. At least 280 stalls stand shoulder to shoulder, selling and promoting everything from food and drinks (both alcoholic and non - I advise sticking to the non alcoholic early in the day to avoid the evil repercussions of the alcohol-heat combo) to skin cancer awareness stands (apt), hula hoop workshops, political activists, face painting, hula hooping, musical instruments, henna tattoos and plumbing services, as well as martial arts demonstrations, live theatre and street art, a writers' area and a huge kids contingent. Weaving your way through all these stalls will take hours - it's a slow and concerted effort making your way down the rows of stalls, each foot being placed carefully so as to not tread on someone elses as the entire population of the markets move as one like a slow motion school of fish. But once you've made your way to the end, you're rewarded with an open green in which to sit and listen to the line-up of local live bands on one of three stages and from experience, these bands are usually pretty good. The festival is free and it's a great way to sample what Newtown stands for whilst supporting the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre. Sunday 13th November 9:30am - 5:30pm

cool atmosphere. Pepsi the choice over the other cola brand. some other options could be yelpful to…read moreus ... uhem ... non drinkers. but no worries! :-)

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jaz, serving at the bar, whilst upstairs for the 5ive concert…read more This young lady was so professional, friendly and accommodating in helping us with with our merchandise. Jaz needs to be commended on her quick thinking and bubbly persona :)

Hardware Gallery opened in 1999 and moved to its Enmore address in 2006. The venue includes two…read moreexhibition spaces, an art services workshop and a second-hand record shop. Exhibitions change every few weeks, featuring both solo artists and group shows. They display some really interesting art, always worth a browse even if you're not in the market for buying. Take, for example, the recent 5th Annual Google Exhibition, which was part of The Sydney Fringe Festival. A bunch of artists were given the same phrase (this year 'Uncanny Valley'), and had to Google it at the exact same time, then take inspiration from one of the resulting websites. Cool, yes? Yes. You can also get your used vinyl fix, plus a range of art services like framing, installation and canvas stretching. Check the Hardware Gallery website or blog (http://hardwaregallery.wordpress.com) for upcoming exhibitions and news.

Great local cinema that plays lots of independent films that you won't find anywhere else. If you…read morejoin Club Dendy, movies are just $13 anytime and they offer preview screenings of new films before they are released to the general public. The recent refurbishment has made this my favorite local cinema. Good, comfy seats, and nice (if small) screening rooms. And, as an added bonus, the Dendy tends to attract more of a movie-lover crowd, so I don't end up with idiots sitting next to me texting and/or talking throughout the film.

We arrived at Dendy in Newtown a little bit late and bought our tickets from the Candy Bar. We…read moretiptoed through the doors and took a seat up the back in one of their smaller cinemas. The film was 'Blessed' and like all Australian dramas it made you want to slit your wrists. So how do you review a cinema when the mood of the piece that you see there is so heavy that it surely will effect your opinions. The film was depressing, but the cinema was not. If you see a comedy, you're bound to leave with an upbeat attitude thinking, wow this cinema, absolutely hilarious! So let us look at the markable qualities within and try and ignore the child burning, man-slaughtering, sexually abused themes of the film we saw there. The cinema is quite small compared to its blockbuster equivalents. The cinema we watched 'Blessed' in, couldn't have sat more than one hundred and twenty people, this is a plus in my books. Less people, less chance of a phone call, a crumpled chip packet or an older person who assumes the cinema is a pantomime. "Look out behind you Batman! It's Heath!" The tickets are relatively cheap as they do not do 3D and thus do not feel the need to rob you for something so unnecessary as the third dimension. The range of films they get in is always interesting; foreign films, small Australian films and even blockbuster films from time to time. The main issue with Dendy in Newtown is the parking, but that goes for the whole of Newtown. Trains and busses are available or it's a pleasant stroll through a cafe and boutique rich suburb should you decide on walking. Let's be honest, a fresh aired walk is just what you'll need to clear your head of suicidal thoughts after experiencing the latest Australian familial drama.

I had the best possible introduction to Newtown's New Theatre. I went to see Aaron Sorkin's sublime…read moreThe Farnsworth Invention and, better yet, the actors did a great job of his rapid-fire dialogue. Sorkin on stage was always going to see me with a big grin on my face, so of course I left with very rosy feelings towards this theatre. The venue itself feels intimate and beloved. The staff behind the bar double as ushers and everyone seems keen for you to have a good night. And you're in Newtown, so pre-theatre dinner or a post-show supper are just too easy to come by! So while Sorkin initially won me over, I'll definitely be coming back to the New Theatre.

Came here for a friend's play. Bought tickets on line and when we walked there that night, we saw…read morethat the theatre had moved. Luckily it was just a few blocks down the road. Came in and a really cool band was playing on stage. We checked in with the lady at the bar and sat down. The place had a cool old vibe. The bathroom was newly painted and fairly clean. After about 15 minutes, there was an announcement that the play would start soon. We queued up and went to our seats. The stairs up to the chairs were a bit wobbly. The chairs were comfy, nothing flash. Overall a cool venue. Close by to St Peter's Train Station.

We were very disappointed with the band as our requests for the band to play on the balcony and to…read moreplay certain songs (like the song for our first dance) fell on deaf ears. Our purpose of hiring Sydney Jazz Collective was to provide jazz music out on the balcony where most of the guests were. Moreover, we had repeatedly made this request to Tom and Matt but instead, the band spent the entire night playing inside the function room. If we had wanted music inside the function room, we would have used our iTunes playlist and used the indoor PA system to play the music we wanted. Their reluctance to play outdoors initially was due to overcast weather but when the sky cleared up, they still did not make the effort to play outside. Furthermore, following them up to provide feedback also fell on deaf ears as they never returned any of our calls or emails.

Quality of music is good but i think they were a bit self-indulgent. There were a few songs that…read morewent for much longer than what I would have expected, like more than 4-5 minutes because they played a lot of improvisation. Also, they had to be asked to start and didn't take the initiative to fill the time. So much so I was tired asking them that I played music from itunes. For 5 hours, I think they played about 15 songs which is about $300 per song. Also, we asked them to accompany the father of the bride on a song dedication. They made a mistake with the chord in one place. If they were amateurs I could understand. But they are supposed to be professional so no mistake is tolerable. And the attitude! My gosh. The leader was arrogant.

Wonderful little spiritual shop. Some wonderful books and Jo Is a delight to deal with…read more Definitely take a look next time your at Paddys Markets.

From the owner: Awakening Lotus provides New Age Spiritual Products and Services to Empower You on Your Journey…read more Services: Readings, Healings & Aura Photogrphy Products: FREE Magazines Angels Body Products eg Ear Candles, Detox Feet Patches, Henna Books, CDs, DVDs Candles Crystals Dream Catchers Essential Oils & Sprays Himalayan Salt Lamps Incense & Holders Jewellery Mini Charts Oracle & Tarot Products Ornaments - Angels, Buddhas, Dragons, Fairies & Wizards Prayer Flags & Banners Show Bag Singing Bowls Stickers Suncatchers Windchimes

Charming little theatre in Newtown. Been here twice, once for a play and another time to watch a…read moredocumentary. Its a small, no fuss theatre. You can grab a drink in the lobby area while you wait. The seating area is a bit small with old chairs. Has a nice vibe, but not too impressive.

Our play, "The Spy Who Loved Meals" a shameless, or possibly shameful, James Bond Parody is playing…read moreat the Newtown Theatre in, yep, Newtown. This is my first foray into theatre writing and stage acting, so it's an exciting time for me. The theatre seats about fifty people or so and is kind of reminiscent of a gigantic shoebox. It's big and square-ish, kind of dark and that's probably where the comparison ends. As you walk up the stairs to the theatre you have to be careful not to tread too heavily as the creaks and cracks on the old stair well are highly audible, echoing through the theatre and, if the show has started, said footsteps can be distracting to performers should you be running late. During intervals and before and after each performance at the Newtown Theatre, drinks are available out of a small bar in the corner at a reasonable price. The bathroom is labeled the writers room and a smaller, yet more open stage is available for those rare performances performed in the lobby. So near to so many cafe's and restaurants and with a little bit of parking in the back streets of Newtown/Erskineville, Newtown Theatre is a small and welcoming theatre if not a little amateur. Highly recommended for an intimate show, but be warned, all kinds of theatre takes place here. Absolutely amazing (like our play) and absolutely appalling (like our play also).