10 festivals to attend in (the second half of) 2012

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

Sept 28-30

In September controversial thinkers will once again gather under the white sails for a weekend of pot stirring and feather ruffling.

Parklife 2012

30 Sep

Back in it's old Centenial Park home, local electronica heroes The Presets top a bill that also includes Passion Pit, Justice, Tame Impala, Robyn and Chairlift.

Crave Sydney International Food Festival 2012

Oct 1-31

Top international and Australian chefs will gather again in 2012 for the city's biggest festival of tasty treats. Our tummies are rumbling at the mere thought.

Just for Laughs

Oct 18-22

For the inaugural event last year we got John Cleese, Dylan Moran, Margaret Cho, Demitri Martin and other giants of comedy. How's 2012 going to beat it? Watch this space…

Surry Hills Festival

Oct 27

It's one of Sydney's biggest community festivals, and it's finally back at its proper home of Prince Alfred Park, with music, stalls, community groups and a vast amount of entertainment. Good times.

Sydney Design

Oct 27-Nov 11

The people of Sydney will go design crazy for a whole month this year. And with Sydney Design's exhibitions, lectures, tours and workshops we don't blame 'em.

Graphic Festival

Nov 9-11

We have no doubt that in its third year, this festival devoted to graphic storytelling, animation and music will be able to trump past guests including Neil Gaimon and Kevin Smith.

Newtown Festival

Nov 9

It's Newtown's 150th birthday, so this year's annual party from the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre is going to be freakin' huge. Camperdown Memorial Rest Park will not have seen its like.

Harvest Festival

Nov 17

Beck tops the bill for the second Harvest, a boutique festival for the discerning indie lover – and they've also got Grizzly Bear, Sigur Ros, the reunited Ben Folds Five, Santigold, Mike Patton's Mondo Caine and more!

Peats Ridge

29 Dec-1 Jan

Is there a better way to see the new year in than at this camping festival in at Glenworth Valley with literally hundreds of creative types providing entertainment of all kinds? It's a rhetorical question. Answer's still no, though.