Night Owls Free Outdoor Film Festival

A Sydney school holiday institution for a generation of families – Darling Quarter’s Night Owls Film Festival celebrates its tenth year this April!

Returning with an enticing line-up of free family movies (plus after-hours screenings for the adults on selected evenings), everyone is invited to kick back on the Northern Village Green and enjoy the evocative magic of simple and beautiful storytelling on the big screen.

From 1–18 April, visitors will be drawn in by the allure of lazy, glowing school holiday evenings spent on picnic blankets as they take in the 12 nights of film, fun giveaways and live entertainment.

There are 18 movies on offer, including recent releases Peter Rabbit, The Addams Family (2019), SCOOB!, Little Women and Ride Like A Girl plus enduring favourites Despicable Me, Kung Fu Panda, RIO, and more.

Each evening at 5:45pm Night Owls begins with 30-minutes of kids’ entertainment curated by the much-loved Lah Lah, who will bring the precinct to life with a series of energetic performances and interactive entertainment for kids. Lah Lah’s Big Live Band will get the joint jumping on opening night, with The Beanies, Vegetable Plot, Tip Toe Giants and many more playing live across the other dedicated nights.

Dinner is sorted too, with picnic options on offer to suit everyone, whether they’re feeding the extended family or are part of a cosy couple. Using the Bopple app, guests can pre-order snacks, meals and more for delivery right to their picnic rugs. The precinct’s renowned eateries include Braza Churrascaria, Vesta Italian, Umi Sushi, Nok Nok Thai Eating House and Taste Baguette & Grill. For dessert, there’s Gelatissimo or Guylian to top off a fabulous evening.

With plenty of onsite parking at Wilson Car Park it’s easy for families and friends to plan a memorable visit to Darling Quarter this summer. To receive $10 flat rate parking when pre-booking, simply use the code DQNIGHTOWLS10.

Night Owls 2021: A decade of unfolding stories
When: Thursday to Sunday for three consecutive weeks from 1 to 18 April 2021
Where: Northern Village Green, Darling Quarter, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney NSW 2000
Time: Festivities kick off each night from 5:45 pm
Parking: $10 flat rate applies for pre-booked parking between 3 PM and 1 AM.

The Lowdown:
4:00 pm – Gates open
5:45 pm - 6:15 pm – Kids’ live entertainment
6:30 pm – Feature film screening
8:30 pm – After-hours screening*

*After-hours screenings on Friday and Saturday nights only.