Hollywood Quarter
Explore the activation event that turned an inner Sydney District into an (almost) all-night live music extravaganza.
Hollywood Quarter in inner Sydney transformed into a frenzy of live performance on 5 April 2025 as a precinct-wide gig trail took over the neighbourhood for one night only. The trail featured 10 venues and 16 street performances, which were accompanied by a curated food trail to fuel the partygoers. The activation, which was organised in partnership with Great Southern Nights, was designed to showcase Hollywood Quarter as a thriving nightlife hub with diverse food, beverage and entertainment offerings for visitors.
Hollywood Quarter is an Uptown District nestled in the back streets of Surry Hills, and home to some of Sydney’s most loved hospitality institutions, including the historic Hotel Hollywood, five-star dining, and beloved cafes and bars. The area is so popular, in fact, that Foster Street (located in Hollywood Quarter) was named one of Time Out’s 30 Coolest Streets in the World in 2024.
This activation marks the second year that Great Southern Nights has collaborated with the Hollywood Quarter District. Great Southern Nights is an initiative of the NSW Government and is delivered by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in partnership with Destination NSW. Launched in 2020, Great Southern Nights amplifies New South Wales’ live music scene by showcasing homegrown talents in venues across the state. And, with plenty of high-quality venues packed together in the Hollywood Quarter, the area was the perfect spot for a multi-venue activation event.
The gig trail
The activation’s gig trail was curated by Hollywood Quarter music programmer, Trevor Brown, and included several free-to-attend gigs. Performances kicked off at midday in Alberto’s lounge with a performance by DJ Foxy Fuzz, a Sydney-based DJ specialising in soul and vintage Latin sounds.
Other highlights of the trail included the performances at Butter, a hip-hop dive bar, by The Unction, Strukiii, Odyssey and Beddy White, a performance by Deficit at the Burdekin Hotel, and more gigs running simultaneously at six other venues. Finally, the night concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning at Soda Factory, where the music ran non-stop from 7pm-4am.
Outside the official list of venues, a handpicked troupe of buskers and street performers lined Foster, Hunt and Goulburn Streets to delight nearby pedestrians. The 15 performances featured a range of instrumentation, including flamenco guitar, French chanson, jazz sax, funky street percussion and roving vocalists.
Hollywood Quarter
Late-night bites
The event’s corresponding food trail featured limited edition food and beverages, generous specials and late-night snacks to sustain the partygoers. At Butter, a limited-edition artist meal was on offer-inspired by the Filipino heritage of Sydney-based artist, Grant Perez. Nomad and Pellegrino 2000 both offered outdoor dining with great views of live street performances nearby. Beverage options ranged from $12 popcorn and margarita combo specials at Tio’s and an “apolytivo happy hour” at Poly.
The results
Each venue on the trail offered a distinct musical and culinary experience for visitors, while street performances brought a pleasant surprise to passers-by, as seemingly spontaneous street gigs outside venues encouraged onlookers to linger and explore the area.
The event drew in a crowd of thousands, and resulted in increased foot traffic, spend and engagement for the district. Keep your eyes peeled for future events in the Hollywood Quarter.
Learn more
Check out what’s on next at the Hollywood Quarter: https://www.hqsydney.com/
To learn more about Great Southern Nights, visit their website here: https://www.greatsouthernnights.com.au/