Pixar-themed mini-golf and 3 other fun summer outing ideas

BY PATRICK MCKENZIE

Pixar Putt

Sick of your Pixar fix being restricted by the size of the Disney+ catalogue and the speed of your Wi-Fi connection? Fret no longer! By popular demand, and slightly delayed by lockdown, your favourite Pixar characters are popping up at The Entertainment Quarter in mini-golf form.

From November 26 until February 6, Pixar Putt’s 9 and 18-hole courses featuring the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and assorted cooking paraphernalia from Ratatouille are set to entertain fans of the original Toy Story and Luca enthusiasts alike.

The course opens from 10am daily and welcomes all ages. However, for those less enthused by choruses of toddlers scoring their experience, 18+ ‘After Dark’ sessions will also be running from 7-10pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

All the fun of trying to sink a hole-in-one under the piercing gaze of those terrifying spherical robots from The Incredibles can be yours from $19.90. Grab your tickets here.

The Sydney Festival

As Sydney well and truly opens up again, the Sydney Festival is returning from January 5-30 as the premier local arts and culture event to kickstart what is looking to be a re-energising 2022.

With too many indoor, outdoor, and online music, art, and performance offerings to name – over 130 to be exact – there’s sure to be something for everyone.

Highlights at a glance include Qween Lear, a queer version of Shakespeare’s King Lear to take place at the Hordern Pavilion, and THAW, a daring installation which will see a 2.7 tonne iceberg suspended over Sydney Harbour as a bold call to act on the climate crisis.

Tickets are on sale now. The full program can be viewed here.

The Mapo Gelato Bus

Remember those old, rattling, faded-pink ice-cream vans, blasting Greensleeves out of cheap speakers and peddling cones of plastic-y soft serve at a markup so insane it should be illegal?

Now throw all of that out the window and replace it with a tasteful gold ’72 Bedford CF and all of the natural, simple, and just plain delicious gelato you can shake a credit card at.

Understated gelato institution Mapo has hit the road, bringing the likes of Fior di latte, buttery salted caramel, and vegan ‘Like Nutella, but better’ flavoured gelato far beyond the doors of its esteemed Newtown and Bondi venues.

Follow them on Instagram to stay updated on the bus’ location over the coming months!

Just go to the beach

An oldie but a goodie.

There are at least 70 beaches in Sydney – possibly more! Take the opportunity of a summer in which they’ll be slightly less-heaving under the pressure of thousands of tourists. Bring sunscreen! Sliced watermelon! Your boogie board you haven’t used in two years! Go out and explore!