By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
As the nights grow longer and the air turns crisp, Redfern’s Wunderlich Lane will be offering an enticing alternative for those who didn’t manage to escape for a European Summer by transforming Sydney Winter into a week-long celebration of after-dark delights.
From today, June 16 to Sunday, June 22, this buzzing precinct is unveiling NightShift, its inaugural Winter Solstice festival - and it promises to deliver so much more than your average mid-year Oodie-adorned hibernation!
Instead of retreating into blankets and bingeing another streaming series, NightShift invites you to dance, feast, sip and stretch your way through the darkest nights of the year. With more than a dozen unmissable events spanning food, music, art, cocktails and wellness, Wunderlich Lane is setting the stage (and several dinner tables) for an unforgettable solstice.
Start by swapping your Monday night envy scroll of your best friend's social media, dreaming of Santorini sunsets and head to the next best thing at NightShift’s Greek Feast Launch Party at Olympus.
Think ancient festival vibes with a modern Redfern twist - long tables overflowing with food, flowers by Doctor Cooper, roving performers and a hypnotic set by Godtet. It’s a night that promises drama, deliciousness and Dionysian energy.
On Tuesday, the Baptist Street Rec Club will play host to The Best Music Quiz Ever. Music legends Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe are stepping behind the mic for a night of chaotic trivia, disco cocktails and guilty-pleasure deep cuts. Bring your most competitive mates and your knowledge of ‘90s hits.
Midweek, things start to heat up - literally and sonically. S’wich and Regina La Pizzeria join forces for an after-work pizzetta sandwich party, while Bar Julius dims the lights for late-night jazz with Setwun, a genre-blending maestro from Sydney’s underground music scene. Order a bistro classic, sip something strong and let the low-slung soul take over.
Craving something a little cosier? Saarde and Saltbox will serve up hot toddies and mulled wine inside the Saarde concept store - warm, aromatic and perfectly timed for the longest nights of the year. If you’d rather soak than sip, check out The Eve Hotel’s Nocturne Nightdrift, where poolside rituals, heated water and a Mexican-inspired Winter menu by Lottie await under moonlight.
By the time Saturday rolls around, Wunderlich Lane will well and truly be in weekend mode! Over at Island Radio, DJ Jnett headlines a noodle rave, which is exactly what it sounds like. Expect noodles, lasers and beats, all in one euphoric sensory overload.
Meanwhile, Regina La Pizzeria and Gelato Messina will serve up their Bank Lane Italo Discoteria - picture a long communal table, wood-fired slices, frosty scoops and an Italo disco soundtrack spun by Ministry of Sound co-founder Declan Lee.
If you're more into culinary theatre than dancefloor chaos, you’ll want to score a seat at R by Raita Noda, where the father-son duo will break down an entire tuna in a live omakase experience - a rare glimpse into the elegance and ritual of Japanese fine dining.
If the hustle and bustle all gets a bit much? Book yourself into The Parlour Room for The Longest Sleep, a two-hour sensory retreat complete with hot stone massage, scalp treatment, guided meditation and a soul-soothing cup of tea. It’s a beautiful reminder that while long warm days may not be on the horizon any time soon, glowing skin that looks like it’s been sun-kissed can be.
To top it all off, The Wunderlich Exchange runs all week long, encouraging cross-pollination between venues - meaning your favourite bar’s signature cocktail might just pop up at your go-to restaurant and vice versa. It’s collaborative, creative and classic Redfern cool.
So, whether you're in it for the music, the miso-infused cocktails, the midnight jazz or the magnesium balm, NightShift is your excuse to stay out late and celebrate the mid-year solstice all over again. It's part party, part ritual, part reset - and it's all happening under the Winter moon.
NightShift runs Monday, June 16-Sunday, June 22 at Wunderlich Lane, 2 Baptist Street, Redfern.
For tickets and the full program, visit wunderlichlane.com.
