What's on in Sydney: February 17 to 23
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
COMMUNITY More than 80,000 people are expected to turn out for Mardi Gras Fair Day and the excellent line-up of performances includes Mojo Juju, Electric Fields, Flint Eastwood and more. The day also includes the Doggywood Pageant, where cute pooches can strut their stuff. 10am-9pm, Victoria Park, cnr Parramatta and City roads, Broadway, free, mardigras.org.au
MUSIC Have a dance and take in the rooftop view at free summer event series See Sound with this month's bash featuring DJ sets from Winston Surfshirt, Murray Lake, Alex Mac and Nick van Tiel. Noon-midnight, Coogee Pavilion, 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee, free, merivale.com
ART It's the final week to drop by Sulman prize winner Andrew Sullivan's solo exhibition Silent Film (until February 24), in which the painter depicts actors of the pre-talkies era seemingly transported to the world of Japanese kabuki. 1-5pm, Galerie Pompom, 2/27-39 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, free, galeriepompom.com
STAGE After a successful tour of the UK in 2018, At Last – The Etta James Story returns with Vika Bull expertly rising to the challenge of illuminating the music and life of the legendary songstress. The show features tracks such as Tell Mama, Something's Got a Hold on Me, Sugar on the Floor and I'd Rather Go Blind. 5pm, Sydney Opera House, $79-$129, sydneyoperahouse.com
FILM American Express Openair Cinemas Bondi (until March 2) tonight screens the critical and commercial smash A Star is Born (rated M), which has Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga cast in the most recent cinematic reincarnation of the romantic drama. 6pm, Bondi Pavilion, 1 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach, $25-$40, openaircinemas.com.au
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18
EXHIBITION Capturing Nature, Early Photography at the Australian Museum 1857 – 1893 (until July 21) dives into the institution's early archives to display never-before-seen images in large-format prints alongside the skeletons and taxidermied creatures shown in the shots and cameras of the period. 9.30am-5pm, Australian Museum, 1 William Street, city, $15, australianmuseum.net.au
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
MUSIC Australian songwriter Laura Imbruglia plays a free gig to launch her latest single, The Creeps, a strutting rock track about love turned sour. 7pm, The Bank Hotel, 324 King Street, Newtown, free, bankhotel.com.au
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
DANCE King (until February 24) is a new collaboration between choreographer Shaun Parker and Bulgarian-born vocalist Ivo Dimchev. The work explores toxic masculinity, male power and the group dynamic with live narration sung by Dimchev. 7.30pm, Seymour Centre, cnr City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale, $49, seymourcentre.com
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
STAGE Yalin Ozucelik, Alex Bryant-Smith and Nicholas Papademetriou appear in Harold Pinter's classic The Caretaker (until February 23) in which a homeless man is invited into the residence of two brothers. 7.45pm, Riverside Theatres, cnr Church and Market streets, Parramatta, $49, riversideparramatta.com.au
STAGE Award-winning playwright Mary Rachel Brown's Dead Cat Bounce (until April 6) is a darkly funny exploration of addiction and romance via the relationship between a young woman and a much older man dealing with his own demons. 7pm, SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross, $52, griffintheatre.com.au
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
COMEDY Eddie Izzard has already sold out two shows, but tickets to his final performance are still available. Hear the English stand-up on his new tour Wunderbar as he muses on everything from talking dogs to the history of humanity. 8pm, State Theatre, 49 Market Street, city, $91.50, ticketmaster.com.au