The annual Sydney Festival is set to bring the harbour city to life this month with an impressive lineup of music, art and theatrical events.

A couple of attractions opened yesterday, with circus cabaret, Limbo, at The Spiegeltent and an inflatable life-size version of Britain’s Stonehenge, both in Hyde Park.

It’s baaaaack! Last year’s Sydney Festival’s rubber duck (Image: Sydney Morning Herald)

Out in Parramatta, the opening party POP will shut down streets featuring music, acrobats and best of all, last year’s famous rubber duck. Meanwhile the Festival Village at Hyde Park North, near the Archibald Fountain, will host Village Bandstand with free live music and DJs, and the City of Sydney’s Lawn Library.

Chaka Khan (Image: ChakaKhan.com)

Headlining this year’s festival is Chaka Khan who is performing in her trademark funk-soul style at Summer Sounds in the Domain, this weekend. The festival concludes on Australia Day, Sunday 26th January, with the annual Symphony in the Domain, and coinciding with fireworks on Darling Harbour.

For more information, or for tickets to reserved events, go to the Sydney Festival’s website.