A summer spent in Perth isn’t a hard sell when you think of its otherworldly coastline – Western Australia’s sunny capital has 19 beaches within easy reach of the city – but there’s plenty more action to be chased away from the sand. If you’ve got energy to burn, the season brings about some of the city (and the state)’s best events.

This year sees the return of some old favourites, as well as some new exclusive spectacles. Here are six worth pencilling into your calendar.

United Cup

Tennis giants from across the globe, including Alex de Minaur, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, will descend on Perth to compete in the United Cup from December 29, 2023, to January 3, 2024. The unique mixed-team event is split between Sydney and Perth and sees teams of up to six from 18 countries compete for glory. Every tie involves one men’s and one women’s singles before a mixed doubles match. The United Cup kicks off with group-stage matches at RAC Arena. Tickets are on sale now, with general admission from $40.

Never miss a Perth moment. Make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter today.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

HSBC SVNS Perth

In addition to a slew of tennis superstars, Perth will also welcome some of the world’s best rugby players. Twelve rugby sevens men’s and women’s teams from across the globe will compete in the fast-paced HSBC SVNS tournament at HBF Park. With each half lasting only seven minutes, it means punters will have plenty of time to explore the surrounding festival, which is just as much of a drawcard as the game itself. Explore local flavours at the food market, cut a shape at the beach club, and enjoy one of the many DJs hitting the stage. The tournament runs from January 26 to January 28, 2024. Tickets are available now, starting at $35 for general admission with an unreserved seat and full access to the surrounding festivities.

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

For the first time since 2018, WWE returns to Australian shores with a major event on February 24, 2024. Elimination Chamber: Perth is expected to be viewed in more than a billion homes in over 165 countries, but in Perth you can experience this spectacle up close and personal at Optus Stadium. WWE Women’s World Champion (and Aussie) Rhea Ripley is expected to be in attendance, alongside Bianca Belair, LA Knight, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Cody Rhodes and internet-sensation-turned-WWE-Superstar Logan Paul. In a coup for Perth, one of the world’s most famous WWE Superstars, The Undertaker, is bringing his solo tour The 1deadMAN Show to Perth with an intimate live show sharing never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career. WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth tickets are on sale now.

Busselton Jetty Swim

On the second Sunday in February, thousands of swimmers plunge into Geographe Bay and race 3.6 kilometres around the heritage-listed Busselton Jetty, the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, as part of the Busselton Jetty Swim. The event started in 1996 with 82 competitors, but now hosts almost 5000 swimmers over two days, running from February 10 to February 11, 2024. For those remaining onshore, there are epic beach games on the Saturday, plus free soon-to-be-announced foreshore events running all weekend long.

Perth Festival

Australia’s longest-running international arts festival returns this year, with its theme of Ngaangk (“sun” or “mother” in Noongar belief systems), highlighting a diverse array of Australian and international performers all coming together under the same sun. This year, there’s another star-studded line-up including Sampha, Grammy-award winning Angélique Kidjo and her recent collaborator Sampa the Great, who’ll share the stage with local icons Emma Donovan and Paul Kelly at the free closing weekend concert. The picturesque Somerville Auditorium is the place to catch the world’s best movies with Lotterywest Films, beneath Somerville’s stunning pines. And Lake Logue transforms the State Theatre’s Studio Underground into a choose-your-own-adventure production, placing audiences into a cabin in the woods with a radio. Tune into five stations to hear five characters uncover some deeper truths that lie just beneath the surface of the lake. The festival runs from February 9 to March 3, 2024, and tickets are now available for individual events.

South West Craft Beer Festival

For much of the year, Western Australia’s award-winning wine gets most of the spotlight, but for one day in March, craft beer has its moment to shine. The South West Craft Beer Festival, held on March 16, 2024 on the Busselton Foreshore, showcases over 150 of the South West’s best local brews, from Mandurah (Mandjoogoordap) down to Denmark. With more than 20 local brewers taking part, it’s set to be the perfect day out, with a smattering of food vendors and local DJs on the line up too. Tickets are $25, but if you buy three you can get a fourth for free, so get a bunch of mates together and get amongst it.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Tourism Western Australia.