HELLO KITTY WORLD

WHEN: Now - April 29 2022

WHERE: Darling Square, 35 Tumbalong Boulevard, Haymarket

As fans of a certain fictional cat-like Japanese character should already know, Hello Kitty Land is a real place that exists in Tokyo, and it's probably a bucket-list destination for your next Japan trip. But Sydneysiders don't need to hop on a plane to celebrate the bow-wearing, feline-resembling animated favourite for the next three months, with Darling Square hosting a huge Hello Kitty-themed street festival.

Running now until Friday, April 29, this Hello Kitty fest is actually a Hello Kitty Town — so expect the precinct to be positively purring with all things Hello Kitty. Created in partnership with Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the super-popular character, the setup includes exhibitions, inflatable installations and Hello Kitty-themed food and drinks. Who doesn't want to eat a sandwich shaped like the perpetual third-grade student, or drink Hello Kitty rose mocktails?

On the art side of the setup, Hello Kitty Town is home to Australia's largest Sanrio art exhibitions, spanning pieces from top graphic designers, illustrators and street artists such as UK cartoonist, writer and illustrator Gemma Correll, Berlin-based artist and illustrator DXTR, Melbourne large-scale mural painter Justine McAllister, and Aussie artist Travis Price, who is the featured artist for the festival — with their wares all displayed in an outdoor gallery.

And, there's also a five-metre Hello Kitty inflatable that, yes, is as adorable as it sounds – Concrete Playground.