Your guide to experiencing the festival of light, music, food and ideas.
The streets of Sydney will transform with mesmerising art displays and 3D light projections, exhilarating live music performances, thought-provoking discussions and sumptuous culinary experiences for Vivid Sydney from 26 May to 17 June.
Here’s what you need to know.
Free and paid events
No matter your budget, there’s plenty of ways to get involved in Vivid Sydney.
Hundreds of light installations around the city will turn on at 6pm every night. Some of the best and free vantage points are The Rocks, Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, Bradfield Park under the north side of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, Lavender Bay, Walsh Bay, Barangaroo or along the harbour itself.
Don’t miss the free Vivid Sydney drone shows at Circular Quay and The Rocks – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere to date.
Vivid Music is set to present 12 nights of free and un-ticketed live music in its Tumbalong Nights program. Held at Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park, a stacked line-up of local and international acts take to the stage from Thursday to Saturday (plus one Sunday). Beloved Australian children’s acts kick things off before the lights turn on every Saturday from 5pm. Plus, DJs keep the vibes high from Sunday to Wednesday nights.
There’s also plenty of unique events all around the city, from cruises to dining experiences and more.
Expect crowds
The Vivid Sydney Light Walk is very popular and attracts large crowds. Generally, Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights and the Monday public holiday night on 12 June attract the largest crowds. If you’re coming with children or strollers, consider coming on a weeknight to have a less busy experience.
Extra public transport services
Leave the car at home if you can and take public transport.
Extra trains and buses will run on weekends to help you get to and from Vivid Sydney locations. On Friday nights from 6pm and on weekends from 5pm buses and light rail services won’t run to Circular Quay. Light rail services will end at Town Hall and buses will relocate to Martin Place.
If you have to drive, remember that access to parking will be limited and traffic will be heavy. Some car parks in the city centre will be inaccessible while roads are closed and special event clearways will be in effect on most major roads each day of the event.
Accessibility is key
There are 3 accessible locations to view Vivid Sydney lights:
- Walsh Bay – Hickson Road Reserve
- Darling Harbour – Tumbalong Park
- Circular Quay – Museum of Contemporary Art lawn
Find out more information about accessible facilities and services.
Affordable gigs with Vivid Music
The City of Sydney supports the Vivid Music program every year by providing funds to small, local venues to enable them to curate, promote and market their own live music programs.
From electronic to hip hop, reggaeton to rap – find music to suit your taste at one of these events under $50 at Sydney’s coolest venues.
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Treat yourself with Vivid Food
For the first time ever at Vivid Sydney, tastemakers will collaborate for the inaugural Vivid Food, a program of multisensory meals that celebrate Sydney’s rich and vibrant restaurants, food culture and local produce.
Don’t miss local and international pitmasters coming together for Vivid Fire Kitchen at The Cutaway in Barangaroo.
Learn something new at Vivid Ideas
Vivid Ideas returns this year, challenging the way we think with exciting discussions and immersive experiences.
A world-class event for Sydney
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore said that the City of Sydney working with Destination NSW each year on the festival goes to show how much our city has to offer.
“Vivid Sydney is a world-class event that attracts thousands of people each night to the city centre and harbour and showcases our local talent and creativity,” the Lord Mayor said.
“This year we’re providing $400,000 in cash and in-kind support for Vivid Sydney. One of the reasons we sponsor the event is to ensure everyone can enjoy this fabulous city.”
