And God said, “Let there be light”; but Sydney replied, “Mate, have you seen Vivid Sydney?”
From May 23–June 14, Australia’s most iconic city transforms into a radiant dreamscape for Vivid Sydney 2025—Sydney’s iconic festival of Light, Music, Ideas and Food. It’s one of the most anticipated events in Sydney, drawing visitors from across the globe. In its 15th edition, the festival invites you to step beyond the ordinary and enter the realm of wonder and imagination with its ‘DREAM’ theme.
This year, the Vivid Sydney events have been categorised into five different zones for easier navigation —The Circular Quay & The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Martin Place & CBD, Barangaroo, and The Goods Line & Inner City— each zone and its events are unique to each other. We’ve broken it down zone by zone, highlighting the best events in each zone and how to get to them.
1. Circular Quay and The Rocks
This is the zone where most of Vivid Sydney’s light installations take place. Sydney’s iconic landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge take on a new life.
How to get there
Top Highlights
‘Lighting of the Sails: The Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid’: Enthralling animations that embody the queer and punk sensibilities of the late artist are projected onto the sails of Sydney Opera House.
‘Vivid Light on Sydney Harbour': The ferries and Vivid Sydney Harbour cruises adorned in LED rope-lights move in harmony with the vibrant light displays along the shoreline.
‘Our Connected City’ lights up the whole of Sydney Harbour and CBD into a stunning spectacle of synchronised lights, where iconic attractions like the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Luna Park etc., are adorned with dynamic illuminations.
‘Sweet Dreams’ by Spinifex Group transforms the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons into a fanciful world of colourful candy machines.
The best way to witness the illuminated city is aboard a Vivid Sydney Cruise that offers comfort and the perfect view. And if you want more than just front-row seats to the festival’s most spectacular installations, a Vivid Sydney dinner cruise is the ideal choice.
There are also many highlights in this zone like the ‘First Light: Live’ music concerts; the ‘Stranger Things Experience’ at Luna Park, where you can experience the iconic show in real time; ‘Luke’s Vivid Table at the Pylon Lookout’, offering a dining experience atop the Harbour Bridge—87 metres above Sydney Harbour.
2. Darling Harbour
This waterside zone is brimming with enthralling light installations and energetic music events. All the popular Vivid Sydney cruises depart from King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, taking you past the popular light installations at Circular Quay & The Rocks.
How to get there
Top Highlights
‘Samsung Space to Dream’ at Cockle Bay is a futuristic and interactive installation by Samsung Electronics, Australia, where three floating waterfalls light up with amazing visuals.
Zaeden: Held at Tumbalong Park on June 7, the Indian pop artist—Zaeden—transports us to the world of Indian pop music with an otherworldly performance.
‘In Conversation With Martha Stewart’: Held at ICC Sydney Theatre on May 8, lifestyle icon Martha Stewart shares insight from her groundbreaking career in food, media and design.
‘Neon Dreams’ by Trolley’d at the Pier Street Underpass offers a retro, roller diner experience with Shannon Martine’s plant-based cuisine.
3. Martin Place & CBD
Vivid Sydney lights up Martin Place and CBD—the city centre—for the first time since 2018. This is also a predominant ‘idea’ zone.
How to get there
Top Highlights
‘Flower’s Power’ by Spectaculaires is an immersive installation where nine giant mirrored flowers are set against the buildings of Martin Place, transforming it into a garden of light.
‘Where Do Ideas Come From? Creativity Inside TIME’s Cover’ is a lecture by D.W. Pine, the creative director of TIME magazine. Held at the Sydney Town Hall on May 29, this thought-provoking lecture walks us through the creative process of the conception and execution of ideas.
‘Eleven Barrack x Claude Bosi | Vivid Chef Series’: On June 10 and 11, French chef Claude Bosi teams up with Brent Savage at Eleven Barracks for the Vivid Chef Series, presenting a fine dining experience that clubs French and Australian techniques.
‘An Evening With Warren Ellis’: Held at City Recital Hall on June 8, the Australian music icon, Warren Ellis, shares an intimate conversation about his life, music and animal conservation work, from the documentary Ellis Park.
4. Barangaroo
If you’re seeking a family-friendly zone with a quieter vibe, then this is just the choice for you.
How to get there
Top Highlights
‘SomniUs’: Held at Stargazer Lawn, SomniUs is a large-scale interactive light installation of a 1000 suspended glowing rods that light up and make sound based on your movement under the rods.
‘Inside the Dream Factory: (I Don’t Dream, I Float)’ by Alyx Dennison is an audio-visual experience held at Sydney Theatre Company. You will lie back in a relaxed space and experience soothing sounds and dream-like visuals that blend the feeling of dreaming with the sensation of floating in water.
5. The Goods Line and Inner City
If you are a foodie, then this zone is a food paradise with a wide variety of food events, along with other magnificent installations.
How to get there
Top Highlights
‘Vivid Fire Kitchen’ is the zone’s signature food event with fire-cooked dishes by some of the world’s top barbeque chefs. This year’s theme being “Fire and Spice,” focuses on spicy and flavourful dishes from around the world. You can watch the live cooking shows, smell and taste delicious food, and immerse in the flame-lit atmosphere.
‘Eye of the Beholder’ by Sinclair Park transforms the Frank Gehry building’s windows into giant blinking eyes, creating a surreal and dream-like installation.
‘Dream Logic: Four Films by Antoinetta Angelidi’: At the Golden Age Cinema and Bar, four hypnotic and surreal feature films of Greek avant-garde filmmaker Antoinetta Angelidi screen for the first time in Australia.
NOTE: The Light Walk—an easy and free 8-km walkway—gives you access to all the zones and many light installations without spending a cent. It’s the best way to experience the magic of Vivid Sydney.
So, which zone will you visit first? Will you be drawn to the dazzling lights of The Circular Quay & The Rocks, the energetic music of Darling Harbour, the thought-provoking talks in CBD, the dreamy calm of Barangaroo, or the fire and flavour of The Goods Line? Whether you are here for the spectacle, the sounds, the stories or the spice, each Vivid zone will surprise you with its unique charm.
From May 23–June 14, Australia’s most iconic city transforms into a radiant dreamscape for Vivid Sydney 2025—Sydney’s iconic festival of Light, Music, Ideas and Food. It’s one of the most anticipated events in Sydney, drawing visitors from across the globe. In its 15th edition, the festival invites you to step beyond the ordinary and enter the realm of wonder and imagination with its ‘DREAM’ theme.
This year, the Vivid Sydney events have been categorised into five different zones for easier navigation —The Circular Quay & The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Martin Place & CBD, Barangaroo, and The Goods Line & Inner City— each zone and its events are unique to each other. We’ve broken it down zone by zone, highlighting the best events in each zone and how to get to them.
1. Circular Quay and The Rocks
This is the zone where most of Vivid Sydney’s light installations take place. Sydney’s iconic landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge take on a new life.
How to get there
- It’s just a 14-minute walk from Martin Place and a 20-minute walk from Barangaroo along Argyle Street
- Take the train to Circular Quay Station on weekdays or use the Wynyard Station
- Buses run via Elizabeth Street and Bridge Street
- Take the ferry from Circular Quay for a scenic journey
Top Highlights
‘Lighting of the Sails: The Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid’: Enthralling animations that embody the queer and punk sensibilities of the late artist are projected onto the sails of Sydney Opera House.
‘Vivid Light on Sydney Harbour': The ferries and Vivid Sydney Harbour cruises adorned in LED rope-lights move in harmony with the vibrant light displays along the shoreline.
‘Our Connected City’ lights up the whole of Sydney Harbour and CBD into a stunning spectacle of synchronised lights, where iconic attractions like the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Luna Park etc., are adorned with dynamic illuminations.
‘Sweet Dreams’ by Spinifex Group transforms the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons into a fanciful world of colourful candy machines.
The best way to witness the illuminated city is aboard a Vivid Sydney Cruise that offers comfort and the perfect view. And if you want more than just front-row seats to the festival’s most spectacular installations, a Vivid Sydney dinner cruise is the ideal choice.
There are also many highlights in this zone like the ‘First Light: Live’ music concerts; the ‘Stranger Things Experience’ at Luna Park, where you can experience the iconic show in real time; ‘Luke’s Vivid Table at the Pylon Lookout’, offering a dining experience atop the Harbour Bridge—87 metres above Sydney Harbour.
2. Darling Harbour
This waterside zone is brimming with enthralling light installations and energetic music events. All the popular Vivid Sydney cruises depart from King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, taking you past the popular light installations at Circular Quay & The Rocks.
How to get there
- It’s just a 3-minute walk from The Goods Line and a 10-minute walk from Martin Place
- Buses along Druitt Street and Harris Street
- Pyrmont, Paddy’s Market, Exhibition and Convention light rail stations
- Take the F4 ferry and get off at Pyrmont Bay
Top Highlights
‘Samsung Space to Dream’ at Cockle Bay is a futuristic and interactive installation by Samsung Electronics, Australia, where three floating waterfalls light up with amazing visuals.
Zaeden: Held at Tumbalong Park on June 7, the Indian pop artist—Zaeden—transports us to the world of Indian pop music with an otherworldly performance.
‘In Conversation With Martha Stewart’: Held at ICC Sydney Theatre on May 8, lifestyle icon Martha Stewart shares insight from her groundbreaking career in food, media and design.
‘Neon Dreams’ by Trolley’d at the Pier Street Underpass offers a retro, roller diner experience with Shannon Martine’s plant-based cuisine.
3. Martin Place & CBD
Vivid Sydney lights up Martin Place and CBD—the city centre—for the first time since 2018. This is also a predominant ‘idea’ zone.
How to get there
- It’s just a 5-minute walk from Wynyard and a 10 minutes walk from Circular Quay
- Wynyard and Martin Place train stations
- Wynyard light rail
- Buses via Elizabeth Street and Wynyard Station
Top Highlights
‘Flower’s Power’ by Spectaculaires is an immersive installation where nine giant mirrored flowers are set against the buildings of Martin Place, transforming it into a garden of light.
‘Where Do Ideas Come From? Creativity Inside TIME’s Cover’ is a lecture by D.W. Pine, the creative director of TIME magazine. Held at the Sydney Town Hall on May 29, this thought-provoking lecture walks us through the creative process of the conception and execution of ideas.
‘Eleven Barrack x Claude Bosi | Vivid Chef Series’: On June 10 and 11, French chef Claude Bosi teams up with Brent Savage at Eleven Barracks for the Vivid Chef Series, presenting a fine dining experience that clubs French and Australian techniques.
‘An Evening With Warren Ellis’: Held at City Recital Hall on June 8, the Australian music icon, Warren Ellis, shares an intimate conversation about his life, music and animal conservation work, from the documentary Ellis Park.
4. Barangaroo
If you’re seeking a family-friendly zone with a quieter vibe, then this is just the choice for you.
How to get there
- It’s just a 14-minute walk from Martin Place and a 20-minute walk from Circular Quay
- Wynyard Train Station
- Barangaroo Metro
- Buses via York Street, Barangaroo Reserve and Hickinson Road
- Take the F3 and F4 ferries and get off at Barangaroo Wharf
Top Highlights
‘SomniUs’: Held at Stargazer Lawn, SomniUs is a large-scale interactive light installation of a 1000 suspended glowing rods that light up and make sound based on your movement under the rods.
‘Inside the Dream Factory: (I Don’t Dream, I Float)’ by Alyx Dennison is an audio-visual experience held at Sydney Theatre Company. You will lie back in a relaxed space and experience soothing sounds and dream-like visuals that blend the feeling of dreaming with the sensation of floating in water.
5. The Goods Line and Inner City
If you are a foodie, then this zone is a food paradise with a wide variety of food events, along with other magnificent installations.
How to get there
- It’s just an 8-minute walk from Darling Harbour
- Buses via Railway Square and Harris Street
- Get off at Central Train Station and take the Devonshire Street Tunnel exit.
Top Highlights
‘Vivid Fire Kitchen’ is the zone’s signature food event with fire-cooked dishes by some of the world’s top barbeque chefs. This year’s theme being “Fire and Spice,” focuses on spicy and flavourful dishes from around the world. You can watch the live cooking shows, smell and taste delicious food, and immerse in the flame-lit atmosphere.
‘Eye of the Beholder’ by Sinclair Park transforms the Frank Gehry building’s windows into giant blinking eyes, creating a surreal and dream-like installation.
‘Dream Logic: Four Films by Antoinetta Angelidi’: At the Golden Age Cinema and Bar, four hypnotic and surreal feature films of Greek avant-garde filmmaker Antoinetta Angelidi screen for the first time in Australia.
NOTE: The Light Walk—an easy and free 8-km walkway—gives you access to all the zones and many light installations without spending a cent. It’s the best way to experience the magic of Vivid Sydney.
So, which zone will you visit first? Will you be drawn to the dazzling lights of The Circular Quay & The Rocks, the energetic music of Darling Harbour, the thought-provoking talks in CBD, the dreamy calm of Barangaroo, or the fire and flavour of The Goods Line? Whether you are here for the spectacle, the sounds, the stories or the spice, each Vivid zone will surprise you with its unique charm.
