What is Vivid Sydney?
Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light, music and ideas held in Sydney in late May and June. Buildings including the Sydney Opera House are lit up with colorful projections and light installations.
The festival began in 2009, growing out of a light art event called Smart Light Sydney. It quickly grew into one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world, attracting millions of visitors each year.
The light walk around Circular Quay, The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo features artworks made with lights, lasers and digital projections. The Opera House sails are lit with animated projections, a highlight for many visitors.
Music and ideas
Alongside the light shows, Vivid includes music performances at venues around the city and a program of talks, workshops and discussions about creativity, technology and design.
The festival takes place during the cooler months, when the evenings are long and dark, helping to attract tourists to Sydney during a quieter season.
Vivid is run by Destination NSW, the state's tourism agency. It has become an important event for the city's economy and global profile. The festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic before returning in 2022.
Did You Know?
Many visitors view the Vivid lights from harbor cruises.