Lights, camera, snap! Vivid Sydney is back with a bang this winter so get ready to feast your eyes on a kaleidoscope of colours from the best light installations that'll have your Insta game soaring to new heights.
ICYMI, Vivid Sydney will be taking over the city for three weeks from 26 May - 17 June. As the night falls, Sydney undergoes a metamorphosis with 60 shimmering light installations, mesmerising 3D projection artworks, and ticketed events that will transport you into a hypnotic wonderland of colour and light, including the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere!
Book Vivid Sydney cruises, bar crawls, helicopter tours and more!
We know that navigating Australia’s largest festival and finding the ‘must-do’s’ can be tricky. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Here are the 10 best Insta-worthy locations for Vivid Light so you can snap that perfect Insta pic at Vivid Sydney 2023:
1. Dark Spectrum, by Sony Music, Mandylights and Culture Creative
The underground tunnels are calling your name this Vivid Sydney. Image credit: 'Dark Spectrum' artist impression by Mandylights
Delve into the abandoned railway tunnels underneath Wynyard Station for an electrifying labyrinth experience like no other, premiering at Vivid Sydney 2023.
Feel transported as you step into Dark Spectrum. Journey through the underground dancefloors of eight monochromatic rooms - each a multi-sensory experience with unique colours and moods to fit each space. Talk about a psychedelic experience!
Make sure to book ahead to catch this world-first experience at Vivid Sydney. Tickets start from $35.
📍 Where: Wynyard Station, 1001 York Street
2. Elemental, by Oracle Liquid
Watch the elements that create our world dance. Image credit: 'Elemental' artist impression by Oracle Liquid, Foti International, Adam Farrow-Palmer
Fire, Earth, Water, Air - long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony … then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Oops - wrong show! Unlike some of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender, this unmissable Vivid Sydney installation celebrates the opposing forces that make up all life and is a must-see stop along Vivid Sydney's iconic Light Walk.
Elemental takes you on a journey to showcase the raw power and harmony of our planet through spectacular 80 metre water shooters, flames, projections and pyrotechnics. This jaw-dropping show mixed with an original soundtrack by Peewee Ferris brings to light the magic these elements can create when working together.
📍 Where: Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay
3. Written in the Stars, by Gill Minervini in collaboration with the Australian Traffic Network.
See the Harbour lights of Vivid Sydney. Image credit: Vivid Sydney Drone Show 2022.
Want to see the biggest and most spectacular drone show in the Southern Hemisphere to date? Vivid Sydney is heading to the heavens with Written in the Stars - an awe-inspiring exploration of our solar system right above the city.
For years we've looked to the stars for guidance and inspiration (from navigating the oceans, to finding romantic compatibility - astrologers I'm looking at you), this drone show will take you on a journey with some surprises along the way.
This year’s Vivid Sydney drone show will dance across the sky above Circular Quay from 9:10pm on the following dates (subject to weather conditions):
- Sunday, 28 May 2023
- Wednesday, 31 May 2023
- Sunday, 4 June 2023
- Wednesday, 7 June 2023
- Monday, 12 June 2023
- Wednesday, 14 June 2023
📍 Where: Circular Quay and the Rocks
4. The Last Ocean, by Jen Lewin
Watch the sea come alive beneath your feet. Image credit: 'The Last Ocean' by Jen Lewin, photos by Matt Emmi. Courtesy: Jen Lewin Studio.
What if I told you The Last Ocean was rubbish ... but in a cool way. That's exactly what artist Jen Lewin has brought to life with her massive tessellated 'ice sheet' made of reclaimed ocean plastic.
We love an eco-friendly light installation! Especially one that gives you the chance to experience nature and step onto Antarctica's Ross Sea without harming it.
The artwork comes alive at Vivid Sydney as you move on the ice sheet, with shifts in colour under your feet as if the sea is stirring beneath you.
📍 Where: Stargazer Lawn, 27 Hickson Rd, Barangaroo
5. Dandelion, by Amigo & Amigo
Make this interactive light installation dance. Image Source: 'Dandelion' artist impression by Amigo & Amigo
Time to make a wish! While this Dandelion won't blow away in the breeze, the installation does continually move in a delightful dance to simulate the action.
Want our hot tip for the best shot of Dandelion this Vivid Sydney? Either take in its beauty from afar, or step beneath the flower dome for a unique perspective.
Be sure to make use of the hand sensors installed so you can mimic light-shifting winds across the flower and send your wish up to the heavens.
📍 Where: Hickson Road Reserve, Circular Quay
6. Lightscape at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, by Sony Music and Culture Creative
Journey through a spellbinding and multi-sensory world at Vivid Sydney 2023. Image credit: 'Lightscape'by Culture Creative.
Enter a kaleidoscope of colour as The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is transformed into a 2.1km dazzling journey. Lightscape has wowed audiences in the US, UK and Melbourne and is making its debut at Vivid Sydney 2023.
Discover glowing tunnels, illuminated tree canopies and larger-than-life flowers as you stroll within the garden. There will also be food and drink available during the event at the Royal Botanic Garden for those that want to sit back and watch the light dance around them.
Be sure to secure your tickets as this is a timed installation! Tickets start from $30.
📍 Where: The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
7. Barerarerungar, by Maree Clarke
Pay tribute to underrepresented communities at the MCA. Image credit: 'Barerarerungar' artist impression by Maree Clarke and The Electric Canvas
Overlooking Sydney Harbour from the MCA facade is Barerarerungar- a massive building light projection that pays tribute to practices on country.
Barerarerungar means 'Country' in Boonwurrung, a language from Kulin Nation, where Maree Clarke lives, and the installation features river reeds which is a symbol of safe travels and friendship.
This is a fab time to take pause during your Vivid Sydney Light Walk and offer a moment of communal reflection in the heart of our city.
📍 Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks
8. Vivid House, by Babekuhl, Craig Parry, Spinifex and Henry Hu
Discover these boundary pushing artists at Vivid House. Image credit: 'Ama' by Babekuhl, 'Australian Oceans' by Craig Parry, 'Infinity' by Spinifex, 'Invincible Corals' by Henry Hu
Vivid House is back with a bang this year! The immersive 360° experience takes you on a journey through four breathtaking artworks showcasing Australia's natural world in a brand new light.
The four artworks include:
- Ama by Babekuhl- a 7 minute meditative journey shot in infra-red exploring Sydney's hidden coves - a psychedelic dreamscape of our city!
- Australian Oceans by Craig Parry - experience Australia's oceans come alive with this deep dive under-water photography projection below your feet, capturing our local animals like seals, turtles, dolphins and even Migaloo, the iconic albino Humpback whale.
- Infinity by Spinifex - inspired by Australia's magical landscape, this immersive 360° experience transports you to snow-capped mountains, lush valleys and stunning sunsets, highlighting the beauty of our natural world.
- Invincible Corals by Henry Hu - marvel at digital corals that self-generate and grow upon any surface they are projected onto, taking inspiration from their resilience over time to grow on unlikely structures like shipwrecks and debris.
📍 Where: The Cutaway, 1 Merriman St, Barangaroo
9. Inside Out, by Spinifex Group
Step back in time to '60s, '70s and '80s Aussie interior design. Image credit: 'Inside Out' by Spinifex Group and The Australian Museum of Design.
Time to bring the inside, out! Celebrating Australian interior design, Inside Out, takes you on a journey through '60s, '70s and '80s Aussie decor and style projected on a giant canvas like never before.
Will Grandma's floral wallpaper make an appearance? Or Pop's fave rocking chair? You'll need to see it to find out! The nostalgia is real with this Vivid Sydney light show.
📍Where: Customs House
10. Vivid Light on Sydney Harbour
Image Credit: 'Vivid Cruises' Klook, Vivid Sydney 2023
Want to catch the best views of Vivid Sydney 2023? A cruise on Sydney Harbour is definitely the way to go to get up close to the action.
See Sydney Harbour come alive as a fleet of Sydney's commercial boats get into the festivities and light up the harbour.
Klook has you covered with a range of Vivid Sydney cruises including a thrifty BYO Cruise, a slightly more fancy Catamaran Cruise with canapés and a drink included, as well as an even fancier 3 Course Fine Dining Cruise with a free drink!
To get an even better vantage point of the lights beaming from Sydney Harbour Bridge, book a Helicopter Flight over Sydney Harbour and be dazzled by the illuminated skyline and see Sydney as its best.
Soar over Vivid Sydney with this once-in-a-lifetime experience! Image credit: Destination NSW, Klook
The 25-minute flight is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and with the stellar line-up of installations 2023 - we reckon it's a great time to take it!
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