Vivid Sydney

Wednesday & Thursdays 7pm – 9pm

Out exploring Vivid? Drop by Atherden Street afterwards for free open air movies under the stars. 

What does the perfect night out look like for you? For us it’s exploring Vivid Sydney’s countless lit-up artworks down heritage laneways and cobbled streets then ending the night with dinner and a movie under the stars. 

That’s exactly what you’ll get at Laneway Cinemas - plus cosy bean bags, blankets, delicious bites and warming drinks. Showings are 7pm - 9pm Wednesdays and Thursdays during Vivid Sydney.

Fridays 5pm – 10pm​
Saturdays & Sundays 10am – 10pm

The Rocks Night Market will be illuminated for Vivid 2022, with pop-up bars, live music and delicious eats!

Exploring a city illuminated by art and creativity can be hungry work. Luckily, The Rocks Night Markets will host dozens of vibrant food stalls serving everything from crispy yet melty pizza to creamy gelato.

Once you’re full, explore the glowing stalls, shop locally crafted skincare, jewellery, fabrics, and candles - or grab a cocktail, wine or beer from one of the pop-up bars. When the night joins us, stay a while soak in the atmosphere and enjoy live music by local talent. 
 

Come to The Rocks Square on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, grab a drink and enjoy live entertainment!

During Vivid Sydney the atmosphere in The Rocks is electric. There are illuminated pieces of art around every corner and night markets lighting up George Street.

But one of the best things about Vivid is the live busking music and entertainment in The Rocks Square on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays! Pop down experience Vivid Sydney, then stay a while to enjoy some sweet sounds and good vibes with drinks and dinner. 

Internationally celebrated Aboriginal artist Wayne Quilliam and Mt Yengo Wines are proud to present this unique cultural experience.

GENEXT x VIVID presents an atmospheric 'museum takeover' created by young people, for young people.

Get ready for a night of live music, performances, art-making and interactive experiences at the MCA. Intertwined with the Museum’s exhibitions and delivered as part of VIVID Sydney, GENEXT x VIVID is a fun, accessible and participatory event for anyone aged 12-18 and an opportunity to connect with like-minded young people.

8pm - 8:30pm, 29 May

Look up – in awe and wonder!

For one night only over Sydney’s magnificent harbour, Vivid Sydney teams with Paramount+ to present the largest drone light show ever seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

Transforming our wintery evening sky into a sprawling canvas, a fleet of 600 perfectly choreographed LED-equipped drones shape shift and synchronise into enormous 3D images and sequences. Through swarm dynamics and SKYMAGIC’s wizardry, you’ll recognise superstars and characters from Paramount’s movies and entertainment as the drones fly in illuminated formations.

Thrill to the sweeping and hovering points of light in a performance designed to delight the whole family. All you need to do is look up!

Could there be a more powerful proclamation? A more enticing invitation? A brighter beacon of acceptance? This declaration of love embraces the city of Sydney, her people, her visitors, her past, present, and future in one bold, colourful, glowing gesture.

Spread over a grassy bank, giant flowers of light seem to furl and unfurl. In this installation, each ‘flower’ comprises six LED strips radiating from a central point. The strips arc in kinetic curves that splay petals of light onto the grass. As they simulate the process of budding, this constant dynamic mirrors the ongoing bloom of flora throughout our landscapes.

A mystical presence… A mythical being… This monumental multi-limbed cacophonous avatar demands our devotion as it pulses with a synthesis of dramatic lighting and sound. The contemporary sculpture is reflects upon Sydney as a global, multicultural city with plural histories.

Follow the Vivid flock along the Light Walk where you’ll spot stylised light sculptures resembling our native birds. This ‘birdwatching’ adventure highlights the diversity and survival skills of Greater Sydney's feathered friends whose habitats and existence are encroached upon by our sprawling cityscapes, increasing populations and lifestyles.

This monumental work explores the phenomenon of gravity as a governing force that binds existence throughout the universe. Through light, sound and a multi-sensory narrative, the sculpture draws us together and speculatively captures the alternative trajectories in the life cycle of stars.

Photography and animation come to life on the southern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, retelling the stories of the Gadigal people and reconnecting viewers with the past and the land they stand on.

For over 40 years, the Coca Cola sign on William St has been an unlikely Sydney icon. Consisting of 88 vertical neon tubes, this installation encapsulates memories of the ‘gateway to King Cross’ with its mesmerising, monochromatic red glow.

Be transfixed as majestic cliffs of colour shape-shift and morph across the Museum of Contemporary Art. As a centrepiece of Vivid Sydney’s 2022 Light Walk, Australia’s leading abstractionist Helen Eager transforms the six-storey façade with an eight-minute visual journey through her artistic evolution. The visual dynamics are accentuated by an electronic composition by Sydney’s own, Paul Mac.

This animation by the Billy Blue College of Design and Creative Technology celebrates the tenacity of Billy Blue, convict, smuggler, and Australia’s first true celebrity.

Experience a 3D animated artwork that comes straight from the imaginations of Sydney-based artists living with disability. Meet their cast of time-travelling characters – Specimen 10, Jessica the Astronaut, Pinky Moon, Robo-fly and others – as they collaborate towards restoring order in our complex ecosphere.

Using a variety of different creative methods, each artist brings a unique approach to the development of their creatures. If you look closely, you might even see the artists themselves hiding in the work! 

This installation from renowned director Bim Ricketson bridges the gap between the diverse and often divided range of communities across Sydney. Take a peek into the backyards of neighbours you haven’t met (and may never meet) and rediscover the things that connect us all as Sydneysiders. Artist: James Gulliver Hancock Collaborators: Bim Ricketson / Ashley Diamond / George P. Johnson Country represented by installation: Australia

This futuristic installation at the Overseas Passenger Terminal features a canopy of kinetic equilateral triangles. In unison, they create an amazing, geometric lighting display that develops into infinite patterns, changing at every glance.

This curious take on the creative process captures local artist Brad Robson in the act of painting, exploring it as a dialogue between the subject, the artist, and the audience. Discover it as 47 George Street’s debut projection installation. Artist: Brad Robson Collaborator: Esem Projects

Storybox is a collective, collaborative digital canvas that anyone can contribute to, providing a digital canvas to share hopes, dreams, experiences and perspectives about Sydney’s place in the climate emergency. Artist: Esem Projects Country represented by installation: Australia

Fall was created by S1T2, a small team of creative artists that wanted to draw more attention to our relationship with water. This multi-storey light installation reminiscent of a dripping tap turns a simple drop of water into a sensory experience. Artists: Inge Berman / Joel Flanagan / Jananthan Kandasamy / Aiyana Merlo / S1T2

Welcome to a fantastical realm bursting with myriad creatures, inventions and planets as imagined by an 11-year-old boy growing up in our awe-inspiring city. Together, Luca’s colourful consortium celebrates all walks of life and is a metaphor for diversity and integration.

An immersive multi-sensory dining experience that combines theatre, gastronomy and storytelling.

Usually 6HEAD plates up the best steak in Sydney but to celebrate Vivid 2022 they’re serving something a little different - A Journey Through Time. 

This immersive, multi-sensory dining experience takes a delectable 3-course dining and lavish drinks menu, and enriches it with light, colour, sound and storytelling. Book now to experience fine dining with an intriguing, technicolour twist. 

Take a front-row seat at Altitude Restaurant and enjoy unparalleled views as our harbour city ignites the light with Vivid Sydney.

Chef de Cuisine; Michele Menegazzi and Head Pastry Chef; Kumiko Endo have created a unique dining experience that includes vibrant seasonal ingredients inspired by the sights, sounds and colours of the Vivid Sydney.

It's time to make your rainbow food dreams a reality! To celebrate Vivid, all of the bagels at Creperie Suzette will be available in a rainbow option (with the same classic taste as a regular plain bagel). Just mention that you want a rainbow bagel when ordering at the counter.

Snack on warm, buttery scones amidst a glowing garden on a charming historic street.

There’s nothing more warming and comforting than a buttery scone, fresh from a hot oven - and Tea Cosy are known for baking the best scones in Sydney. 

They’re getting into the Vivid Sydney spirit by transforming their charming outdoor courtyard on Atherden Street into a glow themed garden. There’ll be neon lighting, flowing furniture and special menu items to celebrate the occasion. 

At Munich Brauhaus The Rocks, they're flicking the switch on their own neon light display. Their beer garden and bar will be glowing bright to pair with their neon, glow in the dark 500mL steins for $14.

For your pre or post Vivid feast, dine on our Vivid Set Menu* for $60 per person. This includes their Munich Tasting Platter loaded with crackling pork belly, their famous roast pork knuckle, German sausages, chicken schnitzel, sauerkraut, red cabbage, creamy mashed potatoes, apple compote and bier jus, as well as a glow in the dark beer*!

During Vivid Sydney, Sydney's oldest pub will be alive with colour. Bring the family for a meal, enjoy a beverage in their alfresco area and admire the lights of the cityscape or soak up the colour and music at their bar. 

Children under 12 who dine from their kids menu will receive a light up cup (while stocks last).

Fancy some tacos, margaritas and good times before you explore the incredible illuminated works of Vivid Sydney? Then El Camino Cantino’s happy hour is perfect for you.

Monday to Friday, 4pm - 6pm they’re doing an uber-cheap $7.50 drinks deal, including frozen margys, craft beers and house wines. If you’re hungry they’ll even throw in free corn chips and salsa!

Have you been to The Keel yet? This intimate rum bar in The Rocks serves delectable food sourced from local suppliers and warming rum cocktails made by master mixologists. A percentage of their profits even goes to four local charities every year!

To celebrate Vivid they’re extending their bar out onto the pavement of George Street, so drop by before or after Vivid for a cocktail and a bite under the stars. 

The talented team at Grain have created mesmerising cocktails inspired by the lights, colour, and creativity of the festival. It's the perfect place to stop when walking around the festival.

Vivid transforms The Rocks into a living breathing artwork, with light, creativity and bizarre attractions around every corner. But those evenings exploring can get a little chilly.

Luckily Frank Macs and the Doss House have added a selection of comforting winter warmers to their menus including mulled wine, Irish coffee and more. Drop by and warm up before seeing Vivid, or pop in afterwards for a cosy night cap. 

Tayim is famous for its delectable modern interpretation of traditional Middle Eastern Food and of course - having one of the best courtyards in Sydney. For Vivid Sydney this outdoor courtyard will be illuminated by the soft glow of hanging lights and the sound and spirit of live music. 

Drop by throughout Vivid to spend an evening lounging in the courtyard, enjoying mulled wine, 2-for-1 cocktails, and delicious Middle Eastern cuisine. 

Enjoy panoramic views over Sydney as it lights up for Vivid 2022 and sample special Vivid cocktails.

36 stories above Sydney you’ll find a glamorous cocktail bar with panoramic views across our world famous harbour - and all the lights and sights of Vivid 2022. 

Blu Bar 36 have gone above and beyond and crafted a whimsical Vivid cocktail menu, featuring cocktails that shimmer and glow (and as usual, taste delicious).

Endeavour Tap Rooms are getting into the Vivid spirit, with beer paddles bedazzled in glitter.

Vivid is an immersive experience where The Rocks is transformed by colour, light and creativity. That’s why it’s so good to see our favourite craft beer bar serving their beer tasting paddles covered in glitter and painted bright colours. 

Heading to see Vivid? Drop into Endeavour Tap Rooms for an inspired beer tasting and a delicious pub meal first.