Vivid Sydney: Australia's biggest cultural festival returns

Returning for its 13^th year, Vivid Sydney is set to deliver its most culturally rich programme yet.

The festival's 23-day-and-night programme takes place from Friday 26 May to Saturday 17 June, and will have more than 300 light, art and culture activations across New South Wales’ capital, all inspired by this year’s theme: Vivid Sydney, Naturally.

For those who don’t know, this festival is truly a feast for the senses: taste buds will tingle with the unique culinary offerings, eardrums will vibrate to the sound of varied musical acts, hearts will be touched by the important messages told through live performances and exhibits, and eyes will widen to the spectacular illuminations dancing across the urban landscape.

The festival Director Gill Minervini said visitors to Vivid Sydney should be prepared to be blown away: “We are truly proud of this year’s programme. We have raised the bar on the size and scale of the events and activated new parts of the city. Our line-up features more diverse talent across more industries.

“There are world-firsts and festival-firsts, and both free and ticketed events to make the festival accessible to everyone. Audiences should be prepared to be blown away by the calibre of talent and a program that has been inspired by the beauty and diversity of nature.

“Vivid Sydney’s 2023 program is a celebration of authenticity, an invitation to connect, and a chance to create. You do not want to miss Vivid Sydney 2023.”

What to see at Vivid Sydney

At the heart of the festival is the iconic Light Walk, made up of more than 60 light installations. Along its 8.5km route, expect captivating 3D light shows projected onto landmark architecture and water features, with the highlight being the Lighting of the Sails: Life Enlivened. Sydney Opera House will be illuminated with the work of late Australian artist John Olsen, who passed away in April this year. The animated artwork will pay homage to Olsen’s fascination in nature and landscapes of his home country.

Most installations will be illuminated every evening of the festival, so there’s plenty of time to catch the kaleidoscope of lights across the city. But there are only six dates to catch the unmissable drone show Written in the Stars, which takes to the sky above Circular Quay. Boasting to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 1,000 drones, the flying technology will tell the story of the solar system, from the sun to Neptune. Head to the website for dates and timings.

What to eat at Vivid Sydney

For the first time in the festival's history, Vivid Sydney has launched a new pillar to join its Light, Music and Ideas programme – Vivid Food. After all, Sydney is the culinary capital of Australia.

Pop-up eateries will be lining the streets, and celebrity chefs will also have residences at world-class restaurants. For fine dining and big names, the hottest ticket in town has to be the Vivid Sydney Dinner on 3 June, returning to the Ivy Ballroom with renowned chefs Ben Greeno and Danielle Alvarez running the show. 

For those who prefer a more relaxed, street-style cuisine, don't miss Vivid Sydney Kitchen, where you can watch live cooking demos and tuck into grilled meats and fire-inspired cocktails.

What else is on at Vivid Sydney 2023

The cultural highlights continue with Vivid Music. This year, the voices of Australia’s First Nations community will be in the limelight, with artists such as Yothu Yindi, Ziggy Ramo, Emma Donovan and Budjerah representing the world’s oldest living culture, dating back more than 60,000 years. The one to look out for is A Bend in the River: A Tribute to Archie Roach AC, which will celebrate the legacy of the Aboriginal songman and activist at Sydney Town Hall on 9 June.  

Weaving in the theme of nature, there will be free live music performances taking place every night in the green surroundings of Tumbalong Park.

Of course, there's plenty more where this came from. To see the exciting full line-up of exhibitions and events, head to the festival's official website.

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