Since the inaugural event in 2009, Sydney’s show of lights, music and ideas has spread out from Circular Quay across the city to include the Royal Botanic Garden, Taronga Zoo, Chippendale and Chatswood, bathing the city surrounds in seas of sensory creativity.
Last year saw 2.3 million visitors captivated by the sculptures, colourfully-lit fountains and kaleidoscopic stories projected onto the city’s iconic buildings and landmarks each evening.
This year’s Lighting the Sails on the Opera House celebrates Indigenous Australian artwork, and the songlines, spirituality and rich culture of the country’s first people will be showcased throughout the festival. It’s easy to see why Vivid Sydney has earned its reputation as one of the most spectacular light shows in the world.
Vivid Sydney 2017
26th May – 17th June
Barangaroo South, Campbell’s Cove, Chatswood, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, King’s Cross, Martin Place, The Rocks, The Royal Botanic Gardens & Taronga Zoo
Your guide to a very Vivid weekend in Sydney
First, Check in at the Hilton
The Hilton’s central CBD location means that it’s just a short walk to the check out all the Vivid action at Martin Place, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo and The Rocks, before heading to Circular Quay for the showstoppers.
And if you’re going to stay at Hilton Sydney, you should definitely stay in the Vivid-inspired Relaxation Suite! The Hilton Sydney has partnered with Phillips Hue 2.0 to bring the festival inside the hotel walls.
The Relaxation Suite will be transformed into a Vivid hotspot featuring Hue bulbs, Hue Go and light strips. Hue 2.0 will allow guests to create in-room light shows with a synchronized music play list. It’s the city’s first ever Vivid-inspired suite, offering guests a vibrant hotel experience including indulgent food and cocktails that will delight the senses.
“Vivid has inspired us to bring the festival of light into the hotel. Located at the heart of the festival’s key attractions, from the moment guests’ step into the lobby of Hilton Sydney they will be in the perfect place to experience the festival like never before,” says Ronald van Weezel, general manager Hilton Sydney. It’s hard to imagine a more luxurious way to see the Vivid lights.
Hilton Sydney’s Vivid package includes an overnight stay for two in a vibrant Relaxation Suite, with a complementary buffet breakfast for two at glass Brasserie. Plus, couples get to enjoy the Caffe Cino high tea in-room experience, as well as two vivid Marble Bar cocktails to enjoy before venturing out to see the city lights.
Next, have pre-drinks at Zeta Bar
Even if you don’t end up at the Vivid suite, make sure to stop in at Hilton Sydney’s Zeta Bar for a quick cocktail – or two!
Zeta Bar is bringing a dramatic edge to cocktail hour. The adventurous menu chronicles the charismatic personality of the hotel’s founder Conrad Hilton, taking guests on a journey through the different pieces of real estate that have marked the magnate’s success.
From his foray into the industry with The Mobley Hotel in Texas right through to his more recent addition in Kuala Lumpar, the cocktail list presents a modern interpretation of the classics based on geographical context. The Coconut Grenade is inspired by the beginning of the Caribe Hilton era in Puerto Rico. Smooth and spiced with Asian influences, this impressive cocktail is a concoction of sweet banana rum, coconut honey cream and Velvet Falernum, teamed with citrus and aromatics. Served in a coconut shell with smoke emanating from dry ice in the base, it’s as theatrical as it is tasty.
In contrast, The Fifth Avenue gives a nod to the purchase of the original Waldorf Astoria in New York, a hotel which has been dubbed ‘the greatest of them all’. The cocktail, a mix of Lagavulin 16-year-old whisky, Bulleit rye whiskey and Sorrel wine, balanced with agave and aromatics, is perhaps worthy of the title too.
It’s 6pm: The lights are on!
And they’re truly spectacular. This year’s must-see installations include the Interactive Human Light Clock at the AMP forecourt, which allows participants to be part of a digital ‘sundial’ that turns night into day. At The Rocks, Under My Umbrella invites visitors to dance in the starry glow created by the crowd of gently swaying umbrellas above.
Meanwhile, Steampunk Waterworld in Chatswood turns the reflection pool at the Concourse into, well, a steampunk waterworld. With lights, sounds and special effects, this installation gives Vivid goers a view into a submerged world in which Chatswood is reimagined as a “retro-futuristic smart city”, inspired by the steampunk aesthetic.
The popular UrbanTree returns to Martin Place, with UrbanTree2.0, featuring flowing rivers, growing plants, and a giant glowing frog trying to catch a hiding caterpillar. Martin Place is also where art and food combine – set around theme Deep Forest. Enjoy some authentic Argentinean barbecue from the fire-pit masters at Porteño under the canopy created forest of light.
And Taronga Zoo’s Lights for the Wild is also back for 2017. The giant multimedia animal light sculptures at the zoo are not to be missed! Tickets are available for two sessions, from 5.30 to 7.30 and 7.30 to 9.30, and attendees get their own interactive wristband allowing them to be part of the display. The installation is also an opportunity to learn about some fascinating creatures as well as the conservation efforts of Taronga Zoo, as it works to save species from extinction.
How about dinner & a light show with Captain Cook Dining?
But for an unbeatable view of the Vivid installations on the water, a Vivid Lights Cruise is the way to go.
And for lovers of fine wine, harbour views and boats, the Penfolds Grange Dinner Cruise is the complete package. Enjoy the romantic voyage with unparalleled views of the harbour by night, and all the Vivid lights, complete with a special five-course Vivid menu to please all tastebuds, paired with some of the renowned world-class plonk.
Penfolds delivers on its promise to pamper guests, with a superb selection of Penfolds private bin and vintage wines, not to mention the Penfolds Grange, after which the evening is named. The luxury aquatic experience must barely have an evening without a marriage proposal, an anniversary celebration, or a very happy birthday, as it unites a perfect backdrop with an intimate atmosphere.
Cruising aboard the prestigious MV Sydney 2000 or the John Cadman 2 vessel with Captain Cook Cruises, guests are welcomed on deck with canapés and sparkling wine by the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
The 360-degree open Star Deck provides the perfect opportunity to take in all the spectacular installations, and guests then take their seats inside for an indulgent dinner, all the while being serenaded by musicians.
The Vivid Lights Cruises are on nightly during the festival, leaving from Darling Harbour King St Wharf No.1.
Sunday Morning: Roll out of bed for brunch in Barangaroo
Granted if you do end up in the Vivid Relaxation Suite at the Hilton – and we recommend you do – breakfast is included. But you really can’t leave Sydney without exploring the city’s latest foodie destination – Barangaroo. There are any number of options for discerning brunchers, but we recommend trying Devon Cafe.
In a city that can sometimes feel a bit cookie-cutter in its approach to menus, the team at Devon sends heads spinning with its innovative and quirky Asian-inspired creations. Head down to their new venture at Sydney’s harbourside Barangaroo to sample breakfast like you’ve never had it before.
The hero is Breakfast with the Sakuma’s: melt-in-the-mouth, miso-marinated king salmon served with a crunchy eel croquette, petite salad, 63-degree egg, kewpie mayo, and furikake. It’s a perfect dish at any time of day, but extra special for Sunday brunch. Sweet tooths are catered for, too.
There’s a rich, creamy, matcha hot white chocolate and the adorably titled Little Lost Bread, which sees a thick slab of toasted brioche adorned with wild strawberry ice cream, vanilla mascarpone chantilly, ricotta, strawberry curd and gold leaf, as well as fresh and freeze-dried strawberry. Add bacon for $3. Just because.
Sure, you’ll need to deal with the fact that everyone in the airy timber-lined space has their phone out madly Instagramming the delightful plates in front of them, but Devon is a must-see, must-taste, and must-shoot experience.
Vivid ideas and Vivid music
There’s a lot to do and see at Vivid. It would take more than a couple of nights to take in all of the lights spread across the city. But don’t forget, Vivid is a festival of ideas and music too. For all the music fans, venues across the city are putting on shows for Vivid Music. Enjoy a performance by hit Sydney producer Nick Murphy fka Chet Faker. Don’t miss the chance to see English electronic duo Goldfrapp or UK indie darling Laura Marling. Or catch an exclusive DJ set by Boy George.
And be sure to time your trip to take in one of the many talks, workshops and conferences that occur as part of the event.
Learn how to code, listen to Buzzfeed founder Jonah Peretti discuss Buzzfeed’s transformation into a global news and entertainment platform, or, if you’ve got a start-up, why not attend The Sunrise Conference and network with a bunch of other fledgling founders.
Sydney’s Vivid Festival is truly a treat for the eyes, the ears and the mind.
