The biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere is making its return from May 23 to June 14 for 23 dazzling nights of unique cultural experiences. Celebrating its 15th edition, Vivid Sydney 2025 will explore the theme Vivid Sydney, Dream delving into the question: What’s in a dream? As always, attendees can look forward to a dazzling array of light projections, exceptional dining experiences, thought-provoking talks, immersive light walks, live music, and so much more.
“Dreaming is as old as time as universal as life itself. Dreams can be prophetic, life-changing, and inspiration, as well as trivial, hilarious, or terrifying. These interactions are evident in every aspect of Vivid Sydney’s program this year,” Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said in a statement.
This year, the festival will feature a revamped layout across five connected zones for a series of immersive events: Circular Quay and The Rocks, Barangaroo, Martin Place and the CBD (making its first return since 2018), Darling Harbour, and The Goods Line and Inner City. Here are some of the most incredible highlights of Vivid Sydney 2025.
1. Vivid Sydney 2025 light walk
The Vivid Sydney light walk takes you to the heart of the festival with a dazzling collection of artworks and installations sprinkled throughout the city’s nighttime landscape. The 8km trail kicks off at Circular Quay, meandering past The Rocks, Walsh Bay, and Barangaroo, before finishing at Wynyard. This year the light walk is bigger than ever and completely free for visitors. Check out the full map on the Vivid Sydney website.
2. Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid
David McDiarmid, a pivotal voice in the late 20th-century radical counterculture, blended art, fashion, nightlife, and activism into bold self-expression. Marking the 30th anniversary of his death, Kiss of Light reimagines his work as a dynamic animation projected on the Sydney Opera House during Vivid Sydney. The projection will feature four key works: the Bedsheet Paintings, Disco Kwilts, Kiss of Light, and Rainbow Aphorisms.
3. Stranger Things: The Experience
A major Vivid Sydney highlight this year is the immersive Stranger Things: The Experience. Step into the world of the iconic Netflix series for an interactive adventure filled with cutting-edge special effects, live performances, otherworldly obstacles, and more as you battle the dark forces of the Upside Down. Sign up for the waitlist to get your tickets as soon as they drop.
4. House of Romance: Dreams Collide
Created by Australia’s cutting-edge immersive studio, Supergiant, this animation features a stunning fusion of style and playfulness as designs from the duo’s renowned collections and collaborations with top Australian designers — like Ken Done, Del Kathryn Barton, Jenny Kee, Paul Yore, and Jonathan Zawad — are brought to life in House of Romance.
5. Carriageworks Night Market Vivid Sydney 2025
Carriageworks’ renowned Night Market returns for Vivid Sydney, this year naturally with a dream-inspired cuisine. Emerging culinary talents from Sydney’s top bars and restaurants will showcase their signature dishes and drinks. Expect delicious food and cocktails, live music, and much more. Tickets will go on sale soon, keep an eye on the Vivid Sydney website for updates.
6. Vivid Sydney 2025 Dinners
For three exclusive nights, global food icon Nigella Lawson hosts a unique dining experience in the stunning Muru Giligu Tunnel at Martin Place Metro. Enjoy a canapé upon arrival, followed by a three-course feast prepared in Nigella’s signature style, showcasing some of the very best of NSW’s food and wine scene. Book your tickets for Vivid Sydney Dinners here.
7. Starscape Tunnel
In what is sure to be an influencer magnet, a 40-metre tunnel illuminated by a galaxy of 700 glowing stars will take over Hay Street near The Goods Line. The glow-in-the-dark Starscape Tunnel is an ode to the night sky with flashes of brilliant colour dancing throughout the tunnel.
8. Vivid Fire Kitchen
Vivid Fire Kitchen returns to The Goods Line, offering a fiery open-air sensory experience. This year’s theme is Fire & Spice highlighting the bold, spice-driven cuisines of the world alongside flame-cooked favourites. Enjoy live cooking demos and a feast from top pitmasters, chefs, and more.
9. The Lucid Dream Collective
Where do our dreams go when we sleep? In their debut Vivid Sydney installation, The Lucid Dream Collective by Moment Factory explores this question taking viewers into an interactive, ethereal experience where dreams converge, presenting a mosaic of light, texture, and faces.
10. Where Do Ideas Come From? Creativity Inside TIME’s Cover
TIME magazine has captured the most defining moments of our time through their powerful, thought-provoking covers. In this special event, D.W. Pine, the creative force behind over 1,000 of those covers, takes us behind the scenes of his creative process, from conceptualization to visuals and more. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session. Book your tickets on Vivid Sydney.
11. Haus of Horror presents Edward Scissorhands
Remember Haus of Horror? Australia’s immersive horror brand is back with a special screening of Tim Burton’s 1990 classic Edward Scissorhands. In their signature style, the event will take place in the historic Sydney Burial Ground beneath Town Hall, with live performers, interactive photo booths, DJs, and installations, alongside the iconic film. Book your tickets here.
12. Neil Perry – Our Shared Dream: A world with no waste
One of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs, Neil Perry, brings his signature bold flavours and expert technique to Refettorio OzHarvest. A different Australian chef will lead Our Shared Dream each evening, joining forces with Refettorio OzHarvest to craft a unique four-course vegetarian menu, all prepared using rescued produce. Grab your tickets here.
13. Tumbalong Nights Vivid Sydney 2025
Set right in the heart of the Vivid Sydney Light Walk, Tumbalong Nights offers a free hub of vibrant, contemporary music. DJs bring the beats from Sunday to Wednesday nights, while live performances kick off at 7:30pm every Thursday to Saturday. Check out this year’s lineup and headlining acts on Vivid Sydney.
14. Tunku and Ngaadi
See the Australian National Maritime Museum’s rooftop transform with a story of creation, love, and loss. Illustrated by Walbunja and Ngarigo artist Cheryl Davison, and brought to life through the voices of the Djinama Yilaga Choir, Tunku and Ngaadi comes from the South Coast of NSW and depicts the bond between the Moon and the Earth.
15. SomniUs
SomniUs is an interactive installation featuring over 6 kilometres of LED lights suspended in nearly a thousand handmade bars. As you move beneath its surface, the sea of light and sound ripples in response to every gesture and step you take. Find it at the Stargazer Lawn in Barangaroo.
16. Colour The City
The ASN Clock Tower will be lit up with Colour the City, an interactive projection created by the community. Every week, 150 unique artworks will be featured, including contributions from the public and Vivid Sydney’s 2025 Charity Partner, the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. Learn how you can be part of it here.
17. An Evening with Warren Ellis
As part of Vivid Sydney and the Sydney Film Festival, Australian music icon Warren Ellis will take the stage for an intimate look at his life, music, and dedication to animal conservation, highlighted in the documentary Ellis Park. The documentary will be screened at Sydney Film Festival and you can book your tickets here.
18. Dreams of the Future: Powerful Stories for Change
In partnership with the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Dreams of the Future: Powerful Stories for Change brings together a diverse and talented group of writers to share original works imagining the world ahead. This evening of storytelling includes voices like Anjali Sharma and Ziggy Ramo, highlighting the power of the spoken word to inspire and change.
19. King Dingo
King Dingo, a bold and provocative projection by acclaimed First Nations artist Vincent Namatjira, will debut on the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia’s façade during Vivid Sydney 2025 featuring an original score by Jeremy Whiskey. The work combines powerful imagery with humour and music to celebrate First Nations’ strength, unity, and cultural reclamation.
20. Pasifix Vivid Sydney 2025
PASIFIX is a vibrant celebration of Australia’s Pacific-Islander community, blending traditional culture with contemporary reggae, soul, and hip-hop. This dynamic event showcases the rich heritage and pride of the Pacific islands through an unforgettable and free night of music.
21. Dreams On A Plate
Join Kyiv Social and Plate It Forward for a one-night-only dining experience at Vivid Sydney 2025 that celebrates the culture of Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Palestine. Dreams On A Plate highlights the culinary talents of migrant and refugee women, offering a six-course meal of authentic dishes, reimagined classics, and cross-cultural fusion with beer, wine, and more served throughout the evening. Book your tickets here.
Find more events and highlights of Vivid Sydney 2025 here.