Sydney CBD and Surrounds
It’s all business during the day; smartly dressed office workers bustling along the footpath and taxis zipping down one-way alleys. But at night, the soul of the city awakens and transforms the streets. Unassuming office buildings reveal hidden rooftop bars within, historic laneways pulse with live music and fine dining restaurants serve up cuisine from around the world.
City CBD and Surrounds
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
The CBD is just a few steps from everything central Sydney has to offer – walk to the waterfront at Darling Harbour or Circular Quay; step back in time at The Rocks; stroll through the lush greenery of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Hyde Park or The Domain; or head for the glittering high rises of Barangaroo.
Branching out from the CBD are some of Sydney’s most diverse and interesting suburbs. Darlinghurst is the heart of the city’s LGBTQIA+ community and home to some of the best after-hours action. Hit up a nightclub along Oxford Street, a small bar in the maze of alleyways or an emerging gallery in a converted warehouse. Redfern and Eveleigh are thriving arts communities with an alternative twist. Ultimo, close to Central Station and Haymarket, is the place for education and ideas with its universities, TAFE, museums and more.
During Vivid Sydney, colourful projections wash central Sydney’s architecture in the glow of lights and vibrant installations pop up in unexpected spaces. Beyond the city’s harbourside heart you’ll find myriad halls, museums and underground spaces humming with music and ideas.
How to get there: Hop off the train at Town Hall, Wynyard, Martin Place or St James and you’ll be in the middle of the action. The light rail runs from Central Station down George Street all the way to Circular Quay and buses also run regularly into the city from the eastern and western suburbs. The northern end of George Street is a pedestrian thoroughfare, so you can also explore a lot of the CBD on foot.
Light Events
Dark Spectrum
Hidden beneath the city, an electronic labyrinth awaits in the abandoned railway tunnels below Wynyard Station, open to the public for the very first time...
Future Natives
Follow the Vivid Sydney flock along the Light Walk to spot stylised light sculptures resembling our native birds. This 'birdwatching' adventure highlights...
Music Events
Nature's Calling
Cutting-edge British-Pakistani selections, unearthed Arabic nuggets and spacey Detroit-inspired house meet at the Manning Bar, Sydney Uni in this celebration...
Athletica x Bypass: Thermal Mass
Fusing the visions of two of Sydney’s seasoned party throwers, Athletica and Bypass are joining forces for Thermal Mass, a day-to-night dancefloor showcasing...
A Bend in the River: A Tribute to Archie Roach AC
33 years ago, we first heard the lyrics ‘this story's right, this story’s true…', as the undeniable baritone croon of Archie Roach AC delivered an...
Wavyland
Celebrating five years of unmissable nights and tours, Sydney's WavyLand is throwing a soon-to-be legendary party with their trademark mix of cutting-edge...
SETTINGS™ w/ Bambii + Tommy Gold
SETTINGS™ returns – an event project at the forefront of rap, hip-hop and electronic music, for the fashion and design community in Sydney. With...
NECTAR
Local party collective NECTAR are back for an immense night of experimental club music. Dance all night to twisted techno, spacey electro and wonky baselines...
Xaddy's & Point Productions Factory Party
Three icons of New York nightlife arrive to mix it up with our finest, as curated by local party starters Xaddy’s Door List and Point Productions. A...
NLV Records All Night
Dance all night to the cutting-edge underground club music, rap and hyperpop that’s made NLV Records one of Australia’s most vital and trend-setting...
JIVA
JIVA is an acronym for 'Joy Is Vital Always'. Transforming the Ivy Courthouse, this euphoric day festival celebrates cultures and musical talent from across...
CLUB SERVICE
From Trackwork, the label at the fringes and front lines of Sydney’s rap and club music, comes CLUB SERVICE, a night of top-shelf sets and digital art. Since...
Ideas Events
What is Naturally Urban?
How are Sydney architects and designers planning to make our urban sprawls not just sustainable, but liveable? Join a panel of influential Sydney designers...
Monogamy: The Natural Way to Love?
Polyamory, open relationships and other forms of non-monogamy, ethical or otherwise, are enjoying their first real cultural moment in half a century. People...
Feeling It: Music and Sound on Screen
Ever wondered how filmmakers decide on that perfect score to have our hearts fluttering during a rom-com or our pulses quicken while watching a thriller...
Connection to Country: Australian Museum X Vivid Ideas
Australian First Nations Cultures have been caring for Country for over 60,000 years. Spend an evening learning how the oldest surviving knowledge on earth...
(Human) Nature and The City
How can cities be better built around our human need for community and belonging? Join a panel of urban designers, artists and architects as they share...
Climate Action: Tending or Taxing?
What if the biggest problem facing humanity isn't climate change itself, but instead, how we talk about it? Join a panel of experts as they weigh up whether...
Storytelling - It's in our Nature
As global powers stall on climate action, storytelling that can cut through the noise is more vital than ever before. Shake off your eco-anxiety with this...
What We Can Learn from Nature: Australian Museum X Vivid Ideas
Nature speaks, but are we listening? Hear from a trio of in-tune experts – photographic artist and activist Leila Jeffreys (Temple, Vivid Sydney 2022)...
Perv: The Kink in All of Us
Join renowned psychologist and science writer Jesse Bering (USA) and Jenny Valentish for a funny and thoughtful conversation on sexuality. Jesse will...
Nourishing Health
Join Maggie Beer AO in a vital discussion about what a good meal with great company can do. The veteran chef, author, restaurateur and providore is continuing...
Food Events
Nel x Prateek Sadhu | Vivid Chef Series
Acclaimed chefs Nelly Robinson of Nel and Prateek Sadhu formerly of Masque in Mumbai will join forces to create a culinary collaboration this Vivid Sydney...
Vivid Residence
Introducing an unmissable new dining experience: the Vivid Residence. We're bringing one of the world’s most revered chefs to the culinary capital of...
Bar Morris x Mmabatho Molefe | Vivid Chef Series
Fresh from winning 2022 Hospitality Pioneer at the World's 50 Best for her Cape Town restaurant Emazulwini, Mmabatho Molefe will be joining forces with...
Vivid Sydney Dinner
The Vivid Sydney Dinner returns to the ivy Ballroom, fusing light, music, ideas and cuisine into a very special feast for the senses. Leading the culinary...
Kiln x Jeremy Fox | Vivid Chef Series
Jeremy Fox of Birdie G's and Rustic Canyon in LA will be teaming up with Mitch Orr of award-winning Sydney restaurant Kiln at Ace Hotel Sydney for a series...
Vivid Chef Series
Amplifying the energy and innovation at the heart of Sydney's restaurant scene is the Vivid Chef Series. This exciting new culinary experience pairs cutting-edge...
HERE NOW
HERE NOW is a day-to-night festival of abundance, smashing food and wine with music and art to celebrate our most important voices, artists and makers...
Play With Your Dinner
At this unique dinner, everything is art and (almost) everything is edible. Chin Chin Sydney Executive Chef Matt MacLeod pairs a four-course menu with...
Fred's x Jackson Boxer | Vivid Chef Series
What happens when you pair one of London's leading restaurateurs with one of Sydney’s hottest chefs? An exultant evening of deliciousness, showcasing...
Yellow x Rishi Naleendra | Vivid Chef Series
After 10 years, Rishi Naleendra of two Michelin-starred Cloudstreet will be reuniting with his former mentor Brent Savage for a series of sensational collaborative...
