Vivid Sydney

Last updated October 2026

Sydney's annual winter festival of light, with a free Light Walk of projections around the harbour each night from 6pm. Next 28 May-19 June 2027.

Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light, music, talks and food run by Destination NSW, the NSW Government's tourism and events agency. It returns from 28 May to 19 June 2027, lighting up the city for 23 nights. The main draw for families is the free Vivid Light Walk, a trail of light projections and installations around the harbour foreshore, including the Lighting of the Sails on the Sydney Opera House, with lights on at 6pm every night. Vivid Music's free Tumbalong Kids program is also on the festival list; some other events are ticketed. The festival runs in all weather, though some areas may close in bad conditions. Crowds are biggest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, so the organisers suggest families with young children and strollers come on weeknights and earlier in the evening, or see the daytime installations. Information booths on the Light Walk hand out wristbands for parents to write contact details on. A visual story made with Autism Spectrum Australia and an accessibility map can be downloaded.

Facts checked against the venue's own website on 17 October 2026.