From 23 May to 14 June, Vivid Sydney returns to ignite creativity, spark wonder and celebrate the festival theme ‘Dream’ across Light, Music, Ideas and Food.  

Over 23 nights, activations, projections, gigs, performances, talks and food will converge across five vibrant festival zones. The best part? Over 75% of the Vivid Sydney program is free for you to experience. Below find our guide to our top free Vivid Sydney events.  

Light

The Vivid Sydney Light Walk is completely free, so lace up your sneakers and get ready to explore stunning light installations and projections after 6pm every night. The walk reaches across our five festival zones, Circular Quay and The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, The Goods Line and Inner City, and Martin Place and CBD, and boasts over 42 large-scale projections and installations. 

To make the most of your experience, we suggest breaking up the Light Walk over several evenings, focusing on one zone per night.  

Below are our top 10 Vivid Light picks for 2025

You won’t want to miss these brilliant works.

Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid  

The sails of the Sydney Opera House come alive with the work of David McDiarmid, a visionary artist and activist, for Lighting of the Sails. Brought to life by Sydney creative studio VANDAL, this is a ground-breaking animated tribute to McDiarmid’s bold, unapologetic work. 

House of Romance: Dreams Collide 

Australian fashion label Romance Was Born transforms Customs House into a swirling dreamscape of couture and colour; a celebration of this iconic fashion house’s 20th anniversary and a showcase of its most celebrated collections and collaborations.  

The Lucid Dream Collective by Moment Factory  

World-renowned Moment Factory from Montreal, make their Vivid Sydney debut with this surreal work at Martin Place. Go on a journey through the subconscious, where AI-generated imagery fuses your face with hundreds of others in a dreamlike tapestry.  

King Dingo by Vincent Namatjira 

At the Museum of Contemporary Art, Vincent Namatjira’s work, King Dingo, offers a strikingly satirical take on colonial history. Through the eyes of his totem – the dingo – Vincent reclaims the past and visits a rock concert along the way.   

An Act of Being  

This powerful work brings two cultural powerhouses together – Bangarra Dance Theatre and Reconciliation Australia – for a ground-breaking fusion of dance, technology and truth-telling. This deeply moving work examines the weight of history and the resilience of First Nations communities.  

Fantasmagoria  

Fantasmagoria brings the magic of reading to life in a stunning animated projection on new Vivid Sydney projection site: the Bond Building. Follow a young girl as she’s pulled into the pages of a fantastical adventure.  

Flowers’ Power

Giant mirrored flowers bloom across Martin Place. Illuminated by shifting beams and a soft musical score, this surreal installation transforms a slice of Sydney’s CBD into a luminous field of wonder. 

Sweet Dreams  

Shiny gumballs, pastel macarons, freshly made popcorn – this confection of colour, light and nostalgia transforms the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons into a childhood dream come true. 

Cygnus 

Watch as twelve robotic swans glide across Nawi Cove and an ethereal dance of light, music and movement unfolds before your eyes.  

Colour the City  

Turn Sydney into your canvas with this interactive light projection on the ASN Clock Tower. Submit your design (in advance) and see it projected alongside community artworks and contributions from the Vivid Sydney Charity Partner, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. 

Music

Love seeing gigs and performances? Good news is, more than half of this year’s Vivid Music program is free for you to experience.  

At the heart of Vivid Sydney’s Light Walk, Tumbalong Park transforms into Tumbalong Nights, a vibrant stage hosting 23 nights of free music. From global icons to local legends, expect a stellar lineup of diverse artists, plus special family-friendly performances every Saturday at 5pm.  

Alongside this completely free program of music on the Tumbalong stage, there are several other free gigs scattered across the festival footprint, including every Wednesday night for Metro AiR x Vivid Sydney.  

Check out our top free, must-see Vivid Music gigs below and we’ll see you on the dancefloor.  

First Light Live (23 May)  

A special First Nations music showcase opening the festival, bringing together the best Indigenous artists from across the globe. The night will feature brilliant sets from the likes of Rona, Kaiit and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. 

PASIFIX: Tumbalong Nights (24 May)  

Experience the heart and soul of the Pacific with this vibrant celebration of music, culture and connection, curated by Airileke Ingram and produced by Gaba Musik.  

Stella Jang: Tumbalong Nights (6 June)  

The South Korean indie-pop icon brings her genre-hopping style to Tumbalong Nights. Singing in Korean, French and English, her blend of pop, jazz and ballad has earned her fans worldwide. She’ll be playing songs from her hotly anticipated new album, fresh off the press this year.  

 Zaeden: Tumbalong Nights (7 June)  

Zaeden is one of the biggest names in India’s thriving pop scene, with a sound that blends electronic beats and smooth vocals. Expect an electrifying night of melody as he takes over the Tumbalong Nights stage for the Saturday of the long weekend.  

Dobet Gnahore: Tumbalong Nights (8 June)  

The Grammy-winning Ivorian artist takes to the Tumbalong stage for the Sunday of the long weekend, with her powerhouse voice and explosive Afrobeat energy. Known for her dynamic stage presence and commitment to cultural preservation, Dobet’s music is a vibrant, modern celebration of African creativity and rhythm.  

Winston Surfshirt: Tumbalong Nights (14 June)  

The beloved Sydney performer brings his signature blend of funk, soul and hip-hop to Tumbalong Park. Known for his smooth vocals, punchy horns and laid-back energy, Winston Surfshirt’s live shows have become the stuff of local legend.  

Divide and Dissolve | Metro AiR x Vivid Sydney (11 June)  

A force like no other, Black and Cherokee composer and multi-instrumentalist Takiaya Reedcreate creates instrumental soundscapes that tackle colonialism, white supremacy and the patriarchy. This will be a powerful night of crashing cymbals, crunchy feedback and stomach-flipping riffs.  

Ideas

Vivid Ideas is more than a series of talks – it’s a platform for inspiration and an invitation to dream big. The program sparks conversations about art, culture, technology and the future through talks, performances, film screenings and other thought-provoking experiences.  

Check out our highlights this year’s free Vivid Ideas program and get ready to think and dream big.  

Firetalk 

Gather around the fire for an intimate night of First Nations storytelling, featuring writers, poets and songwriters sharing their work. Curated by Jazz Money in partnership with Sydney Writers’ Festival, Firetalk will take place every Wednesday night of Vivid Sydney from 6.30pm to 7pm.  

State Library Unplugged  

Every Friday night during Vivid Sydney, the State Library of NSW stays open late and transforms into an oasis of analogue creativity. Read, write, explore the heritage galleries or lose yourself in puzzles and hands-on activities. 

I Dream of Reality  

For a truly immersive experience, don’t miss this Extended Reality/Virtual Reality exhibition from University of Technology Sydney researchers and artists. You will be plunged directly in several alternate futures via the best new technology on the scene.  

Endling 

This solo performance blends projections, narration and physical theatre. A portrait of humanity’s vanity, strengths and self-destructive tendencies, it’ll leave you wondering: will we be the architects of our own extinction?    

Art After Hours: Dreams  

A Vivid Sydney special series of the Art Gallery of NSW’s popular Art After Hours. Across several nights, explore the power of dreams with leading artists, thinkers and creatives. 

The Talbot Oration  

A keynote event delving into climate change, sustainability and our planet’s future presented by Matt Kean, Chair of the Climate Change Authority and a driving force behind some of Australia’s most progressive climate policies. 

SFFTV: Sydney Film Festival in Martin Place (4-15 June)  

Enjoy free outdoor screenings of acclaimed short films and sneak previews from Sydney Film Festival 2025 right in the heart of our buzzing Martin Place zone.  

Food

This year, Vivid Fire Kitchen returns with a bold new ‘Fire and Spice’ menu, serving up flame-seared global street food every night. While food is available for purchase, you can still enter and enjoy the sizzling spectacle of this night market and live-fire cooking demos by world-class chefs for free. 

Catch top Australian and international pitmasters as they cook up mouthwatering barbecue using NSW’s finest produce. Expect live demonstrations, delicious smoky aromas and fiery art, flamethrowers and fire barrels at The Goods Line.