The Vivid 2025 events you don't want to miss

New and improved, Vivid Sydney is just around the corner.

It’s that time of year again – Sydney’s favourite light show is back. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2025, Vivid Sydney is stepping things up with five new connecting zones stretching across Sydney Harbour and the CBD. Returning from 23 May to 14 June, the annual festival promises dazzling displays, epic music performances, thought-provoking ideas, mouth-watering food events and more.

Expect eight iconic Sydney landmarks to light up for the first time, too. Joining the Sydney Opera House, MCA and Customs House will be Challis House and the CTA building in Martin Place, the Museum of Sydney, The Bond in Barangaroo and Argyle Cut in The Rocks. From captivating installations to immersive experiences that will spark your imagination, there’s no shortage of reasons to get out and explore.

1. Embark on a Vivid Light Cruise

Where: Sydney Harbour, Sydney

Vivid Light Cruise for Vivid Sydney 2024

See Vivid in all its glory for the water. (Image: Destination NSW)

One special way to admire the canvas of the city during Vivid is on a Sydney Harbour cruise with Captain Cook. Departing from Darling Harbour, your vessel will coast by key precincts like Barangaroo, The Rocks, Luna Park and Circular Quay. On select nights, guests can even catch dazzling firework displays from the water.

Take it to the next level by booking an onboard dining experience, from a six-course degustation on superyacht The Jackson to a family-friendly two-course seating as the lights turn on. With nightly offerings at a variety of price points, nobody has to miss out on a cruise during Vivid.

2. Laugh with Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally

Where: International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour

Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally for Vivid 2025

Don’t miss Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally in conversation. (Image: Emily Shur)

Comedy’s favourite power couple will be attending Vivid this year with one sole purpose: to make you laugh as much as possible. For one night only (14 June), Unscripted & Unfiltered with Nick Offerman & Megan Mullally will offer guests a never-before-seen insight into the actors’ careers, collaborations, activism projects and more.

It will be the first time Nick and Megan – best known for their roles in Parks & Recreation and Will & Grace, respectively – will appear in a live, onstage in-conversation together, despite spending over a quarter of a century as a couple. Tickets are on sale now, but selling out fast!

3. Witness the Opera House light up

Where: Bennelong Point, Sydney

The installation honours the late David McDiarmid and his works.

One of the most brilliant displays of technology and light takes form on the Opera House each year during Vivid. This year, the iconic Sydney landmark will be transformed by the late David McDiarmid’s Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light, to honour the 30th anniversary of his passing.

Textures and colour collide to create a patchwork canvas across the facade, touching on themes of truth, fear and memory through four key bodies of work. Over seven minutes, the animation will project ideas of equality, inclusion and freedom, as well as joy, curiosity and creative rebellion.

4. Visit Hawkins with Stranger Things: The Experience

Where: Luna Park, North Sydney

Stranger Things The Experience Vivid Sydney 2025

Transport yourself into an episode of Stranger Things. (Image: Vivid Sydney)

Adding a splash of pop-culture nostalgia, Netflix’s global sensation Stranger Things will come to life at Luna Park this year. The theme park will transform into the town of Hawkins a la 1986, with the immersive and exciting Stranger Things: The Experience, guaranteed to thrill fans of all ages.

Designed exclusively by the show’s creators, the immersive experience features near-exact replicas of the show’s most iconic locations, as well as live actors, special effects and supernatural challenges. After saving Hawkins from the Upside Down, reward yourself with a cocktail at Mix-Tape, the attraction’s 80s-themed pop-up bar.

5. Have a boogie at Tumbalong Nights

Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour

Tumbalong Nights is perfect for the whole family. (Image: Destination NSW)

Hosted in Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park, the aptly named Tumbalong Nights is the place to be for free and eclectic contemporary music. Artists from Australia and around the world, from global icons to emerging Aussie talents, will take to the stage to get your hips swaying from Thursday to Saturday. DJs keep the excitement high from Sunday to Wednesday, with children’s shows each Saturday afternoon.

The line-up is brimming with talent this year – Winston Surfshirt and Jerome Blazé will bring the funky jazz vibes, while soulful R&B is delivered in droves by Adrian Eagle and Jada Weazel – just to name a few. There will also be a series of powerful First Nations storytelling sessions, as well as a diverse array of languages and cultures.

6. Take a moment with Martha

Where: International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour

Spend an evening with Martha Stewart at Vivid. (Image: Destination NSW)

Another global icon coming to Vivid this year is American sweetheart, Martha Stewart. The Emmy Award-winning television host and best-selling author will sit down with Benjamin Law for an Australian exclusive, discussing everything from her expansive career to her home life.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from the master of modern living herself, as she takes to the stage just once (28 May) at the International Convention Centre. It doesn’t matter if you’ve come for her magazines and books or TV shows and retail brands, you’ll hear about it all at In Conversation with Martha Stewart.

7. Wander the Light Walk

Where: Throughout Sydney

Vincent Namatjira’s King Dingo lights up the MCA. (Image: Destination NSW/Vivid Sydney)

If you’ve attended in recent years, you’ll know that the festival introduced ticketed events, much to the dismay of many visitors. But in 2025, over 75 per cent of the festival’s program will return to being totally free – including Vivid’s iconic Light Walk!

Wander over, under and through a curated collection of stunning works, from Circular Quay and the Rocks, over to Barangaroo and through Darling Harbour. Don’t miss the premiere of Vincent Namatjira’s King Dingo, which will illuminate the Museum of Contemporary Art accompanied by an original score from Jeremy Whiskey.

8. Get spooked by Haus of Horror

Where: Town Hall, Sydney

Edward Scissorhands still for Vivid 2025

Catch Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands in the former burial ground at Town Hall.

This year, the jump-scare experts at Haus of Horror are transforming the former burial ground at Sydney’s Town Hall into an eerie outdoor cinema. Fans of Tim Burton can look forward to viewing his 1990s cult classic, Edward Scissorhands, on 8 June. Or settle in for a super spooky screening of Poltergeist later in the night.

Feeling brave? The immersive experience goes beyond spooky screenings, mixing in a variety of immersive installations and live performers for good measure. You’ll have an hour and a half to thoroughly creep yourself out before settling in for your film of choice, if you make it that far…

9. Get a bird’s-eye view on a Bridge Climb

Where: BridgeClimb Sydney, The Rocks

The Sydney Harbour Bridge offers unbelievable views of Vivid. (Image: Destination NSW)

Join BridgeClimb Sydney for the ultimate view of Vivid this year. A Vivid Sydney Climb is an unforgettable experience that offers guests the chance to ascend to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the festival. You’ll see everything from the Sydney Opera House covered in a canvas of colours to The Rocks, Darling Harbour and beyond.

Your package includes a guided three-hour climb, a printed photo, certificate, cap and complimentary post-climb G&T (on weekends). Handy hint: the first climb that departs each afternoon is the best, timed to reach the summit as Vivid’s lights and installations are switched on for the evening.

10. Skate and snack at Neon Dreams

Where: Pier Street Underpass, Darling Harbour

Roller-skate into the night at Neon Dreams. (Image: Destination NSW)

Step from the streets of Sydney into a mail plane from 1979, which will mysteriously appear beneath the Pier Street Underpass just for Vivid. Food and fun combine to create Neon Dreams, a roller-disco diner that is somehow retro and futuristic all at once – complete with plant-based burgers cooked up by vegan masterchef, Shannon Martinez.

After smashing a delicious feed, grab your skates – the roller rink awaits. Skate and boogie to your heart’s content as DJ Bob Gherkin mixes vinyl-only beats throughout the night, followed by a milkshake or cocktail whipped up by Trolly’d bar. Just be sure to grab a ticket before hitting the rink!

11. Go gig-hopping at Vivid LIVE

Where: Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay

Vivid LIVE has a gig to suit every music lover.

Live music lovers are in for a month of rhythmic bliss, as more than 50 local and international artists perform at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE 2025. The line-up is practically bursting with talent, dipping into genres, moods and sounds that cater to all kinds of auditory tastes.

If you’re a fan of classical music, don’t miss Sigur Rós with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (23–25 May). Boogie into the night with indie-pop’s latest breakout star, Ravyn Lenae (25 May). Easygoing groovers will enjoy the soulful croon of folk master Marlon Williams (29 May). Plus so much more.

12. Spice it up at the Vivid Fire Kitchen

Where: The Goods Line, Ultimo

Vivid Fire Kitchen is a feast for the senses. (Image: Destination NSW)

Treat yourself to a meal (or two) of full-on flavour at the Vivid Fire Kitchen, where the open-flame grills won’t be the only thing that’s hot. This year’s featured chefs are bringing the heat under the theme of Fire & Spice, which celebrates the world’s most spice-driven cuisines.

Indulge in street food from around the world, from slow-cooked barbecue and sustainable seafood to native ingredients and locally sourced produce. Don’t miss the free live cooking demonstrations either, where leading chefs may reveal a secret or two.

13. Spend a night at the Supper Club

Where: Mary’s Underground, Sydney

Vivid Sydney Supper Club for Vivid Sydney

Head to Mary’s Underground for the Vivid Sydney Supper Club. (Image: Destination NSW)

A recurring program favourite, the Vivid Sydney Supper Club is back for another year of world-class comedy, cabaret and more. The speakeasy-style bar will transform into a hidden haven of music, mischief and midnight snacks – with an incredible line-up to match.

If you’re a fan of Angela Bishop, Luke Carrol, Amber Lawrence or Mark Humphries (plus so many more), I’d be booking tickets now. Whether you pull on your country boots for Tamworth to Tennessee or dance the night away with Celebrating Eurovision, you’re in for an absolute treat.

14. Soak it all in from Bennelong Bar

Where: Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay

Bennelong Bar provides front-row seats to Vivid.

With so many incredible events, it can all get a bit overwhelming. Sneak an hour or two of solace at the Sydney Opera House’s Bennelong Bar, where you can eat like a king against an illuminated city backdrop. A blend of art and architecture, it’s all about the experience here.

You’ll be in the safe hands of executive chef Peter Gilmore, who is whipping up four delicious snack offerings as part of a festival-specific package ($65 per person). You’ll also be treated to a bespoke cocktail named Dream Theatre, crafted with Full Circle Summer Berry gin, smoked white rum, purified guava and Vivid pearls.

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

The 14 vivid events you don’t want to miss this year