Now in its 16th year, Vivid Sydney continues to evolve as one of the world’s leading celebrations of creativity, culture and connection across Light, Music, Minds and Food. Running from 22 May to 13 June 2026, Vivid Sydney continues to power NSW’s visitor and night-time economies while reinforcing Sydney’s reputation as a global leader in immersive cultural experiences. Every evening, the city lights up from 6pm to 11pm, giving you plenty of time to wander, explore and soak up the atmosphere. Vivid Sydney 2026 unfolds across five zones: Circular Quay and The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Sydney CBD, Sydney Opera House and Carriageworks.
More than 80 per cent of Vivid Sydney is free to enjoy, including the iconic 6.5-kilometre Light Walk stretching from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour, featuring more than 40 spectacular light installations along the route. Across the harbour, renowned French artist Yann Nguema will unveil a major new work, Lighting of the Sails: Opera Mundi by Yann Nguema, reflecting on the transformations found in nature and the forces that inspired Sydney Opera House architect Jørn Utzon.
Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said, "This year marks the start of an exciting evolution of Vivid Sydney. We’ve expanded the program across all pillars and have opened up the brief for artists and removed the creative limitations of needing to centre around one key theme. Visitors can expect a more immersive and interactive experience that will encourage them to explore new locations, unexpected installations, and spend more time enjoying the festival – both after dark and during the day."
After last year’s cancellation, the Vivid drone show is officially back for 2026. Called Star-Bound, this aerial spectacle over Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour runs Sunday to Wednesday, with 10-minute shows at 7.30pm and 9.30pm each night.
Note: After technical difficulties, the drone shows have been put on an indefinite hiatus.
VIVID FOOD
World-leading culinary experiences will take centre stage through the Vivid Food program, celebrating the flavours, people and stories that define NSW. The inaugural Regional Dinner Series will bring leading chefs together with regional producers and ingredients from across the state, including ‘A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi’. Collaborations across the series include Mindy Woods with Danielle Alvarez at Sydney Opera House, Ben Devlin with Lennox Hastie at Firedoor, and Christine Manfield with Sander Nooij at Yellow.
VIVID MINDS
Creativity and conversation will come together through a reimagined Vivid Minds program, designed to place bold ideas and world-leading cultural voices at the centre of the festival. This year’s line-up includes Academy Award-winning filmmakers Sean Baker and Chloé Zhao, influential music commentator Zane Lowe, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz and bestselling author Roxane Gay.
VIVID MUSIC
Vivid Music will once again energise the city after dark, with Tumbalong Nights returning for free live performances celebrating the diverse musical cultures that shape Sydney. The program includes headline shows from Matt Corby, Nigerian afrobeat royalty Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Melbourne garage rock royalty Eddy Current Supression Ring, K-pop singer SHAUN, Chinese rap sensations Billionhappy + SEBii with Korean producer Kimj, alongside Mallrat, Coterie, Boy Soda and more.
VIVID LIVE
At the Sydney Opera House, Vivid LIVE will welcome more than 50 international and Australian artists, including singer-songwriter Mitski, Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai and Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills revisiting his legendary Liquid Room set.
Learn more about the event at Vivid Sydney