Vivid Sydney kicks off tonight! Here’s our top tips and top picks!!
It’s the largest festival of light, music and ideas, with amazing family-friendly events that will give the whole family a thrill! Vivid is back, bigger and brighter for 2017!
Over 23 nights (Friday 26 May – Saturday 17 June 2017), families are invited to be mesmerised by eye-popping lights and a buzzing atmosphere, with schedule highlights including a brand new precinct and exciting family-friendly attractions.
♥ Our top tips
- Time it right: Early in the festival, early in the week and early in the evening are the most relaxed times to enjoy Vivid Sydney (lights on 6pm).
- Start even earlier: It’s lights on from 5.30pm at Taronga Zoo and Chatswood– ideal to get young children home for bedtime or take in the lights before dining out.
- Come back: Don’t try to fit it all in at once. Explore different precincts on different nights and remember it will be there again next year!
- Travel smart: Leave the car at home and take advantage of extra train, bus and ferry services running during the festival
- Stay up to date: Keep a Vivid Sydney planner in your pocket using the smartphone app or website on your mobile device for the latest information and locations. Download the Vivid Sydney app or visit the Vivid Sydney website at vividsydney.com
- Keep kids safe: Write your phone number on your kids arm or wrist band and take a photo of them before you leave the house (incase you need to show authorities what they are wearing) for an extra precaution
- Come prepared: plan your visits beforehand. Vivid Sydney precinct and accessibility maps including transport options and activities can be downloaded at the Vivid website
♥ OUR ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE
Be The Light for the Wild – Taronga Zoo
This year Taronga Zoo lights up with giant, interactive animal lanterns ranging from the magnificent Asian elephant to the brightly coloured Corroboree frog. Families can interact with the larger-than -life lanterns which change colour and make sound in spectacular fashion.
♥ OUR TOP PICKS
Fun for the little ones: 0-5 years
Sydney’s Hidden Stories – Customs House, Circular Quay
A blue -tongue lizard leads leads visitors through haunting landscapes of warty witches, snakes, gnomes and gumnut fairies in an awe–inspiring projection on the grand sandstone façade.
Cathedral of Light – The Royal Botanic Gardens
Take little ones on a mesmerising walk through a 70 metre long, eight metre high tunnel made from tens of thousands of LED lights in The Royal Botanic Garden. Enter through Queen Elizabeth II Gates via the Opera House forecourt.
Electric Jellyfish – Museum of Sydney
Venture inside the spectacular dome and pluck, bounce or wobble electric light rings to create your own light and sound jellyfish – and watch it float across the surface.
Must sees for kids under 12
The Sunflowers – The Royal Botanic Gardens
These oversized flower sculptures will entrance kids who will love watching the blossoms bob and bow after dark, powered by solar energy they stored up during the daylight hours.
Never Ends – The Rocks
This is a gorgeous fairytale horse that is mounted on platform, just waiting for a rider! When kids hop on its illuminated back they’ll be amazed as their surroundings transform into a magical, spectacular world of spinning lights.
Don’t Step on the Crack – Alfred Street, Sydney
Inspired by the old rhyme, this installation encourages kids to jump over illuminated cracks and cross boundaries.
Five giant illuminated spheres swing back and forth, changing colour every time they touch – and kids can give them a push too!
Must sees for kids 12+
Sydneyland -The Royal Botanic Gardens
Incorporating the power and popularity of social media, this installation allows teens to pose for a Hollywood-style Sydney selfie and share it with friends and followers via Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
MailboX – The Rocks
This clever installation combines a video game a post box! By interacting with MailboX’s game inspired design and tapping at different places, teens can help create anything from an emoji to a smiling koala and send it on!
Silent Disco – Central Park
Friday and Saturday, 6pm – 9:30pm)
Yes! Finally, the kids can dance to music that you don’t have to listen to! They simply pick up a set of headphones, select an audio channel and hit the dance-floor with music only they can hear!
Vivid Sydney will be on from Friday 26 May to Sunday 17 June in various locations around Sydney including: The Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Martin Place, Darling Harbour, Chatswood, Carriageworks, on Sydney Harbour and for the second year, Taronga Zoo and the The Royal Botanic Garden.
Vivid Sydney is Australia’s major event in winter and is recognised as the largest event of its kind in the world combining light, music and ideas. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
