Vivid 2025 Kicks Off in Sydney with Dreamscapes of Light
Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons / Image: Vivid 2024
Sydney’s CBD was transformed into a glowing playground on Friday night as the annual Vivid Sydney festival kicked off, inviting all to “dream with the lights on.”
Spanning 23 days, Vivid 2025 is expected to draw over three million attendees. With more than 40 light installations and projections spread across the city, this year’s theme—Dream—encourages audiences to explore harmony, imagination, and new ways of thinking.
“In 2025, Vivid Sydney invites you to dream big,” reads the festival’s official website.
“To go to the outer reaches of your mind, to think differently, without boundaries or preconceptions and to immerse yourself in new experiences and ideas.”
First Nations performers open Vivid with powerful energy and stunning style
The opening night began with First Light, an impactful welcome ceremony at Campbells Cove led by Indigenous dancers from NAISDA.
View this post on Instagram
Under the vibrant light, performers burst with energy in traditional dress and captivated the crowd.
The ceremony was followed by a free concert hosted by rapper Ziggy Ramo, celebrating First Nations pride and showcasing emerging Indigenous talents like DJ Rona, Kaiit and Jeremy Whiskey for one night only.
A crowd favourite is the lighting of the sails on the Sydney Opera House. This year’s projection, Kiss of Light, honours artist David McDiarmid on the 30th anniversary of his passing.
View this post on Instagram
The vivid, camp-infused display features a spectacular show of rainbows, tiled patterns and a surreal green eyeball, serving as a “rallying cry for equality, inclusion and freedom,” as described by festival organisers.
Drone show scrapped due to safety concerns
The festival is laid out across five major zones: The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, The Goods Line, and the inner city, with Martin Place returning to the program for the first time since 2018.
While Circular Quay remains a major hub, organisers have adjusted the layout to prevent expected overcrowding.
Notably, Vivid 2025 has scrapped its drone show, first introduced in 2021. Citing safety concerns and aiming to keep crowds more manageable, Destination NSW made the call in March after last year’s packed audience bottleneck raised concerns at Circular Quay.
In a welcome move for festival-goers feeling the pinch of rising costs, the famed Light Walk is now completely free. Previously priced at $30, the walk is a centrepiece of the event’s push for accessibility.
View this post on Instagram
“We are all feeling the pinch in terms of the economy and cost-of-living crisis,” says Festival Director Gill Minervini, “My job as director is to renovate and refresh the festival every year.”
“We want audiences to come back time after time, and not think, “Oh, it’s the same old Vivid”. We want to keep everyone guessing,” she adds.
Check out City Hub‘s recommendations for Vivid’s 2025 program here
For more information on the festival’s accessibility, visit www.vividsydney.com/visit/access-and-inclusion
You May Also Like
