Captivating Immersive Experiences You Can't Miss In Sydney

These include a 32-inch The Frame Art TV, Galaxy S26 Ultra (available for purchase with $250 off), and Galaxy Buds 4. The second portal, Unleash Your Creativity, focuses on AI editing tools. Visitors can take a simple photo and then edit it using Photo Assist. They can add or remove objects and change outfits or locations to bring their imagination to life. To spark "joy, curiosity, and wonder" in everyone from four-year-olds to art aficionados.
Earlier today new midwinter festival Illuminate Adelaide announced its inaugural program, including immersive art experience Van Gogh Alive, a multi-sensory tribute to one of the most famous figures in Western art. Located on Sydney Harbour at Tallawoladah, home to stories, art and culture for over 65,000 years, the MCA contributes to the continuity of culture on their site. They connect the widest possible public to contemporary art through their Collection, exhibitions, events, creative learning and access programs. Luna Park's high-tech Magic Box will go on to deliver immersive experiences, immersive experiences sydney shows, performances and events, long after Dream Circus has played out its season. Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers were painted in a rare period of optimism and excitement in his life (e.g. Vase with Twelve Sunflowers 1888 and Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers 1888).

Although Vivid Sydney organisers copped some heat in previous years for charging an admission price for the bigger, more unique light installations, the Vivid Light Walk will be completely free for all this year. Every light installation that makes up the 8km Vivid Light Walk is free to view, to interact with, and to take photos of. “This year we invite you to go beyond your previous expectations of Vivid Sydney into a bold new festival designed to surprise, delight, challenge, entertain, and fill you with joy.
Working across Australia with government, universities, and organisations, we deliver Aboriginal-led cultural immersion programs at scale. Guided by Aboriginal artists, participants explore cultural symbolism as they create their own artwork, fostering understanding through hands-on, meaningful engagement. Experience Aboriginal cultural storytelling through art workshops or cultural art classes, where traditional and contemporary practices share knowledge, identity, and connection to Country. Shared by master performers, each piece brings ancient stories to life, honouring tradition while engaging contemporary audiences in  a powerful and meaningful experience. Year-round experiences are important; however, demand for Aboriginal-led programs increases during key dates such as NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week, making early planning essential to secure the right Aboriginal partners and experiences. For the first time ever, visitors will step inside a purpose-built structure that evokes the scale, atmosphere, and splendour of the Chapel itself, offering a profound encounter with the art, history and imagination of the Renaissance in a way never before possible.
There are 15 ‘challenge room’ styled as hotel rooms, and on arrival, you and your group are assigned to a set of five. Each room is a mini-game, from scramble on a light-up piano floor, to diving into a ball pit while hunting for gold balls, to plugging up Titanic-style leaks in a ship-themed room. This exhibition reflects a commitment to the arts, education and cultural storytelling, and to sharing treasures of global significance with the Australian public. The Sistine Chapel experience, exclusive to Sydney, unfolds across two extraordinary spaces designed to deepen your understanding of the masterpieces of Michelangelo and other Renaissance masters and the history behind them. You get to support Sydney's arts community and spend time with like-minded people while tucking in to a great feed. Bring your crew together for a vibrant group experience—ideal for private or team events looking to paint, play, and connect.

A pop-up bar serves wine, cocktails, mulled wine, espresso martinis, and spicy mango  margaritas. Nearby Pisa Slice offers a $10 pizza slice and soft drink combo on Thursdays. The 73rd Sydney Film Festival brings over 100 local and international filmmakers to Sydney for 12 days of premieres, Q&As, talks, and masterclasses. This year’s Official Competition jury is presided over by Oscar-nominated Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho, whose most recent film won Best Director and Best Actor at Cannes 2025.
A recognised leader, she received the Public Service Medal in 2024 for her contributions to South Australia’s music and creative industries. We are thrilled to have her guiding ILA’s vision into 2025 and beyond. 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. "Tonight, Sydney becomes the canvas for one of the world's greatest arts festivals, as Vivid Sydney once again transforms our city through Light, Music, Minds and Food.

Originally hailing from Sydney, James is a hospitality veteran, previously working at various highly acclaimed restaurants around the country including New South Wales Rockpool as a Sommelier. Millions of people are expected to visit the city over the next three weeks, providing a major boost for local businesses, restaurants, bars and hotels during the winter months while continuing to drive growth in the NSW visitor economy. 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. Some of the ticketed events may be 18+, but the Vivid Light Walk, which is the centrepiece of Vivid Sydney, is both kid-friendly and completely free.
Top viewing locations include North Head Lookout, Watsons Bay, and Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park. Award-winning Australian circus company Gravity & Other Myths bring their new production to the Joan Sutherland Theatre for its Australian premiere. Eight acrobats perform alongside a 22-piece ensemble from The Metropolitan Orchestra in a work that combines modern acrobatics with orchestral music. Led by artistic director Paul Dyer, the concert features works by Vivaldi, Corelli, Porpora, Caldara, and others, performed on period instruments.
Her current research is focused on exploring the philosophical field of zoosemiotics through virtual installations of 3D representations of bird song sound waveforms in social, creative, virtual worlds. Having an extensive research background in biomedical science at the University of Melbourne and a longstanding interest in the visual arts, Andrew works as a postdoctoral research fellow and lead pre-rendered content developer at 3DXLab. Andrew specialises in developing creative solutions to complex visualisations in addition to carrying out roles in the lab’s interactive VR content development. The Visual microscope is a fully interactive and ultra-high resolution navigation tool that has been developed to browse and analyse gene expression levels from human cancer cells. Newly established cutting edge research and production space for live performance capture and photogrammetry.

Experience cultural storytelling through shared knowledge, where stories, conversation, and connection are guided by Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Elders. Experience Aboriginal cultural storytelling through rhythm and movement, where Indigenous dance, song, and traditional music express identity and connection to Country. Experience cultural storytelling through sound, where the didgeridoo carries the heartbeat of Country, identity, and connection to place.
The family-friendly experience will create the sensation of walking right into Van Gogh's paintings. Now in its fifth year, this after-dark trail through Sydney Zoo features large-scale light installations, immersive soundscapes, and interactive elements across an expanded night trail. The Luna Light Journey, created by Laservision, is the signature experience. The Coal Loader Artisans Market has established itself as one of Sydney’s premier destinations for handmade and locally crafted goods.

This is unquestionably one of the must-see exhibitions of your life, for there is nothing else like it. The children had an amazing time, and every display was delightful and engaging. From intricate sculptures to fully immersive environments, our installations push the boundaries of craft and design, redefining what balloon art can be. The Department of Legend and Myth (D.L.M) was a popular secret pop-up bar during VIVID, giving people a taste of the epic experience of ETERNITYLAND that was to come.
Part casual bistro, part fine dining destination, Modedelivers a culinary journey that’s all about balance—think simple ingredientsprepared with finesse and plated with style. Located within the Four Seasons Hotel, Grain Bar is wherecocktail culture gets a glow-up. This sleek CBD hideaway combines moodylighting, embossed walls and a glowing aqua-lit bar to deliver a venue asalluring as it is sophisticated. During Vivid, the venue morphs into "The DreamLab”—a sensory playground with DJ sets, theatrical cocktails and a late-nightbuzz that rivals the city lights outside. It’s the kind of place whereconversations flow, glasses clink and the night stretches luxuriously long. The Harbour View Hotel is where history meets hedonism,perched just beneath the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and mere steps from theglowing heart of Vivid at The Rocks. With a rooftop terrace made for watchinglight shows and private rooms for more intimate gatherings, this venue deliversa classic Sydney pub feel—reimagined with upscale flair.