Vivid flips the switch on Sydney in first-night spectacular

This year’s Vivid celebrations have officially kicked off, lighting up Sydney on Friday night with the iconic Opera House a star attraction.

The Sydney CBD lit up for the first night of the annual Vivid festival on Friday night.

More than three million people are expected to hit the streets over the 23-day event, taking in over 40 installations and projections spread across the Harbour City.

This year’s theme is Dream – a vision of light, harmony and a future in balance.

“In 2025, Vivid Sydney invites you to dream big,” the official website reads.

“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.

Indigenous performers at the Countdown til light up, the opening night of Vivid Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

“We want you to dream with the lights on, to daydream, to dream without boundaries, to soar.”

Celebrations kicked off on Friday evening by First Light, a special welcome ceremony featuring Indigenous Australian dancers from NAISDA.

Dancers in traditional wear, illuminated by bursts of fire and colourful lighting, brought Campbells Cove at The Rocks to life, followed by a free concert celebrating First Nations pride.

Celebrations were kicked off on Friday evening by First Light, a special welcome ceremony featuring Indigenous Australian dancers from NAISDA. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Hosted by rapper Ziggy Ramo, visitors were invited to celebrate the next generation of Indigenous artists such as DJ Rona, Kaiit and Jeremy Whiskey in a one-night-only music extravaganza.

One of Vivid’s most highly-anticipated centrepieces is the lighting of the Opera House Sails.

This year, it will display the works of David McDiarmid in Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light on the 30th anniversary of the artists death.

The projections will act as a “rallying cry for equality, inclusion and freedom”, the festival organisers said, through a colourful and quirky lens – including slides of moving tiled shapes, rainbows and a green eyeball.

The sails of the Sydney Opera House will be lit up with the works of David McDiarmid as a “rallying cry for equality, inclusion and freedom”. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Circular Quay is not the only spot to get in on the action.

The festival will be split into five zones, including The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, The Goods Line and inner city and, for the first time since 2018, Martin Place.

Things look a little different this year with Vivid deciding to scrap its drone show and make its famous light walk free.

The festival will be split into five zones, including The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, The Goods Line and inner city and, for the first time since 2018, Martin Place. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Destination NSW confirmed the decision to scrap the drone show, which has been part of the festival since 2021, in March citing safety concerns.

It was thought the spectacle would bring in too many people and create dangerous conditions after crows were stuck in a bottleneck while trying to leave the western side of Circular Quay last year.

Meanwhile, the light walk – which previously set festival-goers back $30 – will now be free as this year’s festival aims to be as “budget-friendly” as possible.

Lights across Circular Quay with small crowds on the opening night of Vivid Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Crowds look out to the Opera House. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

“We are all feeling the pinch in terms of the economy and cost-of-living crisis,” Festival director Gill Minervini said.

“I really wanted Vivid to respond to that. 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.”

Originally published as Vivid flips the switch on Sydney in first-night spectacular