VIVID LIGHT FESTIVAL IN SYDNEY

In the middle of Australia's winter season, at the end of June, the Vivid Festival of Light is held. It's my favourite event of the year in the city. A variety of art installations are featured, as well as projections onto iconic buildings, such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. These projections showcase all the incredible things you can do with light. During the evening, all the walk-through displays come to life, resulting in a vibrant atmosphere!

In 2019, I went to Sydney's Vivid festival for the first time. My friend and I attended the event together on opening night. In the middle of winter, as we made our way along the waterfront, Circular Quay harbour was already very dark. After only a few minutes, we were awestruck by the bright colours and dazzling light installations projected off the buildings.

You couldn't help but stare at the Harbour Bridge across the water, lit up with hues that changed constantly. Among my favourite features were the futuristic-looking green laser beams emitted from the structure. Back in 2019, I enjoyed walking around a very cold June evening, but I don't remember much about it. The next time I visited, I remembered it very well.

My departure from Circular Quay Train station gave me a great view of the harbour upon arriving that night. As we approached the Sydney Opera House, we were able to admire the spectacularly lit-up building, which displayed images of jellyfish and ocean creatures as well as beauty, flowers, and funky patterns on its roof. Many of the installations around this area were painted in pink and blue. Despite its sail-shaped roof, it looks stunning anyway, with colourful rotating patterns projected onto it.

Then we visited the fantastic art installations around the harbour, leaving the Opera House behind. As we walked through the city at night, we felt like giants wandering through a miniature city of blocks of skyscrapers with twinkling lights on the windows. I think the creative Instagrammers could create some pretty awesome pictures behind these pink poles. Also, you will have to dodge crowds that might photobomb your pictures if you're not quick enough!

Various projections of the ocean onto surrounding buildings were also pretty cool, featuring a man dressed in an old diving suit. The Swimming Turtles were definitely my favourite part of the festival! Stained glass created them to look like they floated in midair. Their stunning aboriginal patterns were blue and green. There's no doubt that our beautiful oceans were the focus of the theme that year.

The Sydney Vivid festival is always busy, but even more so at the weekend! If you decide to visit Sydney Vivid next year, expect it to be crowded. The crowds are definitely worth braving, so don't let them discourage you.

Here are the slides of the photos I took that night. Please enjoy!

Seeing the colourful lights and projected patterns on buildings, as well as the interactive areas, makes it an especially special time to visit the city. During the cold, dark winter months, take advantage of this great event to brighten your winter evenings. Additionally, it is free, so it is a good alternative to an expensive night out.

AJ