Sydney shines in Southern Hemisphere’s largest light festival
Sydney came to life last week with a dazzling display of colours and light as the harbour city kicked off its annual Vivid Sydney festival of light, art and culture, the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
Just after sunset, the sails of the Sydney Opera House lit up with the vibrant and colourful works of the late Australian artist John Olsen, renowned for his abstract depictions of Australian landscapes.
During the 23-day event, the city is transformed with over 50 light installations and 3D projections along an 8.5km illuminated walk. There are also live music performances, public talks and dining experiences.
This year, the addition of “Vivid Food” to the festival’s existing programme of “Light, Music And Ideas” promises to deliver a feast for all the senses. The food programme will span everything from street food to high-end dining experiences, including pop-ups along the Vivid Sydney Light Walk.
Vivid Sydney will also see the skies above Sydney Harbour illuminated with a display of more than 1,000 drones, the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere.
Among the various local and international artists featured in the 2023 line-up is Japanese musician Keigo Oyamada. Performing under the stage name Cornelius, he will close out the festival’s free music programme with a live performance alongside the Australian band Nice Biscuit on June 17.
Last year, the festival attracted 2.58 million visitors and injected AU$119 million (2.7 billion baht) into the New South Wales state economy, according to organisers, after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.