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SYDNEY FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS REGION’S CREATIVITY, INNOVATION Plan a trip around Australia’s largest festival and be dazzled by more than 300 activities and events in New South Wales that fall under four pillars: Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Ideas and, new this year, Vivid Food. Vivid Sydney 2023 runs May 26 through June 17 and is expected to draw more than 2.5 million people over 23 days. This year’s event emphasizes Sydney’s connection to nature, the significant contribution of First Nations people and culture in the creative world, and the region’s prevalence of world-class chefs and culinary talent. Visit night markets and enjoy dining experiences that fuse music, art, and paired food offerings. Don’t miss the Vivid Sydney Light Walk, with more than 49 light installations and 3-D projections along a 5.3-mile walk through Sydney; First Nations artist Maree Clarke’s stunning work “Barerarerungar” (meaning “Country”), which will be projected onto the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Jen Lewin’s massive, interactive display “The Last Ocean,” a tessellated “ice sheet” made of recycled ocean plastic that changes color and shape underfoot (and wowed viewers at the 2022 Burning Man festival, where it debuted). Add to that comedy and cabaret shows, the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere, appearances by wellknown authors such as British writer Jeanette Winterson, and thought-provoking screenings, including “Ama,” a 7-minute meditative journey across Sydney’s hidden coves where land and ocean meet — shot in infrared. Ticket prices vary. www.vividsydney.com