Thousands of visitors have poured into Sydney for the opening weekend of Vivid Sydney 2026, with this year’s festival introducing an expanded daytime program alongside its popular night-time light displays, music performances and food events.
The internationally recognised festival officially opened with crowds gathering across Sydney’s major precincts to experience large-scale installations, drone shows and live entertainment.
For the first time, Vivid Sydney has also introduced a curated daytime program, giving visitors more opportunities to explore the city beyond the evening events.
Among the opening weekend highlights was the Star-Bound drone show, which lit up Sydney Harbour with large illuminated formations visible from several waterfront locations.
Festivalgoers also gathered at Tumbalong Nights to watch live performances, including Australian singer-songwriter Mallrat, while food lovers explored Vivid Fire Kitchen at its new Barangaroo location.
A number of daytime installations have also attracted strong public interest, including There, Now, Here; Manawan; Optik; Koro Loko; As Water Falls; Invisible Cities and Dear You.
The festival continues to draw a diverse mix of audiences from across Australia, including interstate travellers, international visitors, families and students.
Vivid Sydney may also be of interest to Filipino-Australian readers in Sydney and across NSW, where the Filipino-born community is one of the largest migrant communities in Australia.
This year’s program also includes conversations and ticketed events featuring international personalities and creatives.
Opening weekend featured broadcaster Zane Lowe discussing his time in Sydney following his daytime session In Conversation with Zane Lowe, while chef Frank Fawkner joined Alessandro Pavoni for the Regional Dinner Series lunch event.
Destination NSW said ticket demand has been particularly strong this year, with more than 40 events already sold out, including performances by Saint Levant and Chanel Beads, as well as A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi.
Wonderverse sessions are also continuing to sell strongly, while tickets for Debbie Millman’s Why Design Matters are now limited.
Vivid Sydney 2026 continues over the coming weeks, with organisers encouraging visitors to plan ahead and secure tickets early for popular events.
More information and tickets are available at Vivid Sydney.
