Vivid Sydney, the Emerald city's most photogenic festival, opens this week with the lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails at 6:00pm this Friday. The festival, which includes light shows, music, talks, performances, workshops and special events around the city runs from from 6pm to midnight every night from 24 May to 10 June 2013.
Owned and managed by Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government, Vivid Sydney is the city’s biggest winter festival, with free and ticketed events including the event’s longest light walk, running for 18 days across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Darling Harbour, North Sydney and the Inner West.
For the first time, there will be a free mobile app to help visitors plan their trip, as well as the free Vivid Sydney Harbour Shuttle, operating between Kirribilli, Walsh Bay and Darling Harbour from 6pm to midnight every night.
As part of Vivid, a celebration of all things photography will be held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay, from from 31 May to June 2, 2013. Hosted by IDEA Australia, The Digital Playground includes images from the Head On photo festival, talks by leading photographers, camera gear and more.
Highlights of Vivid Sydney 2013 include:
• Vivid Aquatique and Darling Harbour – Vivid Aquatique is a dazzling water theatre show with fountains, pyramids and projections amazing audiences on the hour, every hour, spectacularly choreographed to music.
• Colour the Bridge – Visitors are invited to light the Sydney Harbour Bridge from an interactive touchscreen at Luna Park in a collaboration between Intel Australia and 32 Hundred Lighting, and the bustling night markets at Bradfield Park every Friday and Saturday evening will ensure that North Sydney has plenty on offer.
• Lighting the Sails – The world famous lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails have this year been designed by Australian creative innovators The Spinifex Group, who will transport audiences through a playfully projected journey celebrating Vivid Sydney in an immersive new way.
• Vivid Light – More than 60 interactive and immersive light sculptures and installations across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Darling Harbour and North Sydney.
• City skyscrapers will light up along with 3D mapped projections on Customs House, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and Cadman’s Cottage.
• Vivid Ideas – With over 120 creative industry and public events exploring fashion, design, theatre, film, photography, publishing, gaming, animation, music, technology, lighting, architecture, education and even gastronomy, Vivid Ideas will connect Australia’s creative thinkers with global leaders and industry talents.
Artist's impression of the 'Lighting of the Sails' by creative team The Spinifex Group, for Vivid Sydney 2013.
Sydney's Customs House gets a visit from Doctor Who, which celebrates its 50th anniversary at Vivid 2013.
Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary at Vivid 2013.
