The opening weekend also 120,000 dinners flock to restaurants along the festival’s footprint, which is up five per cent on 2022, at a traditionally quieter time of year for the city.
“It was great to see tens of thousands of families out enjoying the Vivid Light Walk and it was encouraging to see the city’s business district so vibrant and businesses benefiting from the record turnout,” said the state’s new minister for jobs and tourism John Graham.
“This festival is about community, bringing Sydneysiders and visitors from around the state, the country and the world together to celebrate our creative industries, and experience something new from world-class activations and events to diverse food culture and hospitality.
Now in its 13th year, Vivid Sydney features its longest Light Walk to date but incorporates ticketed light installations for the first time. Entrance to installations in the Royal Botanic Gardens and an installation under Wynyard Station will cost a family of four up to $144 and $150 respectively. The festival is owned and delivered by the NSW Government, through its tourism and events agency Destination NSW.
The festival also includes the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere, which will run six times throughout the 23-night festival.
“Vivid Sydney is the ultimate celebration of creative industries and our spectacular city,” said Vivid’s festival director Gill Minervini.
“This year’s program raises the bar and reimagines the types of activations we offer – festival firsts, world premieres and never-before-activated spaces, and the brand-new pillar, Vivid Food.
“The programming is so diverse – there really is something for everyone. We are thrilled that so many have been part of our first festival weekend – the feedback and response have been incredible. There is still so much more to come!”
