The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour are bringing the party to Vivid Sydney
Media Release/Publicity
Sydney, May 2026
Sydney’s iconic harbourside precincts, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, will host an unmissable line-up of events for this year’s Vivid Light Walk, featuring spectacular light
installations, live entertainment, vibrant artworks and waterfront dining.
Running nightly from Friday 22 May to 13 June 2026, the free program will light up the city from 6pm to 11pm, giving Sydneysiders plenty of reasons to head out after dark: from immersive light art and drone
shows to fire-cooked feasts and open-air live music.
The Rocks
The historic laneways and sandstone streets of The Rocks will host late-night market stalls, while the much-loved Night Picnic under the Bridge returns with spectacular city views. Visitors can wander through
free light installations and projections, including illuminated heritage buildings, and discover live music from jazz sessions and DJs throughout the precinct.
Highlights include:
• The Vivid Light Walk: Two unmissable free light installations in the heart of the Rocks: REFLECT at 47 George Street, an interactive water experience, and TIME: WARPED at The Argyle Cut, a seven-
minute sensory spectacle combining lasers, experimental projection, storytelling and sound.
• Free Music & DJs: A range of performances throughout the precinct, including open-air Jazz Sessions at The Rocks, every Thursday from 6pm.
• The Rocks Night Markets: Visitors can enjoy artisan stalls, food offerings, and local makers until 9pm, running Friday to Sunday.
• Night Picnic Under the Bridge: For a cosy night out with stunning harbour views, Dawes Point Park will offer heaters, blankets, and glow furniture to keep guests warm and comfortable as they enjoy
delicious food and drink options during a picnic under the stars, every Friday to Sunday from 6pm to 10pm.
For guests looking for a delicious stop on their journey through The Rocks, there’s plenty to indulge in during Vivid Sydney. Jimmy’s Kitchen at Bay Nine will serve a curated Greek menu for $60, while Luna Lu
will offer limited-edition Vivid-themed cocktails alongside its Galaxy and Azure Memories dumplings.
Sticky will host an exclusive, after-dark, world-first candy-making evening on 6 June, while new dining destinations, including Grappa, Izakaya Mitto, and Pisa Slice will join more than 60 other dining venues
across the precinct.
Visitors to The Rocks during Vivid Sydney can enter for a chance to win an overnight stay for two, with breakfast at The Mercantile Hotel. Recently renovated and now home to a new rooftop bar, the boutique
hotel is perfectly positioned just minutes from the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Barangaroo
Barangaroo’s Vivid program is returning bigger than ever before, with large-scale installations, food experiences centered around live-fire cooking, and waterfront dining. The return of Vivid Fire Kitchen will
see renowned chefs cooking nightly at Stargazer Lawn in Barangaroo Reserve, while visitors explore interactive works dotted throughout the precinct.
Event Highlights:
• Vivid Fire Kitchen: Inspired by the great Aussie outdoors, this open-air foodie festival will serve up a feast of fire and flavour nightly from 6 to 11pm at Stargazer Lawn, Barangaroo Reserve. Vivid Fire
Kitchen will bring Sydneysiders together to enjoy cooking demonstrations and signature dishes from renowned chefs, alongside live music, NSW wine tastings and a rotating lineup of pop-up
activations to keep everyone entertained.
• Food for Thoughts Stage: This brand-new offering from Vivid Fire Kitchen, will host conversations with authors, chefs, hospitality icons, social media food creators and innovators from across
Australia.
• Regional Dinner Series: Vivid Sydney will host a citywide celebration of regional produce and talent, spanning some of Sydney’s finest restaurants, and rich culinary identity. This will kick off at
The Crown in Barangaroo, with Frank Fawkner and Alessandro Pavoni curating a one-off menu to honour the Hunter Valley.
• Featured Vivid installations include:
o Molecule of Light, a towering celestial laser installation at Barangaroo Reserve
o Obstacle, a 45-metre immersive light corridor along Wulugul Walk
o Letter, an interactive digital whisper-chain built across a wall of touchscreens
o Point of (No) Return, a glacial-inspired installation inside Pier Pavilion
Darling Harbour
Darling Harbour will once again become a hub for families and Sydneysiders to revel in drone shows above Cockle Bay, and Australia’s largest free laser and water spectacular, which will illuminate the waterfront
every night, before heading to Tumbalong Park for free music and entertainment.
Event Highlights:
• Laser Lightfall: Australia’s largest free laser show will create a cosmic world of colour at Cockle Bay, with sequences running each hour between 6 to 11pm.
• Vivid Light Walk: Among the many installations on the Vivid Light Walk, visitors can compose their own masterpiece at the Piano Walk, live out their dreams with The Daydream Machine, and be
inspired by a living artwork with Afterimage: A projection Mapping Mural.
• Tumbalong Nights: There will be 12 nights of free live music from 7:30pm every Thursday to Saturday, featuring ARIA Award winner Matt Corby on Saturday 13 June, alongside standout
performances from Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Mallrat. A curated global lineup of DJs will also perform Sunday to Wednesday, adding to an eclectic live music program across the festival not to
be missed!
• Tumbalong Kids: This free Saturday evening singalong for children and families at Tumbalong Park from 5pm to 6pm is ideal for keeping all the family entertained.
Darling Harbour’s 150-plus dining venues will serve up some of the best Vivid views in Sydney, with nightly Vivid picnic packs available from 6pm at Braza Churrascaria, Ichoume Dopa, Beirut Street Food and
Vesta. Guests who purchase a Vivid picnic from participating vendors will receive a complimentary limited-edition Darling Quarter insulated bag, while stocks last.
For front-row drone show views, guests can book a window seat at BTWN at W Sydney or enjoy a limited- edition Vivid cocktail at Two 88.
Adventurous foodies can immerse themselves in avant-garde edible art experience with renowned dessert chef Janice Wong at 2am: dessertbar.
Created exclusively for Vivid Sydney, Bioluminescent Dreams will feature a Bioluminescent Glow Wall, an otherworldly installation that blurs the line between food and art. On 29 and 30 May, guests can experience fine-dining with a sophisticated three-course
dessert tasting menu.
Getting there
Many events across the Vivid Light Walk are free and unticketed, with full details available via individual event websites.
The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour are all easily accessible by train, ferry, light rail and bus, making it easy to explore multiple precincts in one evening.
Placemaking NSW creates, manages, and cares for many of Sydney’s unique iconic harbourside locations including The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, Luna Park, Ballast Point Park, and waterfront areas
in Pyrmont, as well as unique venues such as the Chinese Garden of Friendship and major event facilities at the International Convention Centre.
