Vivid 2017 is ready light up the night sky. Here are our top five things to do at this year’s festival.
Hardly a fading light, Vivid Sydney is back for more in 2017. As always the festival, running from 26th May until 17th June is bursting with new experiences and gleaming lights galore. To avoid the bustling crowds, we have compiled our list of the top five things to do at Vivid 2017!
The Vivid Climb
Over the last twenty years thousands of people including some big name celebrities have climbed to the top of our city’s most iconic landmark. But how many of them can say that they have bust a move to Boogie Wonderland on top of the Harbour Bridge? Throughout Vivid 2017, BridgeClimb Sydney is offering you the opportunity to climb the Harbour Bridge, whilst Vivid’s illuminating night lights glisten brightly below. Far from your standard BridgeClimb, the real retro fun begins 134 metres above ground, where you will hit a flashing 70s inspired dance floor. With a view of the shimmering CBD like no other, you can boogie the night away to Donna Summer and The Jackson Five. Fitted in a glowing jacket, you, and thirteen other people will shine like the stars above when you intimately tear up the multi-coloured dance floor. Best bit is you don’t get charged any extra, tickets are the same price as regular climbs.
When: 26th May – 17th June
Where: Sydney Harbour Bridge
Cost: Starting from $253 (adult) & $173 (children)
Tickets book here
Fort Denison Dinner Delights
Want to put a fortress between you and the Vivid crowds? Well, Fort Denison Restaurant is offering VIVID-goers an unmissable dining experience. From May 26th until June 17th you can dine at Sydney’s only island restaurant with the VIVID lights glittering around you. Your night of escaping the crowds will begin in style with a private water taxi ride taking you to the island. Upon arrival, a private tour guide will give you a 360° look at the cities most extravagant festival. Then, your dinner will commence. Selecting entrees and mains from the celebrated Dinner Delights menu get ready for an unforgettable evening in foodie heaven. The delicious menu has highlights such as lamb short ribs with fresh pomegranate and a mint and yoghurt dressing, grilled Muscovy duck breast with beetroot purée and a homemade potato gnocchi with sage, pumpkin and roasted pine nuts. If you are still a little peckish, then a glorious list of deserts will be ready to settle your sweet tooth.
When: 26th May – 17th June
Where: Fort Denison Island
Cost: $118pp includes two-course meal and transport
Tickets here
The Avalanches – Since I Left You Block Party
From the Queen to Oprah, the Olympics to Crowded House, the Sydney Opera House has played host to some of the world’s larger than life people and events; but at Vivid 2017, it is all about the party. Who better to bring the tunes and vibes than Australia’s premier electronic music masters, The Avalanches? For two nights only, the Melbourne musos will muster all the mayhem from their two studio albums on the Boardwalk. In front of the well-know backdrop, The Avalanches are sure to be nothing but extraordinary. Hitting the stage with a raft of special guests, the gig promises to be less of a performance and more of a celebration of Vivid 2017’s opening weekend.
When: 27th May – 28th May
Where: Sydney Opera House
Cost: From $129
Tickets here
Cabaret Sasquatch Presents: SOUND + VISION – A David Bowie Cabaret
The legacy of legends should never die, sometimes it just needs a little twist. A cavalcade of acrobats, burlesque performers, impersonators, and the odd freakshow, will descend upon Newtown at the groovy LeadBelly cocktail bar to pay homage to the original oddity, David Bowie. SOUND + VISION is set to offer a truly eccentric take on the tunes of the late trailblazer, as an eclectic eight-piece group of performers take to the stage to dazzle the audience with a witty and seductive cabaret mix-up. The team from Sydney’s Cabaret Sasquatch are prepared to expose taboos and take their audience on an adventure with no clear direction. All the while you will celebrate and appreciate the life, times and attitudes of the acclaimed British pop-rock icon.
When: 15th June – 18th June
Where: LeadBelly, 42 King Street, Newtown
Cost: From $35
Tickets here
Taronga Zoo – Lights For The Wild
Ever wanted to get up close and personal with a rhino? No? Well now you can do it without succumbing to crippling fear. After delighting tourists and locals alike in 2016, Vivid 2017 will once again light up Taronga Zoo with a new exhibition, Lights for the Wild. The next best thing to getting intimate with our furry friends, Lights for the Wild allows you to interact with radiating animal sculptures, minus the mess and smell. You’ll witness the roar of the African wild and be swarmed by twinkling bees, buzzing amongst the bewildered crowds. Slap on your interactive wristband and you will become one of the zoo’s lights in the wild as you move between an array of interesting and intricate colourful creatures. This glittering safari may be far from the burning African sun but it will not fail to stimulate the amazement and wonder of young and old.
*Pro tip- beat the crowds and make a booking at The View restaurant for dinner. You can cut the queue and make your way down to the bottom of the path checking out all of the installations as you go. Usually a cafe by day they’ve opened especially for Vivid Thursday – Sunday. Take a moment to relax and enjoy a two course dinner overlooking Taronga’s concert lawns and Sydney Harbour. For $46 you have the choice of three mains and three desserts plus a kids menu. For more info visit their website here.
When: 26th May – 17th June
Where: Taronga Zoo
Cost: $21.95 (adult), $16.95 (children), free (children under four)
Tickets here
Sponsored Love
This post is brought to you in partnership with Sydney BridgeClimb. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Eat Drink Play possible.