The lights, the joy, and the crowds – Vivid Sydney is surely the biggest arts event on Sydney’s annual calendar. Most of the public displays are both free and very much family friendly, so it’s prime time for Sydney artsploring families.
Over the next few days, I am going to continue to update this post with images and some observations, as we try to visit our fair share of the precincts, so keep checking back.
A couple of general tips:
- Download the Vivid app onto your phone. It’s very helpful in planning and giving more context to each piece.
- Break it up into bite size bits. Give yourself time to enjoy each area by not overloading yourself. Kids, in particular, can only manage so much before they hit the wall, especially at night. And, don’t feel like you need to see everything!
- For the busiest precincts, consider baby wearing, if you have little ones.
- Pack light, but make sure that you have enough clothes to keep everyone warm on the cold nights.
- Public transport is a great option for most destinations, but make sure that you leave yourself plenty of time to catch return buses/trains/ferries, and have an alternate plan of return, particularly if you’re taking a ferry from Circular Quay on a busy night.
Vivid Sydney 2018 runs 25 May – 16 June, and the website and app have full information about the light displays, as well as the concerts, speakers, and workshops.
Chatswood Precinct
The Chatswood precinct is one of less frenzied options on offer, and with lights on at 5:30, it makes it easy to have an early night. It doesn’t have as many displays as some of the other areas, but it also doesn’t have the crowds. We went on opening night, and while there was a good, busy vibe, there was certainly no mad crush. In years past, we’ve gone on weeknights, and you certainly don’t have to fight for space. (I’ve heard people complain that Chatswood is actuallly too low key, especially on weeknights, so if you like the energy, this is one precinct to actually think about doing on a weekend).
This year’s theme is sustainability and taking care of the Earth. The displays are basically laid out in one long line along Victoria Avenue, through the Chatwood Mall, and down to the train station, and up to Level 3 at The District (or the other way around, depending on which way you arrive). Many of them are interactive, with kids in mind. The biggest hits for our clan were the Skyportal with its green screen floor, the drumming frenzy Octopoda, and the do-it-yourself junkyard band, Junkyard Beats. I thought the space projection on The Concourse was a bit of a fizzler, as it couldn’t have lasted more than 3 minutes; but when I asked Miss 5 later what she loved, that’s what she named, so it’s worth a quick stop if you’re there.
If you have young kids and want a quiet night, Chatswood is a good option. They have added a few more displays this year, which makes it more of an event than last year, though we still didn’t need much more than an hour to do everything. Parking is plentiful around Chatswood (3 hours free at Westfield), or you can arrive by train. It’s very pram friendly. There are oodles of food trucks lining Chatswood Mall, including Mary’s burgers from Newtown and Black Star Pastry, so making a picnic of it is a tasty option.
Darling Harbour and Barangaroo
For our second night out at Vivid, we decided to combine Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. As there is only one thing to see at Barangaroo, it’s not worth a special trip in just for that, but it is within a strolling distance of Darling Harbour, which has quite a bit on, particularly for kids.
We decided to start at Barangaroo, arriving about 5:45 to be there for lights on – or, in this case, the emergence of the giant puppet – at 6p.m. The Liminal Hour is is massive light and sound puppet, manned by a number of puppeteers, which makes a slow crawl, then walk, along the Barangaroo wharf promenade. It is pretty impressive, but the youngest child in our group (3 years old) found it too scary, while Miss 5 said that she thought it was, “a little bit scary when it first came out,” but then she was interested. I thought it was neat.
You don’t need more than 20 minutes to watch this display, so we were quickly on our way to Darling Harbour. Now, I’m going against my own advice to say that I was happy to have the baby in a pram for this part because it is a fairly long walk from one end of Darling Harbour to the other. It did take a little maneuvering in some of the more congested areas, but it is all pram accessible.
At Cockle Bay, we stopped for Liquid Light, where the kids got to use drops of food coloring illuminated on overhead projectors to create their own art display. Then, further down, near the playground, there are interactive light play stations, which the kids loved (the rainbow dancing was a special favourite). This part is only on Thursday through Sundays, so it’s really worth trying to plan your Darling Harbour trip on one of these days, as this section really was a lot of fun for the kids.
Tumbalong Park hosts Tumbalong Lights, which is a large playgrounds with a few different installations. This section is designed by be inclusive and accessible, so only a small groups of people are allowed in at a time. As a result, we queued for about 20 minutes for our turn. To be perfectly honest, while there are some nice elements, I found the whole thing a little underwhelming, and we didn’t spend more than 20 minutes in this section (so, as long queuing as playing!). The changing colour mushrooms were Miss 5’s favorite thing, and the coral that lights up when you play the big piano keys around it is quite beautiful. The best part of this section is definitely the controlled crowds, which means that you never have to jockey for position. We were even able to let the baby out to have a little play, which is certainly not possible anywhere else. This is a great Vivid option for anyone for whom crowds cause anxiety, for any reason.
In the Harbour, there is a pretty light and water display (that held no interest for the kids, but we adults thought was nice), and the underwater themed projections on the roof of the Maritime Museum got a lot of oohs and aahs for our young ones. And, the 8p.m. fireworks, which are nightly during Vivid, were as much of a winner as you would expect.
We weren’t smart about transport, and ended up doing a silly maneuver where Mr. Artsplorer got a short park near Barangaroo, then moved the car to a lot at the far end of Darling Harbour, while we started walking. In retrospect, parking at the Darling Harbour car park closest to Cockle Bay would have been the best option, as it’s in between our starting and ending point. I find public transport to Darling Harbour always a little tricky, as the closest station, Town Hall, is a good 15 minute walk with kids (the closest station to Barangaroo is Wynyard, which is just about a 5 minute walk to the wharf). If ferries are a good option for your family, you could take the ferry to Barangaroo and depart from Darling Harbour.
Luna Park
This is the first year that Luna Park has been a part of the Vivid Festival, and I knew that there wasn’t going to be a whole lot there – just a couple of installations – but, after a big weekend, we thought a quieter Vivid night would be good for all of us. The biggest attraction (quite literally) is the light display on the ferris wheel. It’s a lot of blinking, flashing, colourul lights, and it really is something joyous to see. You by no means need to ride the ferris wheel to appreciate the light display, but we figured, when in Rome, and forked over our $30 for three tickets, which is, indeed, highway robbery. It’s a nice view from the top of Sydney when she’s all lit up, though the ride is only a few minutes long, and the Vivid display is even shorter.
Down at Coney Island, there is a moving projection against the face of the building that’s about the history of Coney Island. Set your expectations on the low side.
Finally, we found a Vivid Silent Disco. The sign said ride pass required, but as it was nearly empty, Mr. Artsplorer, who is never shy about trying his luck with these things, asked the attendant if our receipt from the Ferris Wheel would suffice, and he said, sure, why not. I’m not sure this was official policy, but if you have a bit of a brazen streak, you could try your luck. I’m glad we got in because our 5 year old dancing queen could not have loved it more. Like Eliza Doolittle, she could have danced all night.
Here’s the highlight reel from our little outing.
If you do want to make a whole night at Luna Park, they have special Vivid “Dine “N’ Ride” family passes passes ($150 – $175). They have $10 parking in the Luna Park car park (we snagged a free side street park just up in Kirribilli). You can also arrive by ferry or train to Milson’s Point.
Since we were in the neighbourhood, and we hadn’t yet pushed our children to the exhaustion point, we made a last minute decision to take a walk over the Harbour Bridge, which you can access from near the train station. I thought half of Sydney would have had the same idea, but I’ve crossed the bridge on an average weekend day and found it more crowded, so it wasn’t a problem for us to walk leisurely and even pull off the the side to grab a few photos. We got about 2/3 across before the baby started protesting from the Ergo, and big sister suddenly had to go – adventures with kids… – so we hightailed it back (there are public toilets at the train station, just in case you ever need to know!). If you do make it across, you’ll be rewarded with a great view of the Opera House lights, though ours from the middle of the bridge definitely could have been worse.
Taronga Zoo
Since Taronga Zoo joined Vivid 2 years ago, it has been our favourite precinct for attending with a family. This experience is ticketed, and the timed sessions keep the crowds manageable, and the animal themed installations are stunning. Plus, I love the message about conservation. Most of the animals featured are endangered, with a special focus on the ten animals that Taronga is committed to saving over the next ten years.
In some ways, the installations at Taronga have looked the same from year to year, but each year they’ve changed them, added new elements, and presented them in a new way, so that it’s fresh each year. Some of the sculptures, like the elephant and the tiger, are just so beautiful that I could not wait to see them again. There are also quite a few new ones this year. The most delightful addition this year is a series of sculptures that have been created based on children’s drawings. The children’s interpretations sit next to their full-sized companion, and it’s so charming to see them. Miss 5 was really taken with these. I overheard one child studying the little bilby, saying, “a kid drew that! I don’t think I could draw it that well!”
We attended the 5:30p.m. session on Monday night, and it was seamless. There was a long, but well managed line to enter, and once we were in, it didn’t feel the least bit crowded. There is a clear path that visitors follow, which is necessary, as it is quite dark, and not all areas of the zoo are open (you won’t see any of the regular zoo animals, unless you’re lucky to catch the giraffes out). In addition to walking past the sculptures, this year, a stop at the cinema for an animated movie (similar to what was projected on the front of the building last year) is part of the trail. I’d be hard pressed to pick even a couple of favourite sculptures, but the swarm of bees impressed all of us, the creepy red back spiders got Miss 5 especially excited, and the marine animals at the top are gorgeous. And, exiting through the Port Jackson shark was the coolest farewell in town.
We’d booked too late to secure the optional sky rail ride, but since it was a quiet night, the zoo was offering all of the guests the chance to ride, which was a great surprise. You don’t need to do the sky rail to make or break your trip, but it is a fun add-on to see the displays above, plus a cool view of the city. If you can add it on, it’s worth standing in line for your turn.
Vivid at Taronga runs nightly during the festival with three timed entries per evening. Ticket prices vary for weekday/weekend/holiday, as well as children/adult/concession (price list on the website). Children under 4 are free. The entire experience is pram friendly, and there are public toilets with changing facilities available. There are also a number of food and drink stalls in the zoo (there aren’t any eateries immediately nearby outside of the zoo). Parking is $9 at the zoo lot (our secret tip is that you can often find free street parking on the residential streets near the zoo, especially on quieter nights). You can also arrive by bus or ferry (a Sydney bus is available to take ferry passengers to to top entrance, as the lower entrance is not open).
Here’s what our trip to Taronga looked like!
The Rocks and Circular Quay
After taking a night off, Miss 5 and I were back on the Vivid train for one more night out, heading into the city to see how much of The Rocks and Circular Quay we could experience before bedtime. It turns out that a Wednesday night when it’s been raining, and happens to be the first cold night of the season is the best possible time to go. We waltzed up to every attraction like we were the Queens of Sheba, and had a clear view of everything.
Our path was to walk to The Rocks from the bust stop at Lang Park (near Wynyard) via George Street. Just before you reach the Museum of Contemporary Art, there are a couple of displays on George. I especially loved 1000 Cranes, based on the legend of 1000 origami cranes. You can then go down the stairs (or go around, if you have a pram) to the grassy lawn next to Circular Quay, where there are four more displays (two of them are interactive for kids). The Wobbelees, which are sort of like big, light up wobble dolls, was a favourite for Miss 5, though I think it would have been less appealing if there had been a lot more kids sharing the space.
We then walked past the MCA, spending a little time looking at the light display on the building, towards Cadmans Cottage. Revive the Reef was good fun – we got to furiously turn a crank to bring the colour back into the reef. And, BALLpit allows your dancing figure to be projected onto the facade of Cadmans Cottage, as a form made out of ball pit balls (if you’ve read my previous entries, you won’t be surprised that this dancing activity held strong appeal for my groove girl).
From there, we looked at Earth, a large hanging globe at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, and then spent some time watching the light display on the Opera House.
Once you get to Circular Quay, there are signs for the Vivid Light Walk, which we followed (adventures with kids tip: this is also a good place to make a pit stop at the public restrooms).
Unquestionably, Miss 5’s favourite thing of the night was the May Gibbs “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie” story projected onto the Customs House. Because it wasn’t crowded, we were able to sit on the ground near the front (it was a little hard for her to see over the adults when we tried to stand further back), and she sat completely rapt through two viewings of the story. Not being Australian, I only have a passing familiarity with the Gumnut Babies, and Miss 5 has not grown up with these stories, but the appeal must be universal because she kept talking about it, and asked if she could have the book for her birthday.
Because I was determined that we’d be on the bus to home no later than 8p.m., lest my kindy girl turn into a pumpkin on a school night, we didn’t have time to head any further down Circular Quay or do the Royal Botanic Garden. We did, however, get to see more of the Vivid Light Walk across Loftus St. from the Customs House (behind the Gateway). There were at least five more displays there, all of them really interesting. Miss 5 loved being a music and light conductor with the hypnotizing Focus, and we were both quite taken in by the pretty Chrysalis cocoons, swaying from the trees.
This area is just bursting with installations, and I feel like we could easily fill one more night with the things that we didn’t see (and maybe we will!), but following my own advice from the intro, I decided we’d just enjoy as much as we were able, and not try to cram every single thing into one visit. I liked the variety of displays, and didn’t feel like there were many “duds,” if you will. If you can swing this area on a weeknight – especially if you’re coming with kids – I highly recommend it. Not having to wait a long time to participate, and not fighting for space to see, particularly for little people, really made the experience easy and enjoyable.
Here’s our highlights!
If we do make it back to the city, I’ll update this post further, but after five big nights, we’re ready for a bit of a Vivid break. In the meantime, drop me a line or comment on Facebook or Instagram if I can answer any questions about any of the precincts we’ve visited. Enjoy the spectacle of lights!
…After the Show
If Vivid Sydney has gotten your artsplorers excited about lights, here are a few books that explore how electricity works for follow up exploration.
(These contain affiliate links, which may use tracking cookies. Purchasing through these links does not impact the price you pay.)
The Magic Schoolbus and the Electric Field Trip
Small enough to squeeze through power lines, Ms. Frizzle’s class learns how electric current travels through the town, lights up a light bulb, heats up a toaster, and runs an electric motor. Fans of the Magic School Bus won’t be left behind by this simple and informative introduction to the generation and distribution of electricity.
Oscar and the Bird: A Book About Electricity
When Oscar the kitten finds a tractor in a field and accidentally turns on the windshield wipers, he is full of questions about electricity. Luckily, Bird knows the answers! With the help of his friend, Oscar finds out how electricity is made and stored, which machines need electricity to work — and why we always need to be careful around wires, batteries, plugs, and sockets. Back matter includes an index and supplemental activities.
Switch On Switch Off
The switch goes up – the light goes on,
The switch goes down – the light goes off.It seems like magic! It’s not – it’s electricity. But how does a light actually work In this clear and simple book learn all about electricity, how it’s produced, and how it can be used. At the end you’ll learn how to conduct fun experiments that will let you generate electricity yourself!
Charged Up: The Story of Electricity
Describes how electrical energy is generated in power stations and how it travels through pylons, power cables, and wires into people’s homes. Includes activity.
Excellent overview – looks
Amazing!
Thank you!