Sydney in Australia is set to be awash with colour and special effects – for the next 23 nights – with the lights officially turned on for Vivid Sydney this evening by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The largest event of light and music in the Southern Hemisphere will transform the city into a colourful showcase of illumination, sensational sounds and creative thinking from 24 May to 15 June 2019. Ms Berejiklian said Vivid Sydney is a key attraction in the NSW events calendar, boosting visitor numbers to Sydney and the State: “Vivid Sydney is an incredibly important event drawing millions of visitors to the city in May and June each year, many of whom have gone on to explore regional NSW as well."

Australia’s largest event brings Sydney to life, as well as to light, by encouraging locals and visitors to enjoy Sydney’s wonderful food, exciting attractions and excellent shopping during winter. Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said the benefits of Vivid Sydney were significant for the local economy and jobs: “Vivid Sydney is more than just a captivating light, music and ideas festival. Last year Vivid Sydney, with 2.25 million attendees across the 23 days, we saw a record 185,887 travel packages sold to domestic and international visitors which was a 37 per cent increase on 2017."