Vivid Sydney 2024 came to an end on Saturday 15 June following 23 vibrant nights that reinforced the city’s position as a world leader in artistic innovation and creativity.

The Southern Hemisphere’s leading multi-artform festival showcased hundreds of events across Light, Music, Ideas and Food from 24 May to 15 June. Innovative artists, culinary talent, contemporary musicians and thought leaders participated in a program that centred around the theme of ‘Humanity’. 

Preliminary figures confirm Vivid Sydney's enduring popularity, with the festival celebrating its biggest opening night on record.

The fastest-selling tickets at the festival included Tekno Train by Paul Mac and In Conversation with Amy Poehler at the Sydney Opera House.

Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour became the Vivid Sydney go-to for free and contemporary music during the festival, while Vivid Fire Kitchen was also a fan favourite.

Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said: “Over the course of the event, hotels in the CBD enjoyed 75 per cent occupancy with bookings reaching as high as 90 per cent on weekends. There is no denying major events such as Vivid Sydney, that have the capacity to draw a high level of overnight visitation in the middle of winter, create an incredible boost for the city’s visitor economy."

Tourism & Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said: “Between the lights, the music, the ideas, the food and the incredible vibe, Vivid Sydney has once again delivered a spectacular event for visitors and locals of all ages, with the big winners being local tourism and hospitality operators.

"The bright lights of Vivid Sydney have showcased first-class hospitality, creativity and our beloved Sydney CBD and harbour icons to audiences across the globe, demonstrating the value and huge potential of this event and the need to continue investing in world-class events.”all ages, with the big winners being local tourism and hospitality operators.”

New Sydney Waterfront Company also reported eight million precinct visits in May, up five per cent compared to May 2023. Vivid Sydney contributed to the final week of May outperforming the weekly average across the month by three per cent, while evening visits increased compared to May 2023.

Vivid Light Nest installation (above) artist Leila Jeffreys said: “Thank you to Festival Director Gill Minervini and all at Vivid Sydney for giving me and my artistic collaborator Melvin J. Montalban the opportunity to create art on a scale that we could not have achieved on our own.

"I visited Nest many times throughout the festival and was always moved to see people from all walks of life and ages stand together to witness the courtship dance of the Brolga, a moment where we all felt the link between the natural world and the human journey."

Service and Creative Skills Australia CEO Natalie Turmine said: “Vivid Sydney showcases brilliantly our talented and vibrant creative arts, tourism and hospitality workforce, demonstrating the wealth of exciting career opportunities available in this sector. Thank you to all the creative artists, technicians, performers, hospitality staff and event organisers for delivering another successful Vivid Sydney.”

Behind the scenes at Vivid Sydney

Vivid Sydney 2024 may have switched off the lights for another year but work on Australia’s largest event continues. The Destination NSW technical and operational teams are currently dismantling the many installations and 3D projections on this year’s free 8km Vivid Light Walk.

Installing lights across the city takes six weeks, including three weeks of work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge alone, and taking them down is also a major undertaking.

Watch a video of Nest being installed below:

Bringing Vivid Sydney to life wouldn't be possible without the technical and operational teams, events, editorial and content, legal and procurement, research, corporate communications, Ministerial, consumer marketing, publicity, digital and stakeholder engagement staff and volunteers, who work alongside Vivid Sydney curators and producers to enable the festival to bring joy to millions of attendees.

Led by Destination NSW General Manager Events Julie Turpie and Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini, the Vivid Sydney team work year-round to plan the program across the pillars of Light, Music, Ideas and Food.

Throughout the festival, Destination NSW staff and teams from other government agencies work together at the Government Coordination Centre and Event Control Centre to ensure the event runs smoothly.

Destination NSW also couldn’t bring Australia's largest event to life without the Vivid Sydney Volunteer Program, in collaboration with Casual Hands, which welcomes hundreds of volunteers each year who contribute more than 18,000 hours of customer service.

Thank you to everyone at Destination NSW and across government agencies and partners, who work behind the scenes to ensure the festival is so memorable.

Learn more about Vivid Sydney here.