Over 75% of Vivid Sydney's program will be completely free this year

You’re in luck if you’re feeling the cost-of-living crunch but still want to see plenty of things during Vivid Sydney.
Over 75% of the Vivid Sydney 2025 program is completely free.
Multi-hyphenate John Graham has indicated that Destination NSW has taken the current economic situation into account when planning the massive event.

Destination NSW is working the cost-of-living crisis into the 15th annual Vivid Sydney this year. In a nod to accessibility, event organisers have made more than 75% of the program completely free for Sydneysiders and visitors hoping to fully immerse themselves in one of the world’s most prized arts and lifestyle festivals.

“This year’s festival is helping people face the cost-of-living crisis by increasing the number of free events, which is great news if you want a good night out without blowing the budget,” said Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham.

“From surprising outdoor dining experiences to artistic light projections on our most famous landmarks and big free live shows in Tumbalong Park, Vivid Sydney has something for everything whether you’re a visitor or a local.”

Projections at Vivid Sydney — *The Vivid Light Walk will be completely free for all during the event’s 23-day run (photo: Destination NSW).*

This will come as very welcome news to the millions of visitors that witness Vivid Sydney each year. Not only will there much more $0 events happening around the event’s five major zones—Circular Quay & The Rocks, Martin Place & CBD, The Good Lines & Inner City, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour—but the Sydney Metro will make it easier to get around Vivid than ever before.

As always, the entire Vivid Light Walk that stretches from around Central Station to Circular Quay will be completely free for locals and visitors to see hundreds of varied installations from voice-activated animations and glow-in-the-dark tennis matches to suspended swings and whimsical seesaws.

The Light Walk also includes the major installations for Vivid Sydney 2025, which include David McDiarmid’s prolific works projected onto the Sydney Opera House sails, and a special Museum of Contemporary Art projection by one of Australia’s greatest living artists, South Australian-based Aboriginal portraitist Vincent Namatjira.

Another big freebie that attendees should look for is Tumbalong Nights. The ticketless music series will feature performances from all different cultures, from Vietnamese and Indian pop to the local psychcadelic sounds of Winston Surfshirt.

Even the Vivid Ideas program is shedding tickets for a lot of their most exciting events, including the Firetalk series at Barangaroo Reserve which brings together First Nations storytellers, and a major new physical work performed nightly by Sydney’s Legs On The Wall.

How to get tickets

While 75% of the program is free this year, a selection of events do require tickets. You’ll need to register in advance for some, as they have limited spots, and others will need to be purchased.

Check the full program online to find your favourite events, and reserve or purchase tickets where necessary.

Vivid Sydney

Where: Sydney and surrounds
When: Friday, May 23 to Saturday, June 14
Price: Varies based on event although 75% of the program is completely free

vividsydney.com