QT Bondi’s guide to Vivid Sydney

words by james phillips

For a long time, the beginning of winter in Sydney was a dark and dreary one. The days were shorter, the weather was colder and the nights were dark… all until 2009 when Sydney said let there be light and there was light… Vivid Sydney was born

The largest festival of it’s kind anywhere on Earth; Vivid Sydney is a multi-award winning, a spectacular festival of light, music and ideas that is held from late May to mid June in the heart of the city. This unique annual event is where art, technology and commerce beautifully intersect and if you follow us, we’ll give you a Vivid VIP experience like no one else can… in true QT style.

We’re talking two nights in an exquisitely spacious QT King Deluxe room at QT Bondi, an exclusive backstage tour for two of the festival’s stunning centrepiece, the Sydney Opera House, where you’ll be given official tour lanyards and detour of the lit-up sails and forecourt installations… and it wouldn’t be QT Style without post-tour cocktails for two in the Opera House’s Soft Future Piano Bar where you can sip on the blend of your choice whilst gazing out at an uninterrupted view of the stunning illuminated Harbour Bridge.
With return transfers from QT Bondi to all the action in Sydney CBD and a breakfast Hamper filled with local Bondi goodies waiting for you in the morning, the only decision you need to make is how many cocktails you want to have…

For those that want to see all the entertainment that Vivid’s got to offer, here’s a quick guide to make the most of the extraordinary outdoor gallery:

Get started just west of the Bridge at Sydney’s newest harbourside park, Barangaroo, where there’s six stunning shoreline installations to kick off the show. Next, take a stroll through the cobbled laneways of the city’s historic precinct, The Rocks, where you’ll find plenty of mesmerising illuminations amongst tasty food stalls and Sydney’s oldest pubs. Make your way past the dancing Museum of Contemporary Art and the dazzling Customs House and keep an eye on the constantly evolving sails of the Opera House. Once you’ve past the Opera House, explore the brilliant projections on the natural wonders of the Royal Botanic Garden and stay for a bite to eat at the Enchanted Garden Bar. If you haven’t had enough, make sure you witness the spectacle that is a lit-up Martin Place, which features seven different hypnotic art displays.

So come along with QT Bondi and experience the spectacular illumination of Sydney.