At its new waterfront home in Barangaroo Reserve, Vivid Fire Kitchen takes shape as one of the centrepieces of Vivid Sydney 2026, unveiling an expanded program that brings together more than 45 culinary voices and marks the arrival of two new focal points, The Vivid Fire Pit and the Food for Thought stage.   Running every night of Vivid Sydney from 22 May to 13 June, 6:00pm – 11:00pm, and free to enter, Vivid Fire Kitchen is a vibrant, casual dining hub inspired by the great Aussie backyard.   Across open-fire cooking demonstrations, intimate talks, tastings and live music, the program champions community, connection and authentic flavours drawn from diverse cultures and cuisines.   Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO says, “Vivid Fire Kitchen has been reimagined for 2026 as a place you can return to again and again and have a different experience each night.   Moving to Barangaroo Reserve and expanding the program has allowed us to bring together more voices, more ideas and more ways for audiences to engage with food - from open‑fire cooking and talks to tastings, music and light.   With rotating chefs, themed nights and new stages, no two evenings are the same, and that sense of discovery is at the heart of what Vivid Sydney is about.”   New for 2026, The Vivid Fire Pit forms the heart of Vivid Fire Kitchen. Designed as an open, immersive culinary hub, it showcases four distinct fire‑cooking methods where Australia’s most acclaimed chefs will appear in rotating sessions across the festival, ensuring new flavours and perspectives night after night.   Visitors are invited to move freely around The Vivid Fire Pit, watching chefs work up close as they prepare one‑off dishes created exclusively for Vivid Fire Kitchen, available to purchase on the night.   The Vivid Fire Pit line-up features culinary heavyweights and rising stars including Mark Best, Annita Potter, Ben Devlin, Mindy Woods, David Moyle, Ahana Dutt, Jean‑Paul El Tom, Sharon Salloum, Janina Allende, Sander Nooij, Stephen Santucci, Alastair McLeod, Racha Abou Alchamat, Remy Davis, Mark La Brooy, Bente Grysbaek, Jason Roberts, Nicola Coccia, Monty Koludrovic, Max Sovechles and more.   Mark Best, executive chef of Infinity by Mark Best and featured Vivid Fire Pit chef on Saturday 30 May, says, “The Fire Pit is an opportunity to explore why cooking over flame is so special - it's elemental, expressive and deeply connected to place. Fire strips cooking back to its essentials and opens space for instinct, memory and collaboration.   Creating something unique for Vivid Fire Kitchen allows me to respond to the energy of the festival and the landscape that surrounds it, telling a story through flavour, heat and timing. To do that alongside so many chefs in the program, each bringing their own voice, culture and perspective, is what makes this experience truly compelling.”   Also new to the program, the Food for Thought stage extends the Vivid Fire Kitchen beyond the fire, hosting talks, demonstrations and conversations with some of Australia’s most influential food voices. Spanning culture, creativity, sustainability and the future of food, the stage brings together chefs, authors, restaurateurs, celebrity cooks and digital storytellers.   The stage program unfolds across a series of themed nights, giving Vivid Fire Kitchen a weekly rhythm. No Taste Like Home, held on Mondays and Tuesdays, celebrates NSW wine and produce, regions and culinary talent, while First Nations Culinary Showcases each Wednesday, presented with the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, place Indigenous ingredients, knowledge and cooking methods in the spotlight. Over the June long weekend, a Dessert Takeover brings a sweeter focus to the program, featuring Adriano Zumbo, Emelia Jackson and Gelato Messina’s Donato Toce alongside exclusive dessert offerings created for the Vivid Fire Kitchen.   A new, expanded beverage program adds another layer to the experience in 2026. Mondays begin with Battle of the Somms, where leading sommeliers go head‑to‑head through interactive tastings. On Thursdays, New South Wales winemakers host talks and tastings that continue at the main bar on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday Sessions close out the week with Maybe Sammy co‑founder Stefano Catino and his award‑winning team, presenting an exclusive cocktail menu created especially for the Vivid Fire Kitchen.   Laura Sharrad, chef and featured guest on the Food for Thought stage during the Dessert Takeover, says: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the Vivid Sydney line‑up this year and to cook at the incredible Vivid Fire Kitchen. There’s something so powerful about cooking over open flame - it brings people together, sparks creativity and celebrates the raw beauty of great ingredients.   To be sharing that experience in the heart of Sydney during such an iconic festival is truly special. I can’t wait to serve up something delicious and be part of the energy, flavour and fire that make Vivid such an unforgettable event.”   Featured Food for Thought panel hosts and guest chefs include Luke Mangan OAM, Nathan Lovett, Mike Bennie, Gary Walsh, Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo, George Calombaris, Emelia Jackson, Laura Sharrad, Karima Hazim, Arrnott Olssen, Jasmin Weston, Declan Cleary, alongside special guest appearances from New South Wales beverage leaders including Stefano Catino from Maybe Sammy and wine makers.   Guiding audiences through the nightly program is a charismatic line up of MCs, including Costa Georgiadis, Tim Ross, Jennifer Wong, Simon Marnie, Anthony Huckstep, Myffy Rigby and Luke Carroll, bringing the warmth and easy camaraderie of a backyard gathering, alongside deep industry knowledge.   Visitors can expect a curated line‑up of culinary vendors shaping the precinct, from Filipino barbecue specialists Hoy Pinoy and wood‑fired masters Burn City Smokers to Italian‑inspired concepts from Bianco Group and Antico Pizza Sandwiches. The offering also includes cult favourites such as Gelato Messina, KOI Dessert Bar and Bon Brûlée, famed for its flame‑torched crème brûlées prepared to order.   With live music from musicians and DJs setting the tone each night, Vivid Fire Kitchen is framed by some of Vivid Sydney’s most recognisable light installations, placing food and flame within a broader landscape of art and illumination.   River of Fire flows overhead, while nearby works include Molecule of Light, Peekaboo Parliament and Mycelium Network invite visitors to move through Barangaroo Reserve at an unhurried pace, drawing together sound, light, place and shared experience.   Vivid Fire Kitchen is produced by Vivid Sydney in partnership with Motti + Smith.

  Experience a vibrant flavour journey across New South Wales, where chefs are drawing on ingredients that have nourished Aboriginal communities for over 60,000 years. From the citrus pop of finger lime to the roasted depth of wattleseed and the bright lift of lemon myrtle, these ancient tastes are reshaping the city’s restaurant scene with a strong sense of place.   This season, the experience becomes even more immersive during Vivid Sydney (22 May - 13 June), when the city comes alive with exclusive dining events celebrating native ingredients, storytelling and culinary innovation. Discover standout events and hand-picked spots to experience the delicious revival of Australia’s oldest food traditions below.   Experience Australian taste at Vivid Sydney (22 May - 13 June)    Warakirri Dining Experience (31 May) - Celebrate the richness of Aboriginal culture, cuisine and storytelling. Join Weilwan chef Sharon Winsor for an intimate multi-course dining experience celebrating native Australian ingredients. (Cost starts from $150 pp).   Our Shared Future: Remy Davis (4 June) - Join chef Remy Davis and OzHarvest for a four-course dinner at Refetorio OzHarvest Sydney, all made up using 95% beautiful, fresh and reduced NSW produce. A Sydney native, Remy specialises in open-fire cooking, celebrating fresh, seasonal produce with smoky, wood-fired techniques honed in the Basque food capital (Cost starts from $120 pp).   Oysters in the House (7 June) - A one-day spectacular at Shell House, Oysters in the House celebrates two of New South Wales’ most iconic culinary heroes: The Sydney Rock Oyster and NSW Semillon. (Cost starts from $50 pp).   Experience the Harbour Views with Native flavours   Midden by Mark Olive, Sydney Opera House Beneath the sails of the Opera House, Indigenous chef Mark Olive at Midden tells Australia’s story through a modern menu laced with wattleseed, bush honey and saltbush. Harbour views and deeply local flavours make this one of the city’s most memorable dining experiences.   Me-Gal – Taronga Zoo, Mosman Perched high above the water at Taronga Zoo, Me-Gal matches sweeping harbour vistas with plates that showcase Australian produce and bush spices. Native herbs and botanicals bring the scent of the bush to fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables for an elegant, nature-connected meal.   Grab a spot of Brunch or a Daytime Bite   BTB Kirribilli, Kirribilli BTB Kirribilli is a brunch favourite where relaxed café classics meet bush-food flair. Think avocado on toast lifted with native citrus, herbs and seeds — a simple, approachable way to taste these flavours between sightseeing stops.   Good Ways Deli,  Redfern  Good Ways Deli brings native ingredients into the morning routine with creativity and colour. Known for its vibrant sandwiches and brunch plates, the café experiments with Australian flavours like lemon myrtle and native herbs, weaving bush foods into everyday bites in a fun and accessible way.   After Dark Indulgence    NEL Restaurant, Surry Hills NEL Restaurant’s inventive degustation menus give Australian ingredients a playful, fine-dining spin. Expect pepperberry sauces, finger lime “caviar” and roasted-wattleseed desserts in a polished Surry Hills setting made for special occasions.   Firedoor, Surry Hills At Firedoor, chef Lennox Hastie cooks entirely with wood fire, creating a menu that celebrates the elemental connection between fire, land and ingredient. Seasonal produce and Australian flavours take centre stage, with carefully sourced meats, seafood and vegetables prepared over open flame for a deeply expressive dining experience.   Best for Cocktails and Bush-Inspired Desserts   Bush, Redfern Bush is a love letter to Australia’s larder, with a menu built around Indigenous flavours sourced from local producers. Seasonal dishes include elements like finger lime, saltbush and wild herbs in a laid-back setting that celebrates contemporary bush dining.   Archie Rose Distilling Co. – Alexandria & Rosebery At Archie Rose, curious drinkers can dive into native botanicals through blend-your-own gin sessions. Guided tastings and hands-on classes reveal how local plants shape modern Australian spirits — and you leave with a bottle that’s uniquely your own.

Vivid Sydney 2025 has kicked off, bathing the Harbour City in vibrant colour. It marks the 15^th year of the city’s biggest event. Under this year's theme of Dream, over 200 events explore the elements of Light, Ideas, Music and Food over 23 nights, until Saturday, 14 June. The festival comprises five unique zones around the city's CBD, aimed at giving each visitor the opportunity to see Sydney in a new light. Making Vivid Sydney more accessible than ever, over 75% of this year's program is free, including the entire Vivid Light Walk. Martin Place also makes a welcome return to the festival footprint after a seven-year absence. This year, the world's biggest names in entertainment, food, and pop culture will feature, including, Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, plus Portishead's Beth Gibbons. Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: "Sydney is ready to shine. As we mark 15 years, this world-class event continues to showcase the very best destinations and creative talent our city has to offer.” "Vivid Sydney draws millions of visitors and reinforces Sydney's position as the premier destination in the Asia Pacific.” "It's a festival that unites communities, supports local businesses and boosts our visitor and night-time economies." Vivid Sydney 2025 kicked off at Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay for the annual First Light ceremony, featuring performances by NAISDA dancers that honoured Yolngu culture in Arnhem Land. The ceremony culminated at 6pm as Sydney Harbour showcased pyrotechnics, projections and installations illuminating the city's iconic landmarks followed by First Light Live, a free concert honouring First Nations music. Vivid Sydney runs until Saturday 14 June.

 

• Introducing five connecting zones across the city encompassing Light, Music, Ideas and Food
• Over 75% of program and 100% of Vivid Light Walk free to enjoy
• Nigella Lawson to curate three Vivid Sydney Dinner events in Muru Giligu, Martin Place 
• Creative Director of TIME Magazine, Stranger Things: The Experience confirmed for Vivid Ideas
• Martin Place returning to the festival for the first time since 2018
• Vivid Music expands with new venues City Recital Hall and Metro Theatre
• Eight buildings and landmarks illuminated for the first time

  Australia’s largest event will once again transform the Harbour City in 2025, from Friday, 23 May to Saturday, 14 June – with the theme of Vivid Sydney, Dream as it dares to answer the question: What’s in a dream?   For its 15^th year, the festival footprint has been redesigned to present five zones: Circular Quay and The Rocks; Barangaroo; Martin Place and CBD (for the first time since 2018); Darling Harbour; and The Goods Line and Inner City. Each connected zone will feature events from each of the festival pillars; Light, Music, Ideas and Food.   Showcasing Sydney’s creative pulse during winter, Vivid Sydney will feature exclusive collaborations for a series of events with Sydney Writers’ Festival and Sydney Film Festival, as well as cultural institutions, venues and arts companies Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum, Bangarra Dance Theatre, City Recital Hall, State Library of NSW, and Sydney Theatre Company.   Vivid Light will come to life like never before with exclusively commissioned pieces featuring world- leading animation and projection technologies. The late Australian visionary, David McDiarmid’s bold and unapologetic work will be showcased on the Sydney Opera House for Lighting of the Sails, entitled Kiss of Light (2025). Vincent Namatjira will present King Dingo on the facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia while the team behind Sydney fashion label, Romance Was Born will debut House of Romance on Customs House.   This year festivalgoers can interact with installations and 3D projections across the Vivid Light Walk, including voice-activated animation, suspended swings, whimsical seesaws, a tennis match with light, and self-portraits turned into 3D projections by world renowned entertainment studio, Moment Factory. Attendees also have a chance to design their own projection, with 150 entries selected each week to feature on the ASN Co. Building’s Clock Tower in The Rocks.   Vivid Ideas continues to offer an array of engaging experiences, D.W. Pine, Creative Director of TIME Magazine, will deliver the keynote ‘Where Do Ideas Come From?’ and internationally renowned scientist Professor Matthew Walker will present ‘Why We Sleep’ to delve into one of the most important but least understood aspects of our lives.   Free Vivid Ideas events include the weekly Firetalk series at Barangaroo Reserve, bringing together First Nations storytellers, and Endling, a major new physical theatre work performed nightly by Sydney’s Legs On The Wall.   Stranger Things: The Experience will debut at Luna Park Sydney. This immersive, interactive adventure for all ages transports you to 1986 Hawkins, and blends supernatural mystery, nostalgia and iconic locations from the Netflix global phenomenon designed exclusively by the show’s creators.   Vivid Food has never been more enticing. In a festival exclusive, internationally renowned food writer and TV cook, Nigella Lawson will curate three Vivid Sydney Dinners in the recently opened pedestrian tunnel Muru Giligu in Martin Place. Over three nights, the space will be completely transformed with a light and sound experience, celebrated with NSW produce and wine for an unforgettable experience.   Nigella Lawson said of her collaboration: “Visitors cram themselves into Sydney in summer, but for me the magical time is in winter, during Vivid Sydney! And having loved it for years, it is the hugest thrill to be part of the Vivid Food program this year. I’ll be curating an exclusive menu for the three Vivid Sydney Dinners, and it is simply a dream come true. I mean, you know me: there can never be too many fairy lights! See you there!"   Festival favourites Vivid Fire Kitchen will return to The Goods Line honouring fire and spice and Vivid Chef Series will once again see the world’s most innovative chefs collaborate with Sydney’s revered dining intuitions.   Vivid Music celebrates our collective dreams through sound and song, with a specially curated program of artists from around the globe, alongside special events, interactive experiences and exclusive performances.   Tumbalong Nights will return to Darling Harbour with a focus on music in diaspora communities and First Nations artists singing in their own languages. Featuring local pop darlings Winston Surfshirt and Ayesha Madon, the free concert series will also include V-Pop sensations Mỹ Anh and Chi Xê, Grammy-winning African artist Dobet Gnahoré, Stella Jang from Korea, India’s Zaeden and former bass player for Prince, MonoNeon.   Oxford Art Factory will host UK rapping sensations Pete & Bas and Newcastle’s Steel City Dance Discs, Metro Theatre will see local labels Bad Apples and NLV Records celebrate their 10^th anniversaries in separate events, and City Recital Hall will host German electronic music pioneers Tangerine Dream as well as Soccer Mommy. Vivid Supper Club will also return to Mary’s Underground, with a new line-up reflecting contemporary cabaret.   Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House boasts over 50 cutting-edge and legendary international and Australian artists, including British singer and spellbinding performer Anohni and The Johnsons, Beth Gibbons from Portishead, Sigur Rós with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, indie pop darlings Japanese Breakfast, soulful indie-folk crooner Marlon Williams, neo-soul artist Ravyn Lenae, plus homegrown trailblazers Miss Kaninna, SAHXL and more, all to perform at the iconic venue.   Festivalgoers at Carriageworks can move to a different beat, with performances by lo-fi house and techno producer Mall Grab, Sydney based-Papua New Guinean artist Ngaiire set to deliver her most visceral and transcendent work yet, and Byron Bay duo Skegss bring their raw mix of surf and garage rock. Carriageworks' legendary Night Market is also back for 2025, with young guns from Sydney’s top bars and restaurants stepping into the spotlight.

  Visitor spending has broken records in NSW, reaching $31.3 billion for domestic overnight expenditure across the state in the year ending September 2024.   New Tourism Research Australia data shows Sydney also achieved its highest total domestic expenditure on record at $15.8 billion.   NSW was the number one destination for Australians during the period, drawing 37.3 million domestic overnight visitors (up 3.2 per cent).   NSW received a total of 100.5 million domestic and international visitors during the period, who spent $52.9 billion, up 5.8 per cent compared to the year ending September 2023.   Destination NSW Acting CEO Stephen Mahoney said: “NSW has the leading visitor economy in the nation and received the highest number of visitors, visitor nights and expenditure in the year ending September 2024.   “The NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Strategy review has adopted an ambitious goal of $91 billion in annual visitor economy expenditure by 2035 and its experience-led approach to tourism will ensure the state continues to draw visitors seeking authentic connections with local culture and natural wonders.   “Australians continue to prioritise travel despite cost-of-living pressures and NSW is their destination of choice.   “The meaningful moments that a trip to NSW brings through the diversity of visitor experiences on offer has ensured that visitors return over and over again.”   Regional NSW continued to be the best performing destination across regional Australia in terms of visitors and nights, with 64.6 million international and domestic travellers visiting regional NSW in the year ending and spending $26.2 billion across the period, an increase of 30.7 per cent compared with the year ending September 2019.   The North Coast celebrated the highest increase in domestic overnight visitor numbers during the period (up 5.8 per cent), while visitor expenditure was up 2.1 per cent to $4.8 million.   Let’s Go Surfing Byron Bay Surf School Director Brenda Miley said: "The iconic road trip to Byron Bay is the quintessential Aussie summer experience. Instead of looking overseas for summer family trips, Aussies are turning to good, old-fashioned fun in the sun in beautiful Byron Bay.   “As pioneers of the surfing industry, we're so excited to see it. We've been enjoying the great surf and amazing community in Byron for years and we couldn't be more stoked about the growth in domestic tourism on the North Coast. And we're looking forward to a great summer season."   NSW was the top destination in the country for international visitors, nights and expenditure.   There were 3.7 million international visitors to the state in the year ending September 2024 (up 18.4 per cent compared to the year ending September 2023). International visitation to the state reached 84 per cent of pre-pandemic levels (compared to year ending September 2019), while the number of nights spent in NSW and expenditure exceeded 2019 levels.   International arrivals at Sydney Airport are predicted to surpass 2019 levels over summer, accelerated by Destination NSW’s Aviation Attraction Fund, with new routes by Turkish Airlines and Juneyao Air landing at Sydney Airport this month.   Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “Sydney Airport is preparing for its busiest Christmas season for international travel on record, with 300,000 more passengers forecast than the same period in 2019.   “Around 5.8 million domestic and international passengers are expected to travel through our terminals from 13 December 2024 to 27 January 2025, up 460,000 on last year.”   FAST STATS  

• In the year ending September 2024, NSW received 3.7 million international visitors. This is a significant increase of 18.4 per cent since the year ending September 2023 and just 15.7 per cent below the pre-COVID-19 (year ending September 2019) visitor numbers.
• In the year ending September 2024, there were 10.5 million international seats to NSW, an increase of 19.8 per cent (or up 1.7 million) as compared to the same period in 2023
• During the year ending September 2024, NSW achieved 50 per cent of the international expenditure target of the revised NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035.
• The year ending September 2024, NSW had an average monthly accommodation occupancy rate of 73.1 per cent (up 0.9 percentage points on the year ending September 2023) and an average daily rate (ADR) of $257.9 (up 1.2 per cent on the year ending September 2023).
• China’s recovery continues to improve with visitors at 57 per cent of year ending September 2019 level. Vietnam and South Korea led in visitor recovery (150 per cent and 141 per cent respectively), while Indonesia led in visitor nights recovery (182 per cent). South Korea and Indonesia led in expenditure recovery (151 per cent).
• NSW was the top destination for caravan and camping visitors nationally. In the year ending September 2024, five million international and domestic overnight visitors to NSW participated in a commercial and non-commercial caravan and camping experience across NSW. They stayed 19 million nights in NSW.
• In the year ending September 2024, 37.7 million international and domestic visitors to NSW engaged in nature and outdoor based activities during their trip.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia’s borders will swing open for fully-vaccinated travellers from February 21. It comes as Covid-19 cases continue to drop. Australia’s international borders have been closed nearly two years with the tourism sector badly affected. It has been hailed by trade groups and airlines including Qantas. "Borders reopening to international tourists means Australia is finally back open for business," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. "We will be looking at our schedules to see if we can restart flights from more international destinations sooner or add capacity to those routes we are already flying.” "We have the flexibility to ramp up flights in response to demand." The PM said the federal government had been working tirelessly to re-open Australia's borders in stages since November 2021. “Those programmes have proceeded very successfully - whether it was programmes with New Zealand or Singapore, , opening up to international students and backpackers and economic migrants who are coming to Australia, that will now be extended to international visitors who will be able to return," he said. "If you're double-vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia and I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that." Since November, when border restrictions were first relaxed, about 300,000 people have entered Australia.

New South Wales will scrap quarantine for vaccinated travellers entering the state from 1 November but the Prime Minister has blocked the state's plans to welcome foreign tourists for now. Australians returning home are given priority for now, the federal government said. It comes as the first arrivals started a seven day home quarantine trial in NSW. "Sydney, NSW, is open for business," NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said. Qantas said it would bring forward its international flights restart by two weeks, to November 1.   Read full story