These are Vivid Sydney's hottest ticketed events to book before they sell out

Stranger Things: The Experience is a must-do for families.

Vivid Sydney.

By Akash Arora

Updated April 22, 2025, first published April 15, 2025

Attracting more than two million visitors, Vivid Sydney is back from May 23 to June 14, with a packed calendar of events and mesmerising light installations at every turn.

Beyond the usual stars such as the Opera House and Museum of Contemporary Art, eight buildings, including Museum of Sydney, will be lit up for the first time, along with Martin Place, which is returning to the festival after a seven-year hiatus.

About 75 per cent of the events are free, but if you want to get on the front foot with ticketed events, now's the time to do so.

Get exclusive travel tips, hidden gems & expert insights: delivered to your inbox

Martha Stewart.

Catch Martha Stewart reflecting on her extraordinary career as a TV host and author at ICC Sydney on May 28 (from $65).

Sign up for Stranger Things: The Experience (at Luna Park; from $60) - an immersive show that allows you to "wander" through the eeriest locations featured in the Netflix series.

Or go "behind the scenes" of some of Time's most influential covers with the magazine's creative director DW Pine at Sydney Town Hall on May 29 (from $59). vividsydney.com

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.