1. Get set to paint the town every shade of red, blue, green and beyond as Vivid Sydney's Light Walk weaves through Darling Harbour, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Luna Park and Circular Quay. 59 light collaborators and 129 artist groups, the trail is easily reached by public transport – and dazzles at every turn.
2. Compelling storytelling changes the way we think – and at the Vivid Ideas New Horizons Talk Series, you'll reflect on what it means to be human with discussions on Fluidity, Men & Mental Health, The Future of Drugs, and Sects, Lies & Cults. With many talks held at NSW Parliament House for the first time, pop into Continental Deli or The Gidley for a pre or post drink and dinner.
3. Powerful emotions are at play along the Light Walk, and you'll discover new hope with every step as the theme of Resilience erupts to life with art and light. Twenty Seven spectacularly showcases our feelings in our “new normal”, while at Kin you'll celebrate breakage as an illuminating, healing part of life.
4. As 70+ Vivid Music shows pop up in new and unexpected venues, this year's festival flips the script on traditional performance, firing up your imagination while your head bobs to new beats. Listen to the Vivid Music 2021 Spotify playlist here.
5. Don't miss Mildlife's cosmic jazz fusion, which will bring City Recital Hall to life with an eclectic blend of sounds – think Pink Floyd, Tame Impala and Miles Davis in style. Book a table at Restaurant Hubert or Bar Totti's to make the most of this tantalising music experience.
6. Raise your glass and become part of the living watercolour painting of Vivid Sydney from the Harbour, aboard Captain Cook Cruises' luxurious floating Vivid Mumm Harbour Bar.
7. Beneath the pulse of Vivid Sydney an ancient heart beats strong and proud – and it'll move you as Lighting of the Sails transforms the Sydney Opera House into a First Nations celebration with Yarrkalpa – Hunting Ground, 2021 by the Martu Artists and Curiious with soundtrack by Electric Fields and Martu Artists (inspired by Yarrkalpa – Always Walking Country 2014). The new digital  artwork is inspired by the vibrant collective painting, Yarrkalpa- Hunting Ground, Parnngurr Area, 2013 created by the Martu Artists of the Pilbara region, and the award-winning Yarrkalpa – Always Walking Country (2014) artwork by Martu/Wallworth/Anohni.
8. Think big and go for bold. This year's Vivid Ideas Exchange challenges you, as part of the creative community, to debate and share ideas at more than 60 workshops, seminars and screenings. Located at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), book a room at The Old Clare in nearby Chippendale with drinks at Handpicked Cellar Door and dinner at Spice Alley.
9. Make memories with your little ones as Australia's happiest face welcomes you back to Luna Park, with nine new rides giving kids of all ages smiles for miles. Feel the wind in your hair on the new Big Dipper – the world's first inline seating rollercoaster – the hypnotic hues of Vivid Sydney creating the ultimate rush.
10. Revel in the brighter side of life as Holi, the biggest interactive projection in Vivid Sydney's history, transforms the Hickson Road Wall (near Park Hyatt Sydney) into a pulsing patchwork of life-affirming light. Pop into The Bar at the Hyatt for a cocktail or continue walking around to Walsh Bay for a pitstop at Lotus Dumpling Bar.  
11. The air is effervescent as the Sydney Opera House comes alive, inside and out, with Vivid LIVE 2021 showcasing more cutting-edge contemporary music performances than ever before. Opera Kitchen is a great place for a pre-show tasting plate, admiring the views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and city lights.
12. Feel on top of the world as you conquer the city on a Twilight BridgeClimb, taking in the glittering views as Vivid Sydney glitters beneath you like a sea of sequins. Afterwards, celebrate with harbour views and great food at The Glenmore.
13. For a closer look at those sequins, glam up at the Heaps Gay Qween's Ball at Luna Park, where party people and 20+ diverse acts, including headliner Mia Rodriguez, come together for a night of fancy dress, art and dancing.
14. Get back to the Bladerunner-inspired future at The Powerhouse Museum. In Vivid Music's Teenage Wasteland, Jono Ma and Jonti's synth sounds fuse with visuals by Babekuhl in tribute to sci-fi films. Afterwards, take in the futuristic views of the city and beyond from your ultra-modern room at Crown Sydney.
15. Sydney's inclusive spirit shines bright – and you'll be welcomed like part of the family at the One Big Backyard installation, where the community's cultural diversity is brought to life with light on the George Street's Unwin's Stores building.
16. Laugh with a game-changer as hilarious 'feminist in progress' and star of The Good Place - Jameela Jamil - shares her unique perspective on body positivity and mental health in a talk with Jamila Rizvi at Sydney Town Hall. Nearby Assembly Bar makes a great place for post-talk debate.
17. Do a double-take on George Street as never-before-lit buildings on the iconic strip join the technicolour skyline, and soak up the buzz as you refuel along the way at The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room, The Doss House or The Push.
18.  Be moved as game-changing comedian and LGBTQIA+ advocate Magda Szubanski gets vulnerable with Julia Baird. As the national treasure discusses the healing powers of art and nature, you'll feel their healing touch, too.
19. Send your senses to ancient lands at Shard, where Baykali Ganumbarr, Yalyalwuy Gondarra, Watjarr (Marko) Garmu, and light sculptures bring Dreamtime stories to life, backed by the mesmerising rhythms of the yidaki (traditional didgeridoo). Located in The Rocks, grab a table outside at Tap Rooms on Argyle Street and take in the Vivid Sydney buzz.
20. Marvel at the power of human tenacity at Barangaroo, where Corpi Celesti showcases the first Moon Landing through lighting, video mapping and art. Afterwards, keep the conversation going over a meal at Cirrus before dreaming up your own plans to reach for the stars at Hilton's West Hotel Sydney.
21. Flip out at the Sydney Opera House. Drummer, singer, producer, self-taught writer and indie-pop icon G Flip (aka Georgia Flipo) hits the city's grandest stage in their only Sydney headline show for 2021.
22. Rethink your thinking as Sarah Wilson and celebrated scientist Dr Norman Swan challenge the latest avalanche of conspiracy theories, at a free Unorthodox event at The Australian Museum. The Museum will be open late, so take the chance to wander through after dark.
23. Feast on culinary creativity with dinner and a spectacular Vivid Sydney vista at Café Sydney, then step outside to see the heritage façade of Customs House, where the 3D-animation VORAX tells a timely tale of all-consuming power.
24. Up for solid gold beats with an esoteric twist? Golden Features joins Hermitude to unleash their electronica on the harbourside Northern Broadwalk at Sydney Opera House. Tapavino is a great place for post-dance floor cocktails and tapas.
25. Be awed by nature's power as the Symbiosis projection merges humans with various lifeforms in The Rocks' heritage-listed Argyle Cut; and at Patterns In Nature, where fire, water, earth and air are reimagined in jaw-dropping colour.
26. See Parliament House from a more eclectic perspective when Papua New Guinean-born singer-songwriter Ngaiire brings her moving mix of neo-soul and R&B to its hallowed halls. Dine beforehand at Crafted by Matt Moran at the Art Gallery of NSW.
27. Open your sex-positive mind and turn your empathy into a conversation-starting superpower as Honeybee author Craig Silvey explores the trans experience, gender and fluidity in a fireside chat with Glace Chase as part of Vivid Ideas Exchange.
28. Kick back at a rooftop bar, like Hyde Hacienda Sydney, Smoke at Barangaroo or Henry Deane at Hotel Palisade, for the ultimate brew with a view as Vivid Sydney unfurls below like the world's sparkliest welcome mat.
29. Kids of all ages love Vivid Sydney. At Rhodes Creative Sculpting with Light family friendly workshop, you'll all get hands-on with light projection mapping and wrap videos around 3D objects.
30. Hit up a birthday party. For their 10th anniversary, Astral People's exclusive decade-defining weekender features Hiatus Kaiyote, Genesis Owusu, Mildlife and Milan Ring on the Northern Broadwalk for Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House. Meanwhile, the Oxford Art Factory turns 14 with BAD//DREEMS, Nice Biscuit and more. A must-do is a bowl of pasta at Big Poppa's, where the kitchen is open until 3am.
31. Consider the big picture. The Sensitive installation at Circular Quay features life-size figures and displays of light and sound to reveal the nature of human connection. You'll reflect on your own bonds as you wander back to your room at the new A for Adina Hotel, discovering more emotion-charged installations along the way.
32. As you sip cocktails at Customs House Bar or Opera Bar, and fine dine Quay or Bennelong, feel part of the city's effortless rhythm as the Mandylights' Our Connected City show links Sydney's icons with more than 120 sky searches.
33. Explore a fresh perspective at Sydney Town Hall, as Game Changers hip hop legend Briggs and comedian/rock musician Nat's What I Reckon discuss music's power to shape our mental health and identities.
34. Hip-hop or punk rock? Be nourished by innovative flavours at Lucky Kwong or grab a margarita at the Cantina OK! pop-up, then choose your own musical adventure at Carriageworks. Here, both genres enjoy the spotlight, powered by Akosia, Jesswar, Amyl & The Sniffers and more.
35. Ponder the fragile beauty of our oceans at Darling Harbour, where reactive sculpture Eventuation turns sound into mesmerising ripples of light, and the Streetview Seascape animation showcases marine marvels. And for extraordinary views of the Vivid Sydney lights, stay at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.
36. For more of the ocean in motion, look up at The Rocks – here, the thought-provoking Manta Rain kinetic light and sound sculpture swims in mid-air as an uplifting soundscape mimics water.
37. Dance in a UNESCO World Heritage site - Hyde Park Barracks hosts day-to-night party El Gran Mono vs Meets The Inner West Reggae Disco Machine, with a funktastic fusion of Caribbean and Latin American super sound system beats.
38. Stay Up Late for intriguing conversations. Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australian Museum, Powerhouse Museum and the Australian Maritime Museum for boundary-bending discussions on sexuality, queer culture, Indigenous issues and more.
39. For heresy and a deep dive into grief, pleasure and justice, don't miss Betty Grumble: Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t as the cabaret star continues her quest for world-saving via rock'n'roll, poetry and protest. Then, soak up more outlier vibes at a nearby bar like Misfits, Arcadia, the Atomic Beer Project, Redfern Surf Club or Re.
40. Walk on water as the large-scale Ephemeral installation scatters more than 200 huge glowing spheres above a floating walkway across Cockle Bay, creating a dazzling, gigantic bubble bath. Book a family friendly stay at the Hyatt Regency Sydney just footsteps from all the Vivid Sydney action.
41.  Become part of the picture at Barangaroo where the ChronoHarp installation creates a colourful, walk-through experience that responds to your movements, and the chic alfresco dining area of CHI by Lotus sets the scene for a truly memorable meal.
42. Over 'fake news'? Step behind the media hype and discover the real story at Whistleblowers at NSW Parliament House, as investigative journalists Kate McClymont and Caro Meldrum-Hanna, and ethics expert Dr Simon Longstaff, explore high-stakes corruption and truth in reporting.
43. Be moved from head to toe as Sampa The Great brings her heady blend of hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz and Afrobeat for two Australian exclusive shows at the Sydney Opera House with the premiere of her An Afro Future show. Perfect your hip-hop dance moves with classes at Sydney Dance Company.
44. Dust off your camera gear and let Vivid Sydney's effervescence fuel your own creativity. With an ever-changing lightscape to capture over 23 nights, there's a new picture-perfect vista at every turn. Share to social media using #vividsydney for the chance for your pics to be shared on Vivid Sydney's official channels.
45. Being awed by the sights on the Light Walk is thirsty work, but you can hit refresh with great local craft beers in The Rocks at the Endeavour Tap Rooms, The Squire's Landing, Lord Nelson Brewery or Malt Shovel Taphouse.
46. Enjoy a triple treat as The Bearded Tit & Queerbourhood unveil a new queer icon each Wednesday, including Nana Miss Koori, Frumpus and Cindy Pastel, before tucking into dumplings at Happy D's, just a few doors up.
47. The Museum of Contemporary Art will shine bright with Helen Eager's New York Sunday artwork transforming its facade into a visual extravaganza. Wet your whistle next door at Cruise Bar or stroll around to Searock Grill to drink in the views from another different angle over a seafood platter.
48. Feel like you're holding yourself back? Get inspired with a big dose of energising realness as author Jenny Valentish and wrestling legend KrackerJak present Pushing Boundaries at The Great Hall, UTS, sharing how everyone from neuroscientists to dancers, boxers and porn stars go to the extremes of human endurance. Wander down King Street Newtown afterwards for pizza at Bella Brutta or cheeseburgers at Mary's Newtown.
49. Lose yourself in the moment and feel the spine-tingling power of three as Aussie music royalty Gareth Liddiard, Jim White and Chris Abrahams join forces for the world debut performance of their ground-breaking new album as part of Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House.
50. Head to the King Street Wharf for a tipple or nibble at Cargo Bar, Bungalow 8 or Manjits, then take the scenic stroll around to Darling Harbour. Here, super sculpture Trilogy responds to your movements with light and sound, and, at Beautiful Life, you'll become part of a super-sized people-powered kaleidoscope for a poignant new view of humankind.

For more information, to purchase tickets to these events, and more, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Plan your trip today and book via www.vividsydney.com/visit/deals.