Event · Sydney Harbour · May to June
Vivid Sydney
The Opera House sails, the bridge and the foreshore lit, seen from the one place without a crowd.
This year · 2026/27
Updated each seasonDate
Late May
to mid June 2027
Evening charters on any night of the festival. Dates confirmed when Destination NSW publishes the programme.
Times
Vivid 2027 dates are confirmed by Destination NSW in the new year. Lights run from 6pm nightly across the festival.
From the water
Why it's best from the water
Vivid is designed to be seen across water. The projections on the Opera House sails and the bridge face the harbour, and from the harbour you see them whole.
Our captains run a slow loop past Circular Quay, the Opera House, the bridge pylons and the foreshore installations, then anchor in a quiet bay for dinner. No queues, no closed streets, no waiting for a ferry.
Lumir for a larger party, Sea Raes by the hour for a smaller one. Both are in Sydney for the full festival.
The evening
How the night works
- 5:30pmBoard at your wharfWelcome drinks as the lights come on.
- 6:30pmThe loopCircular Quay, the Opera House and the bridge from the water.
- 7:30pmDinner at anchorThe chef's menu with the city lit around you.
- 9:00pmOne more passBack along the foreshore before the return.
- 9:30pmReturnBack to the wharf of your choice.
On board
What's included
- Captain and full crew for the evening
- A guided loop of the main installations
- Chef's menu, from canapés to dinner
- Beverages selected to your brief
- Blankets and heating on deck
- Wharf transfers arranged on request
From our own library
In frame
Questions
Before you book
How far ahead should we book?
Weekends during Vivid are confirmed first. Four to eight weeks ahead is usual for a weeknight, longer for a Friday or Saturday.
How many guests can come?
Lumir takes up to 55 guests for the evening, Sea Raes up to 36.
How long is a Vivid cruise?
Three to four hours is typical: the loop, dinner at anchor and a last pass. Sea Raes is chartered by the hour, so shorter cruises are possible.
Is it cold on the water?
It is late autumn in Sydney. The saloons are heated and the crew have blankets on deck. Most guests move between the two.
Enquire
Hold a yacht for Vivid
A member of the team replies within one business day with availability and a proposal.