There is not too many sleeps left until Vivid Sydney 2016 lights up the city. This year the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas is even bigger, with an extra five nights, new music performances and art installations added to an already jam-packed program. The 23-day festival, which runs from May 27th to 18 June 18th features more than 80 light installations, 1,500 hours of programmed music events and 170 creative events.
While we won't be hungry for sights and sounds during the festival we know we have to keep up our sustenance so Sydney Scoop took a look at the best five ways to enjoy Vivid Sydney and get fed at the same time.
1. 8 Bits+Bytes burgers
This year for the first time at Vivid Sydney, two Sydney based production powerhouses, Motti+Smith and Paper Moose have collaborated to bring Martin Place their very own 8 Bits+Bytes burger activation. Throughout the festival, five of Sydney’s best burger houses including Mary’s, Milk Bar by Café ish, Pub Life Kitchen, Bang Bang, and Sammy’s Burger Bar will be making visitors burger dreams come true. Themed like the inside of a vintage arcade game, visitors will be able to vote for their favourite burger in an interactive burger battle which will be tallied in real-time on a digital score board.
"We wanted the experience to capture the mood of playful competition between the Battle Burgers, so the idea started at a score board and grew and grew into a fully submersive 8Bit installation. There are so many amazing Elements in this installation, Picking a favorite element would be like choosing a favorite child. But I'm probably most excited about the food facade light wall. This is to my knowledge the first time someone has attempted to create an low res 8bit light wall covering over 60square meters and I'm confident turning it on for the first time on Friday is going to give you goosebumps" exclaims Carl Tindall producer Papermoose.
2. Intimate Vivid Harbour Cruises
Beat the Sydney crowds and catch the famous lights display from the harbour on board Enigma, one of Sydney’s most luxurious charter boats. With just 30 guests per cruise, this is the most intimate way to enjoy Sydney this year. On Fridays and Saturdays during the festival Enigma will host two cruises per evening, from 5.30pm-7.30pm and 8pm-10pm – leaving the perfect amount of time of explore Vivid on foot either before or after. At just $100 per person, including canapes and sparkling, red and white wine, beer and soft drinks
For tickets or more information >> www.mvenigma.com.au
3. Take A Seat At Dinner
Q Dining, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour’s fine dining restaurant, offers refined modern cuisine with a spectacular backdrop highlighting the Vivid lighting extravaganza. Guests can enjoy the kaleidoscope of colours as they dine on a seasonal menu and sip wine from an award winning wine list. The view from Q Dining is looks out towards the Harbour Bridge and the Art Centre and is a great starting or ending point after exploring Sydney on foot. Find out more at >> www.pullmanquaygrandsydneyharbour.com
4. Indigenous Berries & Herbs Oyster Shots
For Vivid Sydney 2016, the ground-breaking Songlines will showcase ancient Aboriginal stories on the Sydney Opera House sails. In keeping with this year’s stunning Lighting of Sails, restaurants across the Opera House will celebrate Australia’s rich culinary heritage with uniquely local ingredients. Opera Bar will serve oyster shots enriched with Indigenous berries and herbs for vibrant colouring, with ‘bush tucker’, including fingerlimes, lemon myrtle and smoked macadamia nuts. Colourful cocktails, a GIF photo booth, projections and lights will add to the playful Vivid Sydney festival atmosphere.
5. Something For Everyone At Sydney Opera House
As the lights come on, the Eat Drink, Western Foyers heaters will turn up at Sydney Opera House, ready to serve winter warmers featuring a selection of award-winning NSW wine and produce, carefully curated by Chef Lauren Murdoch. Visitors can sample Palmer’s Island Mulloway with roast tomato sauce, saffron potato and rouille or for those on the go, a pop-up on the Forecourt will serve Lozzie’s Hot Dogs, jaffles, soup and other family-friendly food and drinks.
The team behind Tios and The Cliff Dive are back in a perfect haze with the hotly anticipated return of the Deep Purple Pool Hall pop-up bar at Sydney Opera House. This hidden speakeasy is likened to a piece of Americana flotsam washed up on Sydney Harbour. Guests will follow the eight-ball up the western stairs to discover a unique bar, run by Aria catering. The venue is about juxtaposing high and low culture, bringing artisanal beer and wine from some of Australia’s smallest and best producers to the domain of Opera and sparkling wine.
Chef Peter Gilmore’s menu at Bennelong, at The Sydney Opera House celebrates the abundant flavours and diversity of Australian produce, and no dish highlights this more than the locally sourced Red claw yabbies from Mandandanji country in South West Queensland, served with lemon jam, cultured cream and buckwheat pikelets. ‘The Bennelong Billy’, an Aussie rum-based cocktail with river mint, quandong liqueur and strawberry gum served over crushed ice will also be on offer during Vivid Sydney.
Photo credit: Destination NSW
