Welcome to The Goods Line and Inner City—where heritage infrastructure meets cutting-edge creativity at Vivid Sydney 2025. This zone is where tech meets storytelling, performance meets philosophy, and where Vivid Sydney’s most delicious, fun and thought-provoking experiences come to life.
Once a disused freight railway, The Goods Line has been reimagined as a pedestrian corridor linking some of Sydney’s most vibrant cultural, educational and media institutions. Stretching into Sydney’s Inner City, the zone also connects to Hollywood Quarter, Surry Hills, Chippendale and beyond—neighbourhoods known for their creative energy, small bars, art spaces and buzzing late-night scenes.
This year, the precinct pulses with light, music, fire and ideas, offering everything from surreal installations to free street parties and a free open-air festival of fire cooking at The Vivid Fire Kitchen.
GETTING THERE
Walk: 8 min from Darling Harbour
Train: Central Station, via Devonshire Street Tunnel
Bus: Harris Street and Railway Square
Ferry: Ferries run regularly to and from Circular Quay
FAST FACTS
Number of Vivid Light installations and projections: 4
Number of Vivid Music venues: 2
Number of Vivid Food venues: 13
VIVID LIGHT
Location: The Goods Line
Artist: UxU Studio
A swirling vortex of light and shadow, Quasar draws you into its hypnotic glow. Inspired by quasars—the brightest objects in the universe—this mesmerising sculpture pulses with cosmic energy, reflecting both infinite possibility and the mystery of the universe.
Location: Dr Chau Chak Wing Building (Frank Gehry)
Artist: Sinclair Park
Giant eyes blink and dart across the windows of the Frank Gehry building in Eye of the Beholder. Inspired by Salvador Dalí’s surrealist dreamscapes, this eerie yet playful installation asks: who is watching whom? Step into this fever dream and find out.
Location: Hay Street
Artist: Mandylights
Collaborator: Alex Swinden
Walk beneath a galaxy of glowing stars in Starscape Tunnel, a 50-meter passageway of stellar light. Inspired by the night sky and childhood glow-in-the-dark constellations, this immersive corridor transforms your path into a dreamlike voyage.
Location: Tumbalong Park, Barangaroo and Vivid Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line
Gather around the warmth of Fireplaces, where sculptural fire pits, flame throwers, and glowing fire barrels light up the night. Set across Tumbalong Park, Barangaroo and Vivid Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line, these gathering places spark reflection, connection, and creativity—offering a hypnotic, dreamlike space to pause and be inspired.
VIVID IDEAS
Location: Bon Marche Studio, UTS Building 3, Level 1
Cost: Free (registration required)
I Dream of Reality is a VR/XR exhibition from UTS researchers and artists, immersing you in alternate futures. Walk through AI-generated dreamscapes of Sydney, enter landscapes inspired by classic art, or confront urgent questions of climate, technology, and human nature.
Dream Logic: Four Films by Antoinetta Angelidi
Location: Golden Age Cinema & Bar
Dates: 25 and 29 May, 1 and 5 June
Cost: Tickets from $24
Greek filmmaker Antoinetta Angelidi’s dream-like avant-garde films screen in Australia for the first time. Four hypnotic works where memory, myth and surrealism unravel cinematic norms.
VIVID FOOD
Location: The Goods Line
Cost: Free access
Feel the heat at The Goods Line with flame-cooked street food, BBQ demonstrations, First Nations cooking nights and bold, spice-forward flavours from Australia’s top pitmasters and chefs. A bustling and delicious reflection of the diversity of Sydney’s vibrant food scene. Plus, local pit master Lennox Hastie, Bundjalung woman and MasterChef finalist Mindy Woods and leading Sydney restaurateur and chef Morgan McGlone, amongst many others, will also be doing live cooking demonstrations
Spice Lounge | Vivid Fire Kitchen
Location: Mary Ann St
Cost: Free access
Your cosy escape at Vivid Fire Kitchen. Lounge by fire pits, enjoy warming snacks and bold flavours, and take a breather before diving back into the festival glow. Spice Lounge is a part of the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, led by Transport for NSW
Location: Kyiv Social
Cost: Tickets from $150
Dine on Afghan, Ukrainian and Palestinian flavours prepared by migrant women chefs. This one-night-only six-course meal celebrates resilience, culture and culinary storytelling—plus the event gives back 140 meals to those in need through Plate It Forward. The Kyiv social chefs cooking for you on the night are mentored by Sydney’s top female chefs like Bloodwood’s Claire Van Vuuren, former head chef of Raja, Ahana Dutt, and Kiln’s Isobel Whelan-Little.
Ester x James Lowe | Vivid Chef Series
Locations: Ester
Date: 27-29 May
Cost: Tickets from $250
For three nights only, James Lowe of London’s Michelin-starred Lyle’s joins Mat Lindsay at Ester for a Vivid Chef Series collaboration—celebrating friendship, fire and the best of NSW produce in a one-off menu that brings their shared culinary philosophy full circle.
Location: Hollywood Quarter, Surry Hills
Dates: 23 May – 14 June
Both free and ticketed events
Step into a world of cinematic fantasy as Hollywood Quarter (HQ Sydney) transforms into Hollywood Dreaming—a vibrant precinct wide takeover in three-parts. This celebration of film, performance, music and food includes a Neon, Food and Gig Trail that will light up the quarter throughout Vivid Sydney 2025. Full program below.
Hollywood Dreaming: A Taste of HQ
Location: Foster Street, Surry Hills
Date: Saturday 31 May
Cost: Free
Foster Street becomes a festival of al-fresco dining for one night only. Big-name chefs, small plates and bold bites under the stars from Hollywood Quarter favourites like Firedoor, Nomad, Gildas, Nel, Kiln, Poly, Brooklyn Boy Bagels and Butter. A Taste of HQ for Hollywood Dreaming is a part of the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, led by Transport for NSW.
Hollywood Dreaming: Foy Lane Lights Up
Location: Foy Lane, Surry Hills
Date: Saturday 14 June
Cost: Free (registration required)
A free laneway party like no other, produced by Ace Hotel Sydney. With light art by emerging artist Mia Kidis (curated by Arts-Matter), live DJs, curated snacks and cocktails in the heart of the Hollywood Quarter, this is part pop-up gallery, part all-out street party.
Hollywood Dreaming: Neon Trail
Location: Various locations across Hollywood Quarter
Date: 23 May – 14 June
Cost: Free
Wander through the precinct as HQ Sydney’s venues light up in neon, each glowing with iconic movie titles, cinematic quotes and tributes to film’s dreamiest moments. Blade Runner meets Mulholland Drive meets a night out in Surry Hills. Tick off all the locations as you skip across the Neon Trail (Big Trouble, Butter, Chin Chin, Gildas, Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Firedoor, Harry’s, Hotel Hollywood, Piermarq*, Tio’s).
Hollywood Dreaming: Golden Age Cinema & Bar
Location: Golden Age Cinema & Bar
Date: Every Thursday during the festival
Cost: Free
An ode to David Lynch, this dreamlike night blends cult cinema, live music and surreal performance. Expect mystery, mood and a custom ‘CAMEO’ cocktail.
Hollywood Dreaming: Hotel Hollywood
Location: Hollywood Hotel
Date: Every Saturday during the festival
Cost: Free
Late-night lounge vibes with live bands, DJs, cocktails and fried chicken from Butter. The Vivid Sydney After Dark lounge turns up every Saturday of the festival—dimly lit and delicious party times post-lights-out.
Hollywood Dreaming: Paramount House Hotel
Location: Paramount House Hotel
Date: Saturday 31 May
Cost: Tickets from $35
A rooftop tour poster workshop led by Sonny Day for creators aged 10–18. Design alternative tour posters, eat pizza, listen to live tunes and get inspired under a Sydney Vivid-lit sky.
Hollywood Dreaming: Butter Beats n Eats: YAWDOESITALL
Location: Butter
Date: Saturday 14 June
Cost: Tickets from $22.49
Hip-hop, merch drops and fried chicken collide as Ghanaian-Australian artist YAWDOESITALL takes over Butter. Live beats, big energy and killer vibes from one of Sydney’s freshest.
Hollywood Dreaming: Butter Beats n Eats: Left Feels
Location: Butter
Date: Friday 30 May
Cost: Free (with registration)
A night of funk, soul and disco grooves served hot with a side of Butter’s iconic fried chicken. The Left Feels crew delivers flavour and feel-good tunes with sets from Colin Ho, Tee Mall and Annika.
Hollywood Dreaming: Soda Factory
Location: Soda Factory
DateL Every Wednesday of the festival
CostL Free
Live music, great food and a glowing dance floor—Soda Factory is your mid-week fix for good times and tunes. Soda Factory is turning up the volume on Aussie music every Wednesday of Vivid Sydney, with nights showcasing the freshest local talent across soul, indie, rock and punk.
Location: Refettorio OzHarvest
Cost: Tickets from $110
A unique series of dinners where every bite feeds a dream of a more sustainable, inclusive and creative future for food and dining in Australia. Each evening of Our Shared Dream will see a different leading Australian chef on the pans collaborating with Refettorio OzHarvest. Here, they’ll plate up a unique take on a four-course vegetarian menu, made entirely from rescued produce. By sharing in a meal at Refettorio OzHarvest, you’ll help feed Sydney’s vulnerable communities.
Friday 23 May: Neil Perry (SOLD OUT)
Rockpool and Margaret chef Neil Perry lends his signature style to this vegetarian dinner of bold flavours, local produce and culinary finesse—all from one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs.
Thursday 29 May: Karima Hazim (SOLD OUT)
Celebrate Lebanese cuisine and culture with Sunday Kitchen’s Karima Hazim. Enjoy a soulful, vegetarian four-course menu filled with abundance, share plates and stories of family.
Wednesday 28 May: Paul Farag (SOLD OUT)
AALIA’s Paul Farag fuses Levantine traditions with innovation in a vegetarian feast using rescued produce. Expect modern Middle Eastern flavours, refined technique and storytelling through every bite.
Wednesday 4 June: Matt Moran (SOLD OUT)
A paddock-to-plate pioneer, Matt Moran transforms rescued produce into an elegant, seasonal vegetarian feast. A thoughtful dining experience from one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs.
Thursday 5 June: Jacqui Challinor (SOLD OUT)
One of Australia’s leading female chefs, Jacqui Challinor brings her Mediterranean flair to Refettorio OzHarvest with a fresh, vibrant vegetarian menu that’s full of heart, purpose and bold flavours.
Wednesday 11 June: Aunty Beryl (SOLD OUT)
Experience native flavours from an Indigenous icon. Aunty Beryl OAM presents a vegetarian four-course feast using rescued produce, spotlighting bush tucker and culinary wisdom passed down through generations.
Thursday June 12: Gabriel Del Conti (SOLD OUT)
Love Tilly Group’s Gabriel Del Conti reimagines Italian traditions using rescued produce. Expect refined vegetarian dishes balancing bold flavours and simplicity, all crafted with innovation and generosity.
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