Vivid Sydney 2024 Harbour Cruise - Opera house and Drone show

Vivid Sydney – the biggest festival of light and music in the southern hemisphere illuminated the night sky of Sydney CBD from 24th May to 15th June this year. I have visited the event numerous times before, yet it always dazzles me with numerous creative and hi-tech installations. This year we were super excited to watch Vivid Sydney Drone Show

Last year, we visited Darling Harbour light show. Which was all we could manage with a cranky toddler. Over the years, I have seen the size of the crowd increase tremendously, so I have been apprehensive about taking my kid with me to see the show.

This year, we tried something different. We booked a harbour cruise that offered food and free drinks, and the timings matched the timing of the drone show.

We got down at Wynyard station at around 7pm and walked towards Circular Quay. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the steps of Man of War where we were going to board the cruise. Since it was the first day of the drone show, the turnout was insane. There were bottlenecks near Opera House, even crazier than the New Year show which I visited many years ago.

We walked past the Museum of Contemporary Arts building, this year it served as a canvas for stunning animation titled Sea, Sun, and Stars. I wish I stayed longer to enjoy the whole animation because I loved the parts I managed to view amidst a sea of people. Short people problem 🙂

Thankfully, we managed to reach the said location without any more distress, although this must have been quite an adventure for my little one. We carried him in many places where the crowd was thick.

Once we boarded the cruise, things started looking up. The relaxed vibe on the cruise, with pop music, drinks, and hot pizza, set the mood for a beautiful night. Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge, two iconic structures of Sydney, glimmered under the night sky as we sailed towards the Botanic Garden.

The Cathedral of Light installation, which I first saw in 2016, looked beautiful – Cathedral of light – 2016

The most anticipated event of Vivid Sydney is the drone show, a tech spectacle featuring over 700 drones, creating intricate symbols in vibrant colors above Circular Quay. This year’s theme was “Love is in the air”.

Everyone on the cruise, including me, was so hyped when the drone show started. I loved the heart and how the hands joined together to form a heart, the flower blooming and the butterfly fluttering away. It was a short 10-minute show but quite an experience as I have never seen anything like that.

After the drone show, we stay aboard for half an hour before making our way to the Circular Quay train station. The journey way back was uneventful. We reached safe and sound, tired and happy, my kid asleep in my arms, and my head still giddy with the joy of spending a lovely evening with friends and family.

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