Darling Square lights up for Vivid Sydney 2025 with food, fun and free family activities
Sydney,14 May 2025
Darling Square will light up in celebration of Vivid Sydney 2025 with an exciting lineup of light installations, free activities and entertainment and special offers from 23 May to 14 June. The bustling precinct will transform into a colourful hub of creativity and activity, perfect for families, food lovers and anyone looking to experience Sydney’s most magical event.
Visitors can experience the precinct in a whole new light with hundreds of glowing fairy lights transforming Darling Square each evening. The centrepiece of the display is an immersive audio-visual installation by Estée Lauder, featuring a striking five-metre-tall sculptural face, part of Vivid Sydney’s official Light Walk. Created in collaboration with Sydney artist Mikka Byarugabat and inspired by dreams and the science behind their Advanced Night Repair serum, the installation is titled While You Were Dreaming.
Free activities and entertainment will run every Saturday from 6-9pm, including neon face painting and glitter tattoos for kids and adults alike. Each Saturday night will also feature live music performances from local singers, bringing upbeat, family-friendly tunes to the Square.
From Monday to Thursday, shoppers who spend $75 or more at any Darling Square retailer can collect a free LED balloon. To redeem, customers must show their receipt on the day of purchase at Lillianna Gifts, located on Steam Mill Lane (terms and conditions apply). Lillianna Gifts will also have a pop-up stall in front of The Exchange with a range of LED glowing goodies such as spinning wand, lightsaber, light up balloons, LED dragon bubble guns and many more fun, flashing items. The pop-up stall is open from 12-8pm Sunday to Thursday and from 12-9pm Friday and Saturday.
Darling Square’s retailers are also getting into the spirit of Vivid with a range of limited-time food and drink offers:
● Dopa Donburi and Dessert has partnered with renowned boutique dessert shop Duo Duo to launch a limited-edition dessert featuring their signature deep fried ice cream with miso caramel ice cream in a bao bun, available from 19 May to 22 June.
● Bubble Nini is serving two glowing drinks: a Japanese Aomori apple black tea; and jasmine milk tea with triple matcha foam.
● Chinta Ria Buddha Love is offering two special dishes: vibrant red Electrifying Chilli Chicken and Rhythm Ribs (Malaysian sweet vinegar pork ribs). They are also launching the Embrace cocktail made with cherry-vanilla rum, amaretto, pineapple and lemonade; and Hug-me mocktail made with
lychee, lime, mint and lemonade. Each drink will be discounted throughout the Vivid period.
Located just two minutes from Darling Harbour, an official Vivid Sydney zone and The Goods Line, which hosts Vivid Fire Kitchen, Darling Square is an entertaining and convenient stop for Vivid Sydney visitors. The precinct features over 70 places to eat, drink, shop and explore—from quick bites to fine dining, and from beauty to everyday services.
https://www.darlingsq.com/
Instagram: @darlingsquare
Facebook: Darling Square
