Hospitality venues across inner Sydney can keep the good times rolling later during Vivid Sydney, with extended trading hours for three Sunday nights during the festival.

From 25 May to 8 June, eligible hotels, bars, clubs, restaurants, breweries and live music and performance venues in key downtown precincts including The Rocks, Barangaroo, Pyrmont, Woolloomooloo and Potts Point can stay open until midnight on Sundays.

The extensions support Vivid Sydney’s enduring popularity and give festival-goers more time to enjoy the event, while boosting trade for local businesses.

The initiative is part of the NSW Government’s Special Event Extended Trading program, which allows venues to stay open later during major cultural and sporting events.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said: “This is a win-win. Festival-goers get a greater chance to enjoy their night out and business owners get a better opportunity to capitalise on the 2.5 million people Vivid Sydney attracts.

“Vivid Sydney is about lighting our city up, not turning the lights down, so it makes sense to push back last drinks.

“This is one of a long list of changes we’ve made to increase trading, boost vibrancy and rebuild Sydney’s night-time economy.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Vivid Sydney is more than a light festival – it’s a celebration of our city. If we want to showcase our city’s creativity, culture and night-time energy, we need to give our hospitality industry the chance to make the most of this fantastic festival.

“By extending Sunday trading hours, we’re giving visitors and locals more time to explore, and more time to enjoy everything Sydney has to offer after dark.

“We are determined to cement Sydney as the premier destination in the Asia-Pacific, not just for world-class events, but for the vibrant experiences that bring our city to life at night.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said: “Allowing venues to stay open later and serve more customers for longer during major events like Vivid Sydney is a win-win for the hospitality industry and those out and about enjoying the festival of light.

“Not only do these extensions make for a greater experience for festival-goers, they also help our hospitality operators capitalise on the increased foot traffic and visitors to our city.”

For more information and a full list of venues eligible for extended trading during Vivid Sydney click here.

Businesses on board to help Vivid Sydney make city shine

The NSW Government is also partnering with more than 400 businesses as part of the 2025 Vivid Sydney Local Business Program, enriching the global cultural festival that draws millions to Sydney and boosts the state’s visitor and night-time economies. 

Participation in the 2025 program has increased by more than 110% – including Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Quarter, Darling Square, Market City, Paddy’s Market Haymarket and Sydney Place businesses – signing up to take part. 

From creative pop-up activations, bespoke menus to exclusive festival offers, a vibrant community of bars, restaurants, retailers and vessels will energise the Harbour City from 23 May to 14 June. 

Delivered by Destination NSW, the Vivid Sydney Local Business Program is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses tap into the momentum of Australia’s largest event, helping to drive more foot traffic, jobs and local spending across the city. 

Businesses participating in the program receive access to a range of benefits, including promotion on the Vivid Sydney webpage, a free digital toolkit with creative assets to use in their marketing campaigns and LED screens and window decals.  

Last year, Vivid Sydney welcomed 2.53 million attendees and generated more than $180 million in visitor spending, including a record-breaking opening night that drew over 142,000 people onto the festival footprint.  

One of the featured businesses in the 2025 Vivid Sydney Local Business Program is Hickson House, which is hosting an immersive dark room cocktail-making session on Friday and Saturday nights, called the VIVID Dream Lab.

Co-founder of Hickson House Distilling Co Mikey Enright said: “Being part of the Vivid Sydney Local Business Program gives us an incredible platform to showcase Hickson House and our bespoke Vivid Sydney-inspired events to a wider audience. 

“It drives foot traffic, creates a vibrant atmosphere around The Rocks precinct and supports local businesses like ours in a meaningful way.” 

Vivid Sydney announces NSW wine experiences