Website – Sydney Spectaculars

Vivid Sydney 2015: Biggest Ever Program Announced

Expansion into city suburbs Chatswood and Central Park

Over 60 Lighting Installations and Projections

Expanded Music Program and Australian exclusives including The Hoodoo Gurus and Daniel Johns

Award-winning, Australian-first global speakers at Vivid Ideas

Vivid Sydney is set to shine even more brightly in 2015 when the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas delivers its biggest program yet. For 18 nights, from 22 May – 8 June, Vivid Sydney will again transform the city and harbour.The 2015 program includes expansion into new city precincts Chatswood and Central Park, its biggest ever music program including Australian exclusives such as The Hoodoo Gurus at the Powerhouse Museum and Daniel Johns’ international solo debut at the Sydney Opera House, and heavy-hitting speakers at Vivid Ideas.

Vivid Sydney, now in its seventh year, is owned and managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said: “Vivid Sydney is an incredible public event that has seen amazing growth, attracting a record 1.43 million attendees in 2014. It’s the largest festival of its kind in the world, and with our biggest program yet, there’s even more to love about Vivid Sydney this year.

“While the heart of Vivid Light is still beating strongly in and around Circular Quay, Vivid Sydney is spreading even further into the city suburbs, with Central Park and Chatswood joining the program this year,” Ms Chipchase said.

“Favourite locations Circular Quay, Walsh Bay, Martin Place, and Darling Harbour are back with over 60 light installations and projections with even more opportunity for visitors to get hands on, more water theatre shows – this time with lasers and fire – and new and expanded programming at Pyrmont & The Star and the University of Sydney. The sandstone canvases of Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) will also return with spectacular new 3D projections.

“With all eyes on the Sydney Opera House, Lighting Of The Sails will once again take its place as the centrepiece of the amazing light spectacular during Vivid Sydney, with Universal Everything promising awe-inspiring projections that will reimagine the architecture as a living mural, with a diverse series of vibrant, hand-drawn sequences.

“Vivid Music will introduce its most expansive program yet, featuring more shows and venues and an impressive line-up of local and international talent,” she said.

The Hoodoo Gurus will perform an exclusive one-off show at the Powerhouse Museum and a new line up of cutting edge, innovative performances will be held across the city at new venues Goodgod Small Club, Oxford Art Factory and Freda’s, with the Seymour Centre, The Basement, The Argyle and Barrio Cellar part of the line-up again in 2015.

Part of the Vivid Music program, Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House features a 10-night run of exclusive Sydney-only performances and for the first time will also include two large scale outdoor events, internal light projections and an event for kids and families. Features include four exclusive performances from Morrissey, Daniel Johns in his international solo debut, Sufjan Stevens in his only Australian performances and FCX – 10 Years of Future Classics featuring Flume and Flight Facilities. With a line-up of heavy-hitting speakers, Vivid Ideas introduces The Game Changers, a new talk series this year headlined by three global influencers: multi Emmy-winning writer Matthew Weiner, series creator and executive producer of Mad Men and former executive producer and writer on The Sopranos; Grammy-winning designer Stefan Sagmeister, whose clients include the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed and the Guggenheim Museum; and entrepreneur and publisher Tyler Brûlé, founder of the world-famous magazines Wallpaper and Monocle.

“With such an amazing festival planned, Destination NSW will continue to work with the travel industry to encourage visitation to Sydney from across Australia and the globe for this incredible event. We aim to build on the results from last year when more than 20,000 international visitors travelled to Sydney on dedicated Vivid Sydney travel packages,” Ms Chipchase said.

“Vivid Sydney will also work with event partners, land owners and a new accessibility specialist to build on the positive initiatives undertaken last year.

“A new sustainability partnership with The Banksia Foundation will also further develop Vivid Sydney’s sustainability agenda which includes recycling assets, environmental waste management practises and improved energy efficiency,” she said.

Vivid Sydney welcomes the return of Intel, a world-leader in computing technology, as event partner for the fifth consecutive year. 2015 Supporters include Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, City of Sydney, Sydney Opera house, The Star, Canon, Indeed, 32 Hundred Lighting, Oracle and TDC.

Some of the highlights of Vivid Sydney 2015 program:

Where	What	When
Sydney Opera House	Design collective Universal Everything will be Lighting the Sails with spectacular projections.	Nightly from 6pm
Customs House	Enchanted Sydney by Spinifex, a continually evolving and blossoming world with free-flowing images of Sydney’s flora and fauna.	Nightly from 6pm
MCA (sandstone original building)	Mechanised Colour Assemblage by Danny Rose and Rebecca Baumann transforms the MCA into a series of sound and colour machines.	Nightly from 6pm
Sydney Harbour, Circular Quay, The Rocks and Walsh Bay	Harbour Lights returns with boats lit up, floating on the Harbour in a symphony of colour, Paint the Town allows visitors to illuminate the city’s skyscrapers, plus more than 60 light installations adorn the harbour foreshore.	Nightly from 6pm
Martin Place	The daytime centre of the city is illuminated at night with installations including Transcendence, an impressive towering structure featuring mesmerising projection mapping, code-driven light shows and divine fare from Sydney’s hippest purveyors of food and beverage.	Nightly from 6pm
Darling Harbour	Vivid Laser-Fountain Water Theatre presented by Oracle-Liquid is a choreographed audio visual symphony featuring fountain jets and spirals, colour lighting, rainbow lasers and dancing flames.	Nightly from 6pm
Central Park	STREETS AHEAD featuring projections from contemporary artists Reko Rennie and Beastman onto the heritage Carlton & United Brewery façade, plus Silent Discos every Friday and Saturday.	Nightly from 6pm
University Of Sydney	Vivid Path to the Future, a week long program of light, music and ideas with spectacular 3D mapped projections and a light walk.	25-31 May
Pyrmont & The Star	Vivid Sydney Game Zone, a buzzing multisensory entertainment precinct with interactive installations at Pyrmont Bay Park and Sky Terrace at The Star.	Nightly from 6pm
Chatswood	Aquatic Wonderland, a mesmerising water world featuring giant sea creatures and an animated aquarium, culminating in a beautifully-illustrated 3D animation set over the façade of The Concourse.	Nightly from 6pm to 11pm
Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House	Morrissey, Daniel Johns, Sufjan Stevens and FCX – 10 Years of Future Classic featuring Flume and Flight Facilities.	22 May to 8 June
Vivid Music	Hoodoo Gurus at Powerhouse Museum, Modulations at Carriageworks, the Seymour Centre and new venues Oxford Art Factory, Freda’s and Goodgod Small Club.	22 May to 8 June
Vivid Ideas	The Game Changers talk series with Matthew Weiner, Stefan Sagmeister and Tyler Brûlé, plus the Vivid Ideas Exchange sessions at the MCA.	22 May to 8 June

For more information on Vivid Sydney, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra Live Projection On The Sails

Audiences across the world will be able to watch the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for the 1st time projected live in concert onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House in a grand salute to Vienna, the world capital of classical music.

Visions Of Vienna, presented by the Vienna Tourist Board, is a multimedia event that will be live-streamed online. It is set to celebrate the importance of music to both cities – Vienna and Sydney – while presenting Vienna’s rich culture of acoustic and visual art.

Footage of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra players performing a classic Viennese program inside the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall will be projected live onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House, with the grand towering figures of the musicians transforming the cultural icon’s western exterior into a moving artwork.

The footage will be accompanied by stunning Viennese imagery inspired by the capital’s striking architecture, the Art Nouveau movement and the works of Austrian secessionist painter Gustav Klimt.

Audiences across the world will be able to view the spectacle unfolding on the sails in a live stream online, filmed from West Circular Quay.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra Managing Director Rory Jeffes said the event would be a chance for the world to see an orchestra like never before and learn more about the ‘City of Music’.

“We’re immensely proud to be joining the Vienna Tourist Board in what will be a celebration of classical music, Viennese art and multimedia excellence,” Mr Jeffes said. “As the world tunes in to watch our players live in action for the 1st time on the sails of the Sydney Opera House, we will be saluting Vienna and it’s contribution to our art form, and giving a friendly wave to our musical counterparts at the many institutions in the Austrian capital.”

Vienna Tourist Board Managing Director Norbert Kettner said the event would be a unique meeting of world-class music and world-class architecture: “It’s hard to imagine anything more impressive than a successful fusion of 2 different artistic disciplines at the very highest level – like we have managed in this case with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performing the kind of classical masterpieces that Vienna is so famous for and the unique architecture of the Sydney Opera House.”

Visions Of Vienna will begin at approximately 8:30pm AEDT and feature the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performing the 2nd half of Greatest Hits From Vienna, a concert in the spirit of the traditional Viennese New Year’s Day concert. Greatest Hits From Vienna will be led by Vienna-based conductor Ola Rudner and feature Viennese soprano Elisabeth Flechl as soloist in a program of classics, operetta and dance musical favourites by great composers such as Johann Strauss II, Lehar, Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven.

The Vienna Tourist Board invites the public to view Visions Of Vienna from it’s public event area at Campbells Cove in The Rocks. More information can be found at: visions.vienna.info.

Audiences across the world can watch the live stream of the event at: www.sydneysymphony.com and visions.vienna.info.

#VisionsOfVienna

VISIONS OF VIENNA – Campbells Cove – 8:30pm Wednesday the 4th of February 2015 AEDT

FRANCESCO SUPPÉ-DEMELLI Overture to ‘Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna’
JOHANN STRAUSS II Overture to ‘The Bat’
JOHANN STRAUSS II Sounds From Home
JOHANN STRAUSS II Artist’s Life
JOHANN STRAUSS II Egyptian March
JOHANN STRAUSS II Greetings, My Lovely Little Nest
JOSEF STRAUSS Without A Care!
JOHANN STRAUSS II By the Beautiful Blue Danube

Ola Rudner – Conductor, Elisabeth Flechl – Soprano

GREATEST HITS FROM VIENNA – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall – 8pm Wednesday the 4th of February 2015 AEDT

FRANZ SCHUBERT Overture to ‘Rosamunde, Princess of Cyprus‘
JOHANNES MOZART That Ungrateful Soul Betrayed Me
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN ‘The Creatures of Prometheus’ Finale
FRANZ LEHAR Love, Thou Heaven On Earth
JOHANNES BRAHMS The Hungarian Dances: No. 4 – In F Minor (F♯ Minor For Orchestra): Little Supported – Lively
FRANCESCO SUPPÉ-DEMELLI Overture to ‘Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna’
JOHANN STRAUSS II Overture to ‘The Bat’
JOHANN STRAUSS II Sounds From Home
JOHANN STRAUSS II Artist’s Life
JOHANN STRAUSS II Egyptian March
JOHANN STRAUSS II Greetings, My Lovely Little Nest
JOSEF STRAUSS Without A Care!
JOHANN STRAUSS II By the Beautiful Blue Danube

Ola Rudner – Conductor, Elisabeth Flechl – Soprano

Bookings through the Sydney Symphony Orchestra box office on 8215 4600 (9am–5pm Monday to Friday) or select your own seat at: www.sydneysymphony.com

Sydney Lights Up The World

A brilliant light bulb illuminated Sydney Harbour last night as huge crowds gathered around the foreshore to welcome in 2015, while millions more watched around the world.

Celebrating the International Year of Light, the 12-storey-high Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect was the centrepiece of the Midnight Fireworks display – one of the largest and most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world.

Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 - 'Inspire' - 9pm Family Fireworks Photograph: Jennifer Polixenni Brankin - First Light Photography — Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ – 9pm Family Fireworks
Photograph: Jennifer Polixenni Brankin – First Light Photography

The light bulb design, which remained top-secret until midnight, followed an animated image of the New Holland Seahorse, which appeared on the Bridge during the 9PM Family Fireworks.

The New Holland Seahorse – commonly known as the Sydney Seahorse – is native to Sydney Harbour.

Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 - 'Inspire' - 'New Holland Seahorse' Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect Photograph: David Clare - First Light Photography — Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ – ‘New Holland Seahorse’ Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect
Photograph: David Clare – First Light Photography

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said Sydney’s world-famous fireworks displays provided the perfect welcome to the New Year.

“Sydney is known as the New Year’s Eve Capital of the World and last night’s celebrations were no exception,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Spectacular images from the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays have already been shared around the world – on television, online and via social media – shining a spotlight on our magnificent harbour and inspiring audiences worldwide to visit Sydney.”

“Our New Year’s Eve celebrations have allowed us to showcase our fantastic city to the rest of the world, reinforcing that Sydney is and always will be a welcoming, inclusive, harmonious and multicultural community.”

Sydney NYE2014 - 'Inspire' Producer Aneurin Coffey, Sydney NYE2014 - 'Inspire' Creative Ambassador Jack Thompson and Sydney NYE2014 - 'Inspire' Fireworks Director Fortunato Foti discussing fireworks at White Bay. Photograph: City Of Sydney — Sydney NYE2014 – ‘Inspire’ Producer Aneurin Coffey, Sydney NYE2014 – ‘Inspire’ Creative Ambassador Jack Thompson and Sydney NYE2014 – ‘Inspire’ Fireworks Director Fortunato Foti discussing fireworks at White Bay.
Photograph: City Of Sydney

Master pyrotechnician Fortunato Foti of Foti International Fireworks was responsible for the fireworks displays for the 14th consecutive year.

The displays used approximately 7 tonnes of fireworks, including 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 - 'Inspire' - Midnight Fireworks Photograph: Karl Bayer - First Light Photography — Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ – Midnight Fireworks
Photograph: Karl Bayer – First Light Photography

The Lord Mayor praised the City of Sydney crews who worked throughout the night to ensure Sydney was sparkling this morning.

“With huge crowds gathering around the harbour foreshore and at vantage points across Sydney, the clean-up of New Year’s Eve is an enormous task,” the Lord Mayor said.

“A fantastic team of 350 City staff worked tirelessly throughout the night, collecting between 48-50 tonnes of waste.”

“Within hours, our staff had transformed the City’s streets and parks, clearing truckloads of rubbish to reveal a pristine setting in time for sunrise.”

The $290,000 clean-up operation involved the use of 60 trucks, sweepers and compactors and 600 mobile garbage bins to support the City’s 720 street litter bins, which were filled with plastic bottles, food containers and food scraps.

90% of the waste collected will be recycled courtesy of SITA Australia.

Crowds at the Campbell's Cove Vantage Point for Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 - 'Inspire' Photograph: Yie Sandison - First Light Photography — Crowds at the Campbell’s Cove Vantage Point for Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’
Photograph: Yie Sandison – First Light Photography

The Lord Mayor also thanked everyone who made the event possible, including the City’s Sydney New Year’s Eve team and Creative Ambassador Jack Thompson.

“After more than 15 months of planning, it was wonderful to see Sydney at its best last night, as the 1st major global city in the world to ring in 2015,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Thank you to everyone who worked throughout the year – and all those who dedicated their time last night – to ensure the celebrations ran smoothly.”

“Sydneysiders have gone through a period of trauma and mourning over the past weeks, and last night we all spared a thought for the families of the Martin Place siege victims.”

Crowds at the West Circular Quay Vantage Point for Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 - 'Inspire' Photograph: Yie Sandison - First Light Photography — Crowds at the West Circular Quay Vantage Point for Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’
Photograph: Yie Sandison – First Light Photography

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ acknowledges the support of Leadership Partner – Telstra, Charity Partner – Engineers Without Borders Australia & NSW Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Sydney Counts Down To An Inspirational 2015

Spectacular aerial footage from inside tonight’s Midnight Fireworks display will be captured by drones and broadcast live for the 1st time anywhere in the world.

The drones will fly up to 1,000 feet above Sydney Harbour, recording high-resolution footage of the fireworks as they launch from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and barges on the water.

Live footage from 2 drones will feature in the ABC’s TV broadcast and Sydney NYE Telstra YouTube Show.

A 3rd specially-built drone equipped with six cameras will capture amazing 360-degree views of the fireworks that audiences can view after the event via the Sydney NYE Telstra App.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the celebrations to welcome in 2015 were shaping up to be Sydney’s best yet.

“Our Sydney New Year’s Eve team and pyrotechnic experts are busy putting the finishing touches on tonight’s displays, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’re expecting large crowds tonight, so if you’re coming into the city, make sure you arrive early to secure a good spot and download the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ app to receive live updates about the event.”

“If you’re staying at home, tune in to our fantastic broadcasts, which will include never-before-seen drone footage of the fireworks – giving you the chance to be part of the event without having to leave the house.”

“Wherever you are, and however you celebrate, there’s no doubt that Sydney will be at its best tonight as we countdown to the dawning of the New Year.”

The 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays will feature 7 tonnes of fireworks, including 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

More than 1.6 million people are expected to line the harbour foreshore to view the displays, which are recognised as one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the world.

The centrepiece of tonight’s displays will be the Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect – the top-secret, 12 storey high LED design that will be revealed at midnight.

The Bridge Effect ties into this year’s Sydney New Year’s Eve theme, Inspire. After debuting tonight, it will continue to shine brightly above the harbour from 8pm to midnight on Thursday and Friday night.

Pre-Show Entertainment will begin at 6pm when former fighter pilot Matt Hall performs daring aerial displays above the harbour. At 7pm, tug boats will blast tonnes of water into the sky from Millers Point to Fort Denison and back again.

Following the 9PM Family Fireworks, the Harbour of Light Parade will see more than 50 illuminated boats carry over 8,000 people on a majestic passage around Sydney Harbour.

A 3rd mini-fireworks display, known as the ‘Inspire moment’, will also feature at 10:40pm to keep crowds entertained during the countdown to midnight.

Audiences around the harbour and at home are being encouraged to become part of the celebration by using the hashtag #SydNYE to tweet messages about how Sydney will inspire them in the New Year.

The tweets will appear live on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons throughout the night, and will be seen by millions of people across Australia and more than a billion worldwide.

For up-to-the-minute information on tonight’s celebrations, follow the hashtag #SydNYE and @cityofsydney on Twitter.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com

Fireworks Soundtracks To ‘Inspire’ This Sydney New Year’s Eve

One of Australia’s most popular DJ’s, Nina Las Vegas, is serving as musical director for the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ fireworks displays.

Nina, who currently hosts triple j’s Mix Up Exclusives, has created 2 spectacular soundtracks that will be synchronised to the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays.

The 9pm Family Fireworks soundtrack will feature a family-friendly mix of pop songs and tracks from recent children’s films, while the Midnight Fireworks display includes some of Nina’s favourite dance tunes from the past year, along with pop hits and well-known rock anthems.

The soundtracks will be broadcast live on 104.1 2DayFM at 9pm and Midnight.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Sydney New Year’s Eve soundtracks play a special role in bringing the celebrations to life.

“Sydney Harbour provides a stunning backdrop for the world’s most famous fireworks displays and each year, the fireworks soundtracks makes the celebration even more exciting,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I’m looking forward to hearing the mixes Nina has put together to accompany our spectacular fireworks displays as we welcome in the New Year.”

Nina Las Vegas is known across Australia for her encyclopaedic knowledge of dance music and strong support for the local music scene.

Nina has worked in Australian radio for over a decade, along the way establishing herself as one of Australia’s premier dance music DJ’s.

She has appeared at music festivals including Splendour in the Grass and Stereosonic, and played shows with Pharrell Williams, MIA and Baauer.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is such an iconic event, so I was thrilled to be asked to be involved. It’s one of those rare moments when the whole city comes together and the eyes of the world are on Sydney,” Nina said.

“In coming up with the fireworks soundtracks, my goal was to find the middle ground between my musical passion – which is to showcase the best local and international dance talent – with what works well with fireworks, and what will appeal to the public at large.”

“The music for the 9PM Family Fireworks will be something that young children and their parents will enjoy equally, and for the Midnight Fireworks, the music is powerful and optimistic.”

“I can’t wait for people to be surprised on the night as they watch the fireworks and hear the fireworks soundtracks I’ve created.”

The fireworks soundtracks include 45 songs by a diverse range of local and international artists, including:

ARIA award-winning electropop artist Sia’s Chandelier, which has been nominated for 4 Grammy Awards;
Sydney producer Flume’s remix of New Zealand singer Lorde’s Tennis Court, which reached number 12 in this year’s triple j’s Hottest 100;
UK dance star Calvin Harris’s Summer, the 2nd single from his international number 1 album Motion;
US sensation Katy Perry’s Roar, which spent 2 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts and went 10 times platinum in Australia; and
Sydney-born boy band 5 Seconds of Summer’s Amnesia, which went platinum on the ARIA charts this year.

12 computers are used to synchronise the fireworks to the fireworks soundtracks and ensure the displays go off together seamlessly.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ acknowledges the support of Leadership Partner – Telstra, Charity Partner – Engineers Without Borders Australia, & NSW Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’: Fireworks Facts

The City of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is recognised as one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced New Year’s Eve fireworks displays.
The 9pm Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays are watched by 1.6 million people on Sydney Harbour, millions across Australia and more than a billion worldwide.
Sydney’s celebrations draw larger crowds than New York City (1 million), Berlin (1 million), London (700,000) and Paris (100,000).
The fireworks are designed by Foti International Fireworks, led by Fireworks Director Fortunato Foti, and require a pyrotechnic crew of 45 people. This is the 17th consecutive year the company has been involved in Sydney New Year’s Eve.
Approximately 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects will be used in the display, which is made up of 7 tonnes of fireworks.
14 shipping containers of equipment, weighing 120 tonnes, are needed for both the 9pm Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays.
12 computers will digitally launch the fireworks from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, barges and buildings, shooting 10,000 cues. The computers will be used to fire the show and will ensure the fireworks are synchronised to the music.
More than 60 kilometres of wire and cables link the launch computers, and there are 130 firing points on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The 9pm Family Fireworks will go off from 4 fireworks barges, while the Midnight Fireworks will launch from 7 barges, jet-skis, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
Each year the top-secret Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect is a highly anticipated part of the night and is only revealed at the end of the Midnight Fireworks display. The Effect has been a highlight since the mid-1990’s when a smiley face appeared on the Bridge.
This year, the Bridge Effect will be made from more than 13 kilometres of LED ropelight, and measure 12 storeys high.
Previous Bridge Effects have included the word ‘PEACE’ and a dove (2002), 3 concentric hearts (2005), a mandala (2007) and an all-seeing eye (2013).
The Harbour of Light Parade® features more than 50 illuminated boats, which make a majestic passage within and around the Sydney Harbour Exclusion Zone after the 9pm Family Fireworks, building up excitement before the countdown to midnight.
The boats carry over 8,000 people and join more than 3,000 other vessels celebrating New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydney Skies To Light Up 3 Times In 1 Great Night

Master pyrotechnician Fortunato Foti is preparing to inspire Sydneysiders and visitors with his most colourful fireworks displays yet this Sydney New Year’s Eve.

Fortunato – a 7th-generation pyrotechnician whose family has been making fireworks since 1793 – has created a series of stunning new colours and shapes for this year’s displays, including silver and gold palm trees.

To mark his 15th year involved in the event, multicoloured fireworks and a special red glitter effect will also feature in the displays, which are recognised as one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the world.

A pyrotechnic crew of 45 will launch 7 tonnes of fireworks throughout the night – including 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and over 100,000 individual effects.

A 3rd mini-fireworks display, known as the ‘Inspire Moment’, will also feature at 10:40pm to keep crowds entertained during the countdown to midnight.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said 1.6 million people were expected to gather around the Harbour on Wednesday night to enjoy Sydney’s world-famous fireworks displays.

“For 15 years now, Fortunato Foti and his crew at Foti Fireworks have made Sydney New Year’s Eve a night to remember with their imaginative, innovative fireworks displays,” the Lord Mayor said.

“This year’s celebration promises to be just as spectacular, with new colours, shapes and a special 90-second show at 10:40pm that will build anticipation before the main event at midnight.”

Over the years, Fortunato and his crew have created dozens of original fireworks for Sydney New Year’s Eve, including shells in the shape of hands, musical notes, koalas, bees and birds.

Fortunato said his lifelong passion for fireworks means he is not daunted by the challenge of creating something exciting and new each year.

“We started working on Sydney New Year’s Eve back in 1999, and we quickly learnt what works best – and what doesn’t work so well – for a show of this size and scale,” Fortunato said.

“We’ve reached a point now where each year we walk away thinking ‘that was the best show we’ve ever done’ – and that just spurs us on to do even better the following year.”

“This year we’ve focused on making the displays as colourful as possible – you’ll see a lot of metallics, as well as bright reds, greens, blues and purples – and some fun new shapes, including palm trees with shimmering centres and multicoloured ends.”

“The displays will also have a lot of variety – because they’re synchronised to a specially curated soundtrack, the fireworks change as frequently as the music does, keeping audiences entertained and surprised.”

“For us, fireworks are truly inspirational, so we hope that the displays reflect our love and passion, and that they inspire everyone watching – both around the Harbour and across Australia and worldwide.”

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire’ acknowledges the support of Leadership Partner – Telstra, Charity Partner – Engineers Without Borders Australia, & NSW Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Accessibility Initiatives Mean Everyone Can Be Inspired This Sydney New Year’s Eve

A range of City Of Sydney accessibility initiatives will make this year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations safer and more inclusive for all.

This year’s event will feature a live audio description broadcast, designated accessible viewing areas and projections of giant hands spelling out Auslan messages on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons.

A dedicated page on the official Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ website will provide accessible transport information and an interactive vantage point map highlighting accessible facilities around the Sydney Harbour foreshore.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the City was committed to ensuring everyone can take part in Australia’s largest public event.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is an event for everyone, so we want to make sure the many Sydneysiders and visitors living with a disability have a safe and enjoyable night,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Our accessible route maps and designated accessible viewing areas will make getting to the event easier, so audiences can focus on relaxing with family and friends and welcoming in the New Year.”

A live audio description will be broadcast on radio station 2RPH from 7:45pm on 1224AM, 100.5FM, 2RPH digital and online at 2rph.org.au.

Professional audio describers Emma Bedford and Daryl Colquhoun will bring the full Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ program to life, including the 9PM Family Fireworks, Harbour Of Light Parade and Midnight Fireworks display.

There will be designated accessible viewing areas at the Sydney Opera House, Mrs Macquarie’s Point, the Cahill Expressway & Pirrama Park and Ballarat Park in Pyrmont.

People interested in visiting these areas should check the Sydney New Year’s Eve website for more details.

The website also features maps showing the most accessible routes to some vantage points, accessible public toilets, information booths, transport hubs and other points of interest.

Throughout the night, welcome messages will be projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons in Auslan, the sign language of Australia’s deaf community, as well as the languages of Sydney’s 16 top migrant populations and tourist nationalities.

And for those staying at home, live closed captions will be available for the ABC’s TV broadcast of the celebrations and Telstra’s YouTube Show, while the soundtracks of the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays will be simulcast on 104.1 2DayFM.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydneysiders Urged To Make A Plan For New Year’s Eve

Police are urging the community to plan ahead and have a number of options for celebrating New Year’s Eve in Sydney.

With more than 1.5 million people expected to ring in 2015 around Sydney Harbour, Police are urging family and friends to start discussing their plans for the night to avoid disappointment.

Central Metropolitan Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller, said Police have been working closely with the City Of Sydney, landowners and other government agencies to ensure the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ celebrations are safe and fun for everyone.

“New Year’s Eve is Sydney’s largest event and the safety of the community is always our number 1 priority,” Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

“Police and other agencies will work side-by-side in the Police Operations Centre and Government Coordination Centre to coordinate our people and resources on the ground.”

“There will be large numbers of Police – both in uniform and plain clothes – patrolling the streets of the CBD and foreshore areas of Sydney providing a highly visible and mobile Policing response.”

“As part of the City Of Sydney’s ongoing commitment to making NYE family-friendly, there are extensive alcohol-free zones in place, which will be enforced.”

“In addition, Police and security will be closely monitoring crowd numbers and sites will be closed as soon as they reach capacity to prevent overcrowding.”

“Anyone planning to watch the fireworks should start their planning at the Sydney New Year’s Eve website, where they will find detailed vantage point information and important hints and tips for the night,” Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

For comprehensive event details, visit: www.sydneynewyearseve.com.

“Once you have made a plan for the night, we suggest you come up with at least 1 back-up plan, just in case your preferred location is full when you arrive,” Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

“In previous years, we have seen many sites reach capacity and close early, so we are urging people to arrive early, just in case you have to make your way to a back-up viewing location.”

Police are expecting significant traffic disruptions due to road closures which will be in place throughout New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day.

“In order to facilitate large crowds and the magnificent fireworks displays, there will be a number of major road closures and special event clearways,” Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

“We strongly urge revellers to leave the car at home, but for those who must drive, please be patient as we anticipate lengthy delays, particularly at the end of the fireworks displays.”

“There will be additional bus and train services running to help get people around, so the best option, as always, is public transport.” Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

Special event timetables and route changing advice for New Year’s Eve is available at: www.transportnsw.info.

Many Ways To Celebrate This Sydney New Year’s Eve

This New Year’s Eve, the best seat in the house for Sydney’s world famous fireworks displays may well be at home – in front of the TV, next to the radio or by your computer, tablet or phone.

The City of Sydney is teaming up with ABC TV, 104.1 2DayFM and Telstra to give audiences across Australia front row seats to the celebrations without having to leave the house.

The broadcasts will feature performances by some of Australia’s most popular musical acts, exclusive interviews with special guests and, of course, live coverage of the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ broadcasts were a fantastic option for those who want to celebrate in the comfort of their own homes.

“This year, we’re giving Sydneysiders the opportunity to be part of the world’s biggest and best New Year’s Eve experience with their family and friends, without having to leave the house,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Our live TV, radio and online broadcasts will feature hours of free entertainment and provide a box seat for Sydney’s spectacular fireworks displays.”

“These are great choices for those who can’t make it into the city or who would rather avoid the queues and crowds.”

The live TV broadcast will kick off at 8:30pm on ABC, hosted by Julia Zemiro from RocKwiz and Toby Truslove from Utopia.

The 4-hour program will feature a Pub Quiz hosted by Lawrence Mooney, a special edition of The Agony of New Year’s Eve, and a review of the year’s biggest stories in news, sport and music.

The broadcast will also feature an exclusive interview with Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ Creative Ambassador Jack Thompson, live performances by Suze DeMarchi, Kasey Chambers and The Tap Dogs, and live crosses from roving reporters across Australia and in New Zealand. For more information, visit abc.net.au/tv/programs/new-years-eve/.

The official radio broadcast on 104.1 2DayFM will feature the live soundtracks to the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays, which have been curated by renowned Australian DJ Nina Las Vegas.

The broadcast, which starts at 6pm, will also feature live crosses and exclusive coverage from around Sydney Harbour. For more information, visit 2dayfm.com.au/city-of-sydney-nye-hub/.

The Sydney NYE Telstra YouTube Show will live stream all the action from different vantage points around the harbour for 4 hours from 8:30pm through Telstra’s Sydney NYE app, on YouTube and via T-Box (Channel 919).

The Show, which will be hosted by Luke Jacobz from The X Factor Australia and comedian Em Rusciano, will feature exclusive New Year’s Eve content, interviews and live performances by The Temper Trap and Art vs Science. For more information, visit telstra.com/nye

As part of its’ efforts to make Sydney New Year’s Eve 2014 – ‘Inspire‘ inclusive and accessible for all, a live audio description of the celebrations will also be broadcast on radio 2RPH from 7:45pm on 1224AM, 100.5FM, 2RPH digital and online.

Professional audio describers Emma Bedford and Daryl Colquhoun will bring the full program of events to life, including the 9PM Family Fireworks, Harbour of Light Parade and Midnight Fireworks displays. For more information, visit 2rph.org.au.

For the full program, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.