Sydney: Day one at Vivid Sydney: The lights go on

The Sydney Opera House is seen illuminated as part of the Vivid Sydney Festival. Photo / Getty Images

Rachel Bache takes on the excitement of Vivid Sydney, here are today's highlights from the festival.

Vivid is an annual festival that helps brighten up Sydney, Australia, as it heads into winter. It features an array of art, music, idea talks and more.

So what have been the highlights from day one of Vivid Sydney?

The Top Three:

1. Lighting up the Opera House

Even though it was pouring down with rain just five minutes before the official opening, watching the Sydney Opera House come to life with outstanding light projections was a great way to kick off the festival. Especially while sipping on a glass of bubbly at Cruise Bar, giving the best view of the iconic building - once the giant pirate ship parked in the harbour moved over a couple inches, of course. The video projections on the building warped beautifully from one frame to the next in a quirky illustrative style.

2. Lights at Customs House

Interactive light installations were projected along the edges of Sydney Cove, but the highlight of the night was the display at Customs House on Alfred Street. The face of the old building was lit up by projections that made it come alive, telling a visual story with music accompanying it. The piece called Enchanted Sydney was, well enchanting to say the least. Video artwork by Spinifex Group morphed from showing scary dinosaurs to swarms of butterflies, before turning the building into an aquarium and covering it with scuttling bugs. Amazing.

3. The view from Cafe Sydney

Braised beef, Japanese pork buns and other delicious nibbles were on offer at Cafe Sydney, located on the fifth level of Customs House. Though the food was phenomenal, it was the restaurant's stunning view that took the cake. Seated looking out into Sydney Cove, there was an astounding view of the Sydney Harbour bridge, as well as many of the Vivid light displays, including Luna Park, where a glowing ferris wheel was seen spinning on the other side of the harbour.

For more information on Vivid Sydney visit: vividsydney.com and sydney.com.

Rachel Bache travelled to Sydney thanks to Destination New South Wales.

- nzherald.co.nz