Things to do

Sydney welcomes the world to 2020

A symphony of light, colour and Australian sounds mark a new decade in the world’s best New Year’s Eve party.

Sydney Opera House fireworks

The sky above Sydney Harbour will be lit by a stunning pyrotechnic display and the brightest beam in the southern hemisphere on New Year’s Eve.

SydNYE 2019 is our most choreographed show to date, with fireworks, lighting and pylon projections set to an all-Aussie midnight soundtrack for the first time.

It’s all about saying welcome to Sydney and welcome to 2020 – to locals, visitors, migrants, refugees and more than 1 billion viewers across the globe.

A Calling Country ceremony welcomes visitors and celebrates Gadigal culture with a smoking ceremony, music and dance performances, and projections on the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons.

An all-Aussie soundtrack will accompany the New Year's Eve celebrations for the first time
An all-Aussie soundtrack will accompany the New Year's Eve celebrations for the first time

A ‘pyrotechnicolour’ extravaganza of more than 100,000 effects includes colour changing stars, ‘stained glass’ shells, glittering willow effects and pyrograms of 2D shapes.

Pyro mine letters spelling ‘Sydney’ will fall from the bridge in the countdown to midnight.

Along with the brightest beam in the southern hemisphere, a light show on the water and the eastern face of the bridge will connect the crowds and dazzle people across the globe.

A stunning pyrotechnic display will light up the Sydney sky
A stunning pyrotechnic display will light up the Sydney sky

With the Refugee Council of Australia as our official charity partner, we’re launching 2020 as the year of welcome.

We’ll also harness the enormous power of the event to raise more money for bushfire affected communities in the Red Cross disaster relief and recovery fund.

Use #SydNYE and stay updated on the official Sydney New Year’s Eve.

Published 3 December 2019, updated 16 December 2019