Sydney’s New Year’s Eve 101 (2022)

IT’S TIME! Time for Foti and the boys to paint the skies in multi-coloured hues of extraordinary shapes and sizes! You heard it right! It’s almost time to wind down 2022 and welcome anew with high spirits, & new hopes! It’s gonna be the first restriction-free New Year celebration in over two years, so it’s only fair to see why it’s gonna be the biggest celebration in the city’s history books!

The city is gearing up for its dramatic finale to the year, and you should too! Here’s what to expect, some common traditions, insider tips, and more from the NYE handbook 101.

The stellar show

The major reason why over a million spectators flock to the greatest harbour every single year, is to get a closer look at the fireworks cascading down on the landmark edifices of the Land Down Under. The man behind these glorious fireworks displays is Fortunato Fati, an 8th generation pyrotechnician, whose family were among the first to call fireworks a piece of art. It is said that a whooping $6 million has been spent on this year’s show, with fires launching from over 184 positions along the Harbour Bridge!

Most of the NYE events and attractions that pop up in and around the harbour automatically become a vantage point to experience this macroscale fireworks show!

No better place than on the waters

While putting into words wouldn't do any justice to the actual atmosphere, it will be electrifying to say the least. If you’re planning on heading out to enjoy the fireworks show, then without question your pick should be a New Years cruise on Sydney Harbour.

These popular Sydney New Year’s Eve cruises get sold out every year due to their insane value! We’re talking deluxe food, unlimited bubbles, uplifting entertainment, and most importantly, front-row seats to the big finale!

The usual preludes

The catch for Sydney’s NYE is one day, many celebrations. If we dwell on the past, we can see that the harbour celebrations usually kick off at 6pm with live music, followed by the sacred smoking ceremony. The ceremony is a hypnotising demonstration of smoke and colours by a tribal chief which symbolises unity, purification and cleansing the space in the ‘within’ for the new year. Next, you will see The Bridge come to life with indigenous art and lighting effects using state-of-the-art technology!

The Welcome to Country is a land acknowledgement ceremony and is the last event before the Family Fireworks show! This year, the theme centres around the history and modern experiences of the indigenous with the fireworks being synchronised to uplifting aboriginal music! Following up will be the annual Harbour of Light parade where handpicked boats adorn themselves with flashing lights, creating a visual spectacle on the high waters of Sydney Harbour. This, along with other harbour events lead up to the 12pm fireworks show!

Digital or Free NYE

If you plan to stay home and party (we don’t judge), you can tune in the celebrations from your TV or online – most of the above mentioned events will be streamed online! If you’re in the red and would much rather spend your night at free places, then consider the Observatory Hill, or even Blue Point Reserve on the other side of the harbour. Although these are free, they require you to book way before the actual date!

Golden tips

Can’t stress this enough - Leave your CAR at home. Road closures will be in action and the last thing you want is being stuck in the traffic, arriving late for your event. Public transport is your best option.

Bottomline is, to not miss out on everything spectacular, all you need to do is book your tickets early, no matter the event.

More news with updated info coming soon!