Luna Park Sydney

Considering that when Luna Park opened in 1935, the only other major attraction in Sydney was the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Art Deco amusement park has long been a significant site for the city – an important destination for escapism, especially considering it opened during the Depression. Although new rides have cropped up over the years, the heritage-listed park has retained a lot of its original features – which is why there’s been much hype since Luna Park announced that it would be opening a brand-new, first-of-its kind, high-tech attraction to appeal to new audiences and reignite Sydney’s love for the park. An immersive experience created right here by a bunch of talented Sydney creatives and technicians.  On December 22, Luna Park swings open the doors to a high-tech ‘Magic Box’ inside Luna Park’s existing 3,000 square metre Big Top building – a venue for the park’s first immersive adventure, ‘Dream Circus’. Time Out got a sneak peek at Dream Circus before opening day, and we have to say, it’s hard to sum up in a few sentences what you’re in for. It’s part-3D movie, where actors take you on an adventure through the circus, to the seaside, underwater and into magical dream-like states. It’s part-musical, except that the action envelops you on three sides of the room, as well as the floor and ceiling. It’s a little like a Van Gogh Alive or Frida Kahlo multi-sensory exhibition, except that rather than images being projected onto flat wall and floor surfaces, the set is b

The Harbour City does a good line in immersive light experiences, and if you can’t wait until Vivid takes over the city later in May, Luna Park is here to help. The iconic attraction’s newest installation – Sonic Neon – is now open, with tickets on sale until the end of June. Housed in Crystal Palace – a building which dates all the way back to 1935 – Sonic Neon will take visitors on a journey through eight different rooms, with state-of-the-art visuals and a layered soundscape creating a transportive experience. Illuminating more than 150 metres of the historic building, the experience will feature more than 26,000 lights set to a pulsating soundtrack using state-of-the-art technology that’s never been used before in Australia. Tickets to the experience are available now, which you can purchase online or in person. Plus, save money by purchasing bundles like the Lunaverse Superpass, which includes Sonic Neon, Dream Circus and unlimited rides.  The family-friendly rave and experience will run daily from 10am. Tickets for the self-guided Sonic Neon experience (estimated to take around 30 minutes) start at $29 per person. If you’re keen to secure your tickets, you can do so over here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more things to do, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Keen for more luminous fun? This immersive experience is coming to the Blue Mountains Lightscape will be taking over the Botanical Gardens

Calling all curious minds – TEDxSydney is coming back to town, and this year it’s taking a revised, multi-day format. The new approach to TEDx represents the team’s mission to help Sydneysiders’ actively connect and facilitate change. Details at this point are thin on the groung, but from what we can know so far, TEDxSydney 2024 is looking intriguing, and far more interactive (and accessible) than past events. Instead of a one-off event playing host to a series of speakers, TEDxSydney 2024 will comprise a series of intimate discussions, curated in partnership with the University of Sydney.  Kicking off on the evening of Thursday, June 27 at Luna Park’s Big Top, the first salon event for TEDxSydney 2024 will focus on the topic of Net Zero: examining various approaches to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The new, intimate format will encourage pst-talk discussion, with Susan McMahon, CEO of TEDxSydney, explaining that the new format will allow for  “meaningful discussion and facilitate the exchange of ideas that drive action, innovation and leadership.” The next event on the TEDx calendar is set to take place in Parramatta on Thursday, August 29 – with this event being the annual TEDx Sydney Youth event – curated by young visionaries and designed to "inspire an intergenerational audience".  The next salon event will focus on ‘Advancements in Artificial Intelligence’, exploring the ethical implications of innovations in AI – with date and venue still yet to be an