April 8, 2025
Neon Playground 2.0 festival organised by Haymarket Alliance (of which Haymarket Chamber of Commerce is a founding member) transformed Chinatown and Haymarket into a vibrant creative program for three weeks from 15 March to 6 April 2025, with neon light installations, live entertainment, creative and cultural events, art exhibitions, comedy and food.
Jointly funded by the NSW Government and City of Sydney, the festival was officially opened by City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO on Saturday 15 March at Haymarket HQ, followed by a block party featuring live music and performances.
The centrepiece of the festival was the installation of 14 towering light sculptures, standing 4-5 metres tall, showcasing original works by a roster of established and emerging Asian Australian artists.
There were also more than 15 associated creative events attended by thousands of people that activated the entire Haymarket, including art exhibitions at 4A Gallery and Blank Gallery, film screenings at the former Marigold restaurant hosted by Soul of Chinatown, Chinatown Comedy Club at Covent Garden Hotel, an art exhibition by ArtSHINE at Community Bank Darling Square. There was also a Chinatown Idol competition hosted at Dynasty Karaoke.
The festival brought more people to Haymarket and boosted the local economy, with 1.74 million people visiting Chinatown – up 5% based on the same period as last year – with more than 30 businesses participating with special deals during the festival.
The Chamber is proud to have financially supported Neon Playground 2.0 as well and looks forward to the event becoming an annual occasion for Haymarket.
Below are photos taken on the opening day on 15 March 2025.
