Vivid Sydney visitors must pay to see Royal Botanic Gardens Lightscape display trends now
Vivid pushed ahead with a decision to charge visitors a fee for one of its attractions despite political leaders condemning the move in the lead-up to the annual event.
The event known as Lightscape is on offer to Sydneysiders at the Royal Botanic Gardens as part of this year's Vivid light festival.
Vivid Sydney says the reason for a paid ticketed event is because it is a 'unique experience' with the event's programmers previously running the show as paid events in Perth and Melbourne as well as abroad.
Individual tickets for adults during peak times, which are Wednesday to Sunday, are $40, while a whole family will have to fork out $128, and children get in for $28.
The fees have outraged NSW Premier Chris Minns, Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore and Independent MP Alex Greenwich who say it causes a class divide.
Political leaders have spoken out about the absurd price of Vivid's premier attraction 'Liightscape' as causing a divide between the regions upper and lower class
The event known as Lightscape is on offer to Sydneysiders as part of this year's Vivid at the Royal Botanic Gardens
Mr Minns said the decision to charge was made by his predecessor Dominic Perrottet and admitted it was costly.
'It is a decision made by the previous government,' he said. 'I understand that's a big hit for a family, over $120.'
Ms Moore believes the organisers should not be making money from the lights as it creates a class system between who can and who cannot afford to visit Sydney.
'The Vivid Festival was created with the aim of attracting people to the city during the quieter winter months,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'To monetise entertainment means to create a class system where some people can afford to visit Sydney, and some cannot.'
Mr Greenwich, whose seat encompasses the Botanic Garden, said charging a fee means the event isn't welcoming to all.
'I’m increasingly concerned about events that used to be free on public land suddenly becoming ticketed,' Mr Greenwich said.
'We’ve got to really watch that as we continue to deal with the cost of living crisis, that we don’t become an "us and them" city with public events that only people who can afford
