Imagination Wins Tender to Design Sydney New Year Eve for City of Sydney

Imagination has once again gone ‘above and beyond’ to secure their place as creative mastermind for Australia’s largest public event.

By providing City of Sydney with an outstanding creative roadmap, Imagination has been awarded the highly coveted Sydney New Year’s Eve Project for the next three years. City of Sydney will also have the opportunity to continue their contract with Imagination for a further two years, after the delivery of the event on 31 December 2016.

Sydney New Year’s Eve attracts 1.6 million people to the city. It’s an experience that features two cutting edge fireworks displays, a secret Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect, a traditional Harbour of Light Parade and several events staged around the Harbour foreshore.

Imagination’s Managing Director Antony Gowthorp says his team is extremely proud to have been asked to continue its relationship with the City of Sydney. By winning the competitive tender with a fresh vision that tests the boundaries of what is possible, he says Imagination will continue to lead the industry in groundbreaking events.

On the back of the producing the incredibly successful Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review Spectacular, Imagination looks forward to the opportunity to take this iconic Sydney Harbour experience to the next level.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is an incredible event through which we continue to push the creative, sponsorship and consumer experience to the limit,” Gowthorp says.

Imagination kicked off their job as the creative directors of Sydney New Year’s Eve working with design luminary Marc Newson in December 2011. Since that time they have attracted pop diva Kylie Minogue to help design the event and revered Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa, who is the 2013 Sydney New Year’s Eve Creative Ambassador.

Imagination is a creative agency that delivers brand experiences via live, digital, social, and integrated campaign platforms. It includes on its client roster: The Ford Motor Company, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Telstra, Jaguar Landrover, Interface and Shell. Imagination also enjoys the credit of being the first creative producer of Sydney New Year’s Eve spectacular for The City of Sydney.

It offers creative services including: strategy, events, experiential, environments, digital, social, content production and integrated campaigns across; consumer, employee and stakeholder audiences. The agency’s creative resources embrace the skills of strategists, creative directors, story-tellers, writers, film-makers, brand designers, motion graphic designers, journalists, creative technologists, bloggers, social media experts, design directors, interior designers, digital experts, technical directors and producers.

Imagination has 50 staff in Australia with offices in Sydney and Melbourne and eighteen offices around the world.

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Navy's International Fleet Review Will Be Biggest Sydney Party Since 2000 Olympic Games

SYDNEY will welcome more than 40 warships into the harbour and Prince Harry as the city and the Royal Australian Navy celebrate the International Fleet Review. 

On Friday, October 4 the entire city will come to a halt as a fleet of 40 warships from 20 different nations enter the harbour.

The current ship to carry the name Sydney, HMAS Sydney (IV), will lead the fleet through the heads.
In addition to the arrival of the ships, Imagination - the team behind the 2011 and 2012 New Year's eve events - will produce the Royal Australian Navy's International Fleet Review Spectacular on October 5.

The event, which is expected to be the biggest public display in Australia since the 2000 Olympics, will feature an extensive array of pyrotechnics, lights and projections that will light up the harbour and seven selected ships.

Heath Campanaro, director of Imagination and project manager, said the 30-minute event would utilise the decks of seven warships and vantage points around the harbour to simulate WWII in Sydney.

A spectacular fireworks show and mock war will light up the harbour.

"There will be 28 lighting positions in the city as well as seven warships on the harbour and we will have projections, a soundtrack and plenty of pyrotechnics," he said.

"The pyrotechnics are going to be the biggest thing of all and we have again asked Foti Fireworks to be involved because we have a great relationship with those guys."

Mr Campanaro said the Royal Australian Navy's International Fleet Review Spectacular would be unlike anything Sydney had ever experienced before.

"There are going to be so many layers happening at the same time when we put this on," he said.

Warships will be used to mount an amazing harbour light show.

"We are creating scenes that replicate WWII where we will feel like Sydney is under attack. We will have choppers flying over and sailors will be doing activities on deck. There will be lots of lighting, lots of action and the whole thing will be amazing."

* For more information on the International Fleet Review, visit: navy.gov.au/ifr

Sydney Chinese New Year Festival 2013

Slither into the Year of the Snake

In February 2013 don your best red outfit, adorn yourself with a bloodstone, find your inner schemer and slither your way into the Year of the Snake at one of Sydney's favourite festivals.

Sydney Chinese New Year Festival kicks off with a festive bang on Friday 8 February and closes with the splash of dragon boat racing on Sunday 24 February. And in between you'll find everything from art exhibits, film festivals and markets to lunar feasts at top Sydney restaurants and of course, the ever popular Chinese New Year Twilight Parade.

The Year of the Snake. Image from Sydney Chinese New Year website.

Sydney's festival lays claim to the title of the biggest Chinese New Year Festival outside mainland China. There's so much happening that Sydney needs more than two weeks to fit it all in. For full details of the more than eighty events and activities on offer - many of them free - see the website here, but below is a summary of the festival's not-to-be-missed highlights.

Highlights

Chinese New Year Markets

The festival begins with the authentic sights, sounds, smells and tastes of a Chinese marketplace, transforming Sydney's Belmore Park into a little piece of China.

The festival's opening weekend serves up food stalls, Chinese arts and crafts, entertainment, and the Chinese New Year AYAM Kitchen where former Master Chef favourites, Adam Liaw and Alvin Quah, will be giving cooking demonstrations and tips.

Image from Sydney Chinese New Year website.

When: Friday 8 February from 4pm to 10pm, Saturday 9 February from 11am to 7pm, Sunday 10 February from 11am to 5pm.
Where: Belmore Park, Eddy Avenue, Sydney (opposite Central Station).
Cost:Free


Festival Launch

In addition to the Friday night markets, there will be lion dances, firecrackers to scare away the last of the previous year's problems, and entertainment from the crew at SBS PopAsia, to celebrate the festival's official launch.

Image for Sydney Chinese New Year Festival website.

When: Friday 8 February from 6pm to 8pm
Where: Belmore Park, Eddy Avenue, Sydney (opposite Central Station).
Cost: Free


Twilight Parade

The magical, annual procession of floats, lanterns, acrobats and dancers will once again make its way from Sydney Town Hall to Harbour Street, to the backdrop of Sydney's beautifully illuminated buildings. There's also pre-parade entertainment and post-parade fireworks at Cockle Bay.

Image from Sydney Chinese New Year Festival website.

When and Where: Sunday 17 February. The evening begins at Sydney Town Hall at 7pm, with the parade from 8pm and festivities conclude with the Cockle Bay fireworks.
Cost: Free. There is also limited VIP seating available for $66 per person. Call 02 9265 9333 for information and to book.


Lunar Feasts

This year's festival introduces Lunar Feasts, where some of Sydney's top Asian restaurants will be offering set price meals to celebrate the new year. You can experience everything from vegan yum cha or an eight course lunch banquet to "Food of Tasteful Pleasure' or a premium deluxe banquet. These specials will be available throughout the festival, but bookings are essential and ensure you read the fine print (some conditions apply). You can find the list of participating restaurants and details of their specials here.

Image from Sydney Chinese New Year Festival website

When: From 8 to 24 February 2013
Where: Participating restaurants
Cost: Ranges from $20 to $50 per person.


Dragon Boat Races

See the powerful yet poetic spectacle of dragon boat racing on the last weekend of the festival. The 12 metre long boats seat twenty paddlers along with a sweep and a drummer. Competition will be fierce and exciting at Darling Harbour.

Image from Sydney Chinese New Year Festival website.

When: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 February 2013.
Where: Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour
Cost: Free

Unstoppable Kylie Comes Home and Embraces Sydney

IF we were just counting down Kylie Minogue's greatest hits it would probably take all New Year's night. 

There's her 25 years in the music industry, the odd concert or two for the Queen's Jubilee, an Abbey Road Sessions album and a starring role in French indie film Holy Motors. So "coming home" to play host and creative ambassador for Sydney's NYE party will be the sparkling finish to 2012 this unstoppable diva deserves.

Charged with hitting the button on the fireworks, Minogue says the spectacular is the perfect end to a personal year of highs.

"It's been a huge year for me and the finish line is New Year's Eve and I will definitely be trying to find a moment in the madness to really appreciate everything I've done this year and what an amazing year it's been to share with fans," she said.

The 44-year-old has vowed to take the "embrace" theme literally, planning a midnight hug with model boyfriend Andre Velencoso, who has flown in to share in the festivities.

She has posted several photos on Twitter since arriving in Sydney on Friday, including a visit to Bondi's Icebergs. She said she has been spruiking her role since agreeing to the gig.

"Honestly, I've been so excited about coming home since I first signed up for the project which was a year ago, so here I am, and now it's a reality and it's so exciting," she said.

Channel 9's coverage, from the Lord Mayor's party at the Sydney Opera House, starts at 8.30pm (family fireworks) and includes 11.30pm (midnight countdown) with performances by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Darren Percival.

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A Kylie Exciting New Year for Sydney

Global superstar Kylie Minogue will fly into Sydney next week to take part in the city’s official New Year’s Eve (NYE) celebrations.

The Australian-born singer, songwriter, actress and fashion icon will see out the final moments of ‘K25’ – her year-long celebration marking 25 years in the music business – right here in Sydney, where she will lead the countdown into the Midnight Fireworks Spectacular.

Ms Minogue has enjoyed a close association with the Harbour City this year, visiting Sydney several times and working as the Creative Ambassador for the City of Sydney Council’s NYE festivities.
The role has seen the ARIA, BRIT and Grammy award-winner work with the City’s production team to develop the event’s theme “Embrace” and its logos, street banners, musical soundtrack and fireworks display.

The Creative Ambassador role is one of a number of Sydney-based initiatives for Kylie this year.
In March, the pop icon took part in Sydney Mardi Gras, appearing at the event’s famous street parade and performing a half-hour set of her hits at the after-party.

Sydney was one of just four cities visited this year by Ms Minogue’s Anti Tour, the others being Melbourne, London and Manchester.

The tour saw Kylie perform a selection of rare tracks, demos, b-sides and previously unreleased material in an intimate, pared-back setting at Luna Park’s Big Top.

The shows were conceived as a counterpoint to the singer’s highly technical, big-budget Aphrodite Les Folies tour of 2011, which encompassed 77 concerts in 50 cities, including three shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Speaking about her role in Sydney’s NYE festivities, Ms Minogue said in a statement: “This year I want everyone to embrace during the fireworks.

“Whether it’s embracing new ideas, change and opportunities, or just giving a big hug to your family and friends, it’s something everyone can get involved in.”

More details on Sydney’s NYE festivities  can be found at www.sydneynewyearseve.com.

‘Fireworks’ From a Million Phones to Light up 2012 Sydney New Year’s Eve

Kylie Minogue and the City of Sydney are encouraging more than one million people on the harbour for Sydney New Year’s Eve to take part in a world-first NYE interactive colour light show.

The City and Telstra have developed a free smartphone app that will light up phone screens as coloured lights splash the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark the end of 2012 and launch of 2013.

The synchronised Telstra Colour Moments – at 10.15pm, 11pm, 11.30pm and 11.45pm – will build excitement as the clock ticks closer to midnight, and app users will be reminded to hold their phones to the sky to be part of the celebration, as the harbour is transformed into a sea of colour.

NYE12 Creative Ambassador Kylie Minogue has worked with the City and Imagination Australia, and chosen magenta, yellow, purple and blue for the Telstra Colour Moments and fireworks, representing her Embrace theme.

“This year I want everyone to embrace during the fireworks,” Kylie said.

“Whether it’s embracing new ideas, change and opportunities, or just giving a big hug to your family and friends, it’s something everyone can get involved in. So together, we are going to make this New Year’s Eve the most memorable night ever.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she was looking forward to the harbour foreshore filling with colour and excitement on New Year’s Eve.

“If you are going to watch the fireworks from one of the many vantage points around Sydney Harbour, plan ahead and download this free phone app,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The app lets you take part in the biggest interactive light show on Sydney Harbour – we hope it might even set a new Australian record for audience participation.

“The app will have useful information, including vantage point maps and updates about when different locations have reached capacity, as well as news feeds to keep up-to-date on the latest developments.”

The Lord Mayor said this year’s NYE charity partner, The Fred Hollows Foundation, was particularly appropriate as they have spent 20 years restoring the sight of millions of people around the world.

“The Fred Hollows Foundation does inspiring work. Over the past two decades they have given countless people back their sight,” the Lord Mayor said.

“For $25 you can restore someone’s vision and let them see their family and friends as we all begin a new year.”

Kylie Minogue worked with the City and Imagination Australia to develop the theme, colour scheme and music for NYE12, and said Embrace was a “wonderfully inclusive theme” that was close to her heart.

“Embrace is all about acceptance, tolerance, fun and, above all, love,” Kylie said.

“In a city of great diversity we come together at New Year’s Eve to embrace the future and celebrate all that we are and the potential that tomorrow holds.

“It’s also about that magical moment at midnight when we throw our arms around the people we love and express our happiness.”

Kylie’s theme is represented by the Embrace icon ─ a swirl of coloured sails in magenta, yellow, purple and red, which is marked with her signature K.

Embrace also has four subthemes: Embrace Love, Embrace Sydney, Embrace the Possibility and Embrace the Moment, which are Kylie’s most important things to hold onto during 2012 Sydney New Year’s Eve.

The Telstra Colour Moments:

10.15pm: The magenta colour moment will represent the Embrace Love subtheme and will be accompanied by a firework shaped like a heart.

11pm: It will be followed by the yellow colour moment, Embrace Sydney, which will see a firework shaped like a sun shimmer over the city.

11.30pm: The Embrace the Possibility colour moment will be accompanied by a butterfly taking flight from Sydney Harbour Bridge and morphing into a purple firework.

11.45pm: The final Embrace the Moment effect will see a huge aquamarine starburst firework light up the night, building anticipation for the 12-minute Midnight Fireworks display.

Apart from the interactive light show, the app will also allow people to ‘Message the Bridge’ by submitting some words, which could be projected onto one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons.

Telstra is also offering a free ‘Midnight Messages’ service, during which app users can send up to 50 ‘Happy New Year’ text messages to their family and friends.

App users simply need to upload their messages before 6pm on Monday 31 December, and the texts will be automatically sent at midnight.

To download the NYE12 smartphone app, visit www.sydneynewyearseve.com/app or search your app store for ‘Sydney New Year’s Eve’. Twitter: #NYESYD sydneynewyearseve.com/media-centre

(Source: sydneymedia.com.au)

Welcome in the New Year at Metro Hotel on Pitt - Metro Hotels

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in the city just became easier with Metro Hotel on Pitt’s special New Year’s Eve accommodation package.

Ideally located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, Metro Hotel on Pitt is the perfect place to base yourself while you head out to enjoy one of the world’s best New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Tourists come from all over the world to see the fireworks display on Sydney Harbour and to enjoy the festive summer atmosphere as Sydney celebrates the end of one year and welcomes in the next - and you can avoid the public transport crush by booking your city hotel.

To help you, Metro Hotel on Pitt has put together a great value NYE Celebrate Sydney Package for just $359.00 per night* ($1077 for 3 nights), which includes:

• One night’s accommodation for two in a Standard Queen room
• Breakfast for two people
• A celebration cocktail for two people
• Free internet
• *Minimum 3 nights stay between 29 December 2012 and 1 January 2013; subject to availability

According to Metro Hotel on Pitt’s Executive Assistant Manager, Lisa Kapinski, Sydney is heavily booked over the New Year period due to the city’s popularity with international guests.

“This is an opportunity for couples to enjoy the free entertainment that the city offers without the hassle of getting in and out of the city,” Ms Kapinski said. “The package is for a three night stay so you can relax and enjoy the city when it is looking its best.

“Metro Hotel on Pitt is an easy walk to all the major tourist attractions. International guests pay thousands of dollars in flights to come to Sydney for New Year’s Eve. Local guests only have to pay the room rate to enjoy everything the city has to offer.”

Previously a central city Post Office, the hotel is located in a charming, heritage-listed building at 300 Pitt Street, within easy walking distance of Darling Harbour, The Rocks, Pitt Street Mall, Queen Victoria Building, Hyde Park and Chinatown.

The Hotel’s facilities include a fully licensed bar and restaurant, Paradiso, offering a range of Modern Australian and European dishes, and a comprehensive wine list with a choice of local and imported wines.  

Guests are able to book the NYE Celebrate Sydney Package at Metro Hotel on Pitt by calling the toll free Central Reservations line on 1800 004 321. Alternately guests can book online by logging onto Metro Hotels' website at www.metrohotels.com.au.