Bondi Festival is back: what to expect from this year's instalment

Bondi Journal
Jun 26
5 min read

Updated: Jul 1

Whether it's markets in the park or music and comedy in The Pav, Bondi Festival, the annual celebration of all things art, is set to be bigger and better than ever this winter.

Descending on our suburb from Friday, 4th to Sunday, 20th July, icons such as the ice rink and ferris wheel will be making their return, plus organisers have some fresh additions in store alongside a varied and inclusive program that's designed to cater to all.

We caught up with Tanya Goldberg, event organiser Waverley Council's Executive Manager, Arts, Culture and Events to chat about the ways Bondi "is in the bones" of the festival, the event's locals initiative, how it has acted as a springboard for talent making it big at the likes of the Edinburgh Fringe, and the festival's 2025 program highlights.

How did the Bondi Festival concept first come about?

When most people think of Bondi they typically think of beach-going in the summer. It's a very different and striking experience at the beach in winter—you really feel the beauty and majesty of the ocean and the park, but it's not really a swimming and sun-baking vibe given the drop in temperature!

Years ago Waverley Council, along with local businesses through the Bondi Chamber of Commerce, created Bondi Winter Magic with the aim of encouraging visitors to the beach and park during the winter months.

It featured an ice rink in the park above the beach and a ferris wheel, and people really started to come along year after year to enjoy the fun in the cooler weather.

Around the same time, some independent artists formed an idea for a fringe arts festival in the Pav.

"Bondi has a massive culture streak and the Pav has been the site of so much community and artist-led activity going back over a century."

Council supported this independent festival called Bondi Feast, which took over the Pav every winter and brought more arts audiences to Bondi.

In 2019 the two concepts had both been going strong for several years, so the Council merged them into the one event, and Bondi Festival was born!

What does the festival hope to achieve each year?

The festival honours its roots, setting out each year to bring audiences of all ages to Bondi in the winter months, to experience a different kind of beachside fun.

There are favourites like the ice rink and ferris wheel, alongside a dynamic and inclusive contemporary performing arts program that stays true to the independent spirit of Bondi Feast.

We've brought major artists to Bondi who have gone on to make it big at festivals like Edinburgh Fringe immediately after their Bondi season.

"Bondi Festival has actually become a proving ground for some of Australia's best independent talent, and so we aim to build on the audience growth, and attract festival-goers from across greater Sydney who love to catch the next big thing at our unique beachside festival."

At the same time, given our amazing local community of arts and adventure lovers, the festival program always serves up free activities that focus on fun for all ages.

We are a welcoming and inclusive festival, and really strive to have something for everyone—even for those who don't see themselves as "artsy," there's ways to hang out, connect and relax that are all part of the festival experience.

What can we expect from this year's festival? Are there any new additions or must-sees?

Of course, the recipe is the same but there are some different ingredients, new flavours and tasty garnishes!

There will be food markets and DJs in the park every Saturday, so people can grab a delicious bite to eat—it might be hard to decide with the lineup of great food we are putting together—before or after they go for a twirl on the ice or a spin around the wheel.

Bondi Park in winter is just a gorgeous place to hang out, and we are making it extra special at festival time with the food markets trading all day and into the evening, catering for whatever time of day the hunger hits.

"We've also got two big all-ages, all-inclusive Saturdays in the Pav. The first weekend will see the return of our much loved 2023 event, Pavilion Paw Parade. We know Bondi locals and Sydneysiders love their pooches, and this event is pooch-friendly, designed for dogs and dog lovers."

The second Saturday will feature an all-ages dance party with the one and only Betty Grumble and her Boogettes. It's feel-good, judgement-free fun for everyone with dance moves included.

… And that's before we get into our performance program—I'm excited by the breadth of offers we've got across stand up comedy, theatre, workshops and music.

This year the festival is being bookended by two amazing gigs: our First Nations music gig kicks off the festival featuring Mi-kaisha supported by RIAH, winner of 2024 triple j Unearthed, and we finish the festival with none other than the luminous Meg Washington doing an intimate concert in the Pav's theatre.

Any tips for both locals and visitors when it comes to making the most of their visit to the festival, and a day out in Bondi more generally?

For festival shows, my hot tip is to check out the program and if a show catches your eye, book early. Because it's a festival, we have limited seats and shows sell out quickly. Once the tickets are gone, that's it, we usually can't put on an extra show because of the intricate scheduling, so don't sleep on it!

Bondi is an awesome place to be anytime of year. Apart from the world-class natural beauty we've got incredible local businesses from food and fashion to art, homewares and more.

I recommend visitors always allow a bit of extra time to wander the backstreets over the road from the festival, grab an excellent Bondi coffee and explore what's on offer up there before or after getting their festival fix in the park and the Pav.

Parking is usually a non-issue during winter, which is a major plus! But of course we are super well serviced by Sydney buses, so if you're planning to enjoy the bars, or just want to be car (and hassle) free, check out your public transport routes. It's also an easy walk down the hill from Bondi Junction. Another hot tip: catch a bus back up!

What is it that makes the Bondi community so special, and how does Bondi Festival aim to support it?

Bondi locals are a real product of their environment: salt of the earth, outdoorsy and easy going, and at the same time super urban, urbane and sophisticated.

Bondi is a special place where the city meets the sea, and that's what makes our community so special—we get the best of both worlds.

Bondi Festival has been born out of that unique Bondi identity, so it's in the bones of the festival too.

We love working with local artists and businesses, and have a whole arm of the program called Bondi Festival Locals, which connects our incredible local venues and artists with festival audiences.

It means visitors can experience Bondi Festival shows not just in the Pav, but at all sorts of Bondi businesses and venues as well. It really is a whole suburb experience.