THE SHORT ANSWERFestival of the Winds returns to Bondi Beach on Sunday 13 September 2026, with free programming from 10.30am to 4pm across the beach, park and Pavilion.
For one spring Sunday, Bondi's most arresting view is overhead. Giant feature kites hang above the bay while music, cultural performances, workshops and food activity spread across the foreshore. It is joyful, photogenic and emphatically not a quiet beach morning.
Waverley Council expects crowds in the tens of thousands. Arriving early, travelling lightly and approaching on foot or public transport are the choices that turn a congested outing into an easy festival day.
Festival of the Winds 2026 at a glance
- Date: Sunday 13 September 2026
- Time: 10.30am–4pm
- Location: Bondi Beach and surrounds
- Cost: Free
- Best for: Families, photographers, beach visitors and anyone who enjoys large-scale public art and performance
Alongside feature kites from international and Australian flyers, the day's program includes live music, cultural performance, children's activities, creative workshops and food vendors. The Pavilion courtyard and Bondi Park provide plenty to see when you want a break from looking skyward.
The best time to arrive
Arrive before the late-morning rush if you want space for photographs and an easier walk along the beachfront. The official program begins in the morning, with performances continuing through the afternoon.
If you are travelling with children, choose a simple meeting point before entering the busiest area. The Pavilion is an obvious landmark, but it can become crowded. Sun protection and water matter even in early spring, and a light layer is useful if the coastal wind picks up.
Getting to Bondi on festival day
Transport for NSW expects more than 40,000 visitors and recommends leaving the car at home. Special-event clearways, road closures, extra buses and heavy congestion are expected around the beach.
Route 333 connects Circular Quay, Bondi Junction, Bondi Beach and North Bondi. Always check the Transport for NSW Trip Planner on the morning of the event for temporary stop changes.
Visitors already staying in North Bondi can avoid the hardest part of the trip: trying to enter and park in Bondi during the peak arrival period.
Can you combine the festival with the beach?
Yes, but treat the festival—not a long swimming session—as the centre of the day. If you enter the water, swim only between the red and yellow flags and follow lifeguard directions. Keep children close, because the park, promenade and sand will be busier than on a normal Sunday.
Where to stay near Festival of the Winds
Our two-bedroom North Bondi apartment is approximately a 10-minute walk from Bondi Beach and accommodates up to four guests. It includes lift access and undercover parking for a small or medium car, although the simplest festival-day plan is to leave the car parked and walk.
Stay the weekend and add the Saturday Bondi Farmers Market, a North Bondi breakfast and an early coastal walk before Sunday's festival.
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 31 August 2026.