I went to Festival of the Winds at Bondi Beach on Sunday 13 September 2026, and it felt like half of Sydney had the same plan. Waverley Council says the first festival was held in 1978, and Transport for NSW expected more than 40,000 people this year, so the crowd made sense.
This is my own visit, one day only. I didn’t see the whole program, so I’ll stick to what I actually saw.
The Big Kites I Saw
The kites are the reason most people come, so I’ll start there. The council describes the festival as a celebration of colour, creativity and community, and the kites were the easiest place to see that. The council puts the event on together with the Australian Kite Flying Society, and the display kites come from that side of things.
The biggest one I saw was a deep purple manta ray. Near it was a rainbow-coloured ray with a very long tail made of coloured streamers. The blue and white Chinese dragon impressed me most, and the detail on it was great. A few big octopuses were waving their long arms right beside the dragon, and the kids walking past were squealing at them. In the middle of all these sea creatures there was a round black and white panda, and everyone around it seemed to love it.
The Part That Didn’t Go to Plan
I have to be honest about one thing. The big official kites didn’t really take off while I was there. They looked good, but that’s about as far as it went. Wind strength and direction decide when the bigger kites can be flown, so that may be part of it. I can only tell you what I saw.
The small kites that visitors brought themselves were fine. Those flew well. If you’re going mainly so your kids can fly something, bring a small kite from home and don’t count on the big ones.
Kids and Kite-Making
The sand was full of kids running along with small kites they had made at the workshop in Bondi Pavilion. The 2026 program included hands-on kite-making workshops for kids and families, and I think that’s a good idea, because the kite a child makes is one they can fly straight away. You could see how much fun they were having just from watching them run.
Circus and Music in Bondi Park
There was an outdoor acrobatics and circus show in Bondi Park. People were flipping high in the air, and the crowd screamed every time. It made the whole place feel busy and loud in a good way. Bondi Park and Bondi Pavilion have two performance stages as well as food stalls and workshops, so there’s more to do than look up at kites.
Getting There by Bus
Parking is limited, and Queen Elizabeth Drive was closed south of the Pavilion from 5am to 6pm, so I took the extra bus from Bondi Junction. Extra 381X express buses ran between Bondi Junction and the beach roughly every six minutes for most of the day. I didn’t have to worry about traffic or parking, and I’d give the transport full marks.
Transport for NSW suggests arriving before the event starts and leaving later to avoid the peak crowds. That seems sensible for a crowd this size. You can plan your trip on the Transport for NSW website.
Tips If You Go Next Year
The festival is held on the second Sunday of September, so next year’s should fall around then. Check Waverley Council’s festival page for the confirmed date and program. Entry is free, though food, merchandise and some rides or activities may cost extra. I’d bring a small kite of your own, a hat and sunscreen, and plan to use public transport.
If you’re planning things for the NSW spring holidays, which run from 28 September to 9 October this year, our NSW school holidays and term dates for 2026 page has the full dates. I also wrote about the Bendigo Tulip Festival if you like a festival day out, and there are more reviews in the events section and on the things to do with kids page.
Was It Worth Going?
For me, yes. It’s free, the kids were clearly enjoying themselves, and the bus made the trip easy. The one letdown was that the big kites didn’t take off. If they’re the main reason you’re going, keep in mind that they might not fly.