Winter Magic Will Leave You Spellbound

By Zoe Edema on June 28, 2012 in News

The Bondi Winter Magic Festival got underway at the beginning of June and it’s set to really explode during July with a jam-packed calendar boasting a wide spectrum of arts, music, fashion and food on the beachside promenades. Gone are the winter days of reclusion and isolation because all hipsters and homebodies alike will be down on Bondi Beach soaking up the winter surrounds.

Waverley Council has been busily preparing for the winter season with a diverse range of activities and snow-stoppers to keep everyone beaming. The Bondi the Beautiful Fair is one particular event not to be missed. Held in Bondi Park on from 10am to 3pm on July 1, the Sunday fair celebrates the beauty of nature, community and arts in Bondi. If you manage to get through the exhaustive local fresh food markets, bursting with the colours of seasonal produce – purple figs, winter apples, leafy spinach, lotus root and organic honey – you will find a blizzard of fun workshops. There will be horticulture and composting classes, face painting, juggling, outdoor art, glass blowing and Bondi´s very own mini cinema.

One big winter surprise that has Sydneysiders shivering with excitement is the Bondi ice rink, set to skate on into Bondi from June 29 to July 15. The 900 square-metre rink will be erected on the southern shores of Bondi opposite the famous stretch of sand and swell, beseeching surfers to get their skates on and carve up the ice like they do the waves. The Alpine Ski-Hut will be serving up hot chocolate and toasty treats to warm the hands and hearts of avid skaters enjoying this ultimate winter experience.

If the activities above still don’t kick the winter chills, the sidewalks of Bondi will be erupting with local art and music. A diverse array of Sydney’s local artistic talent will be showcased at the Bondi Feast event in the Bondi Pavilion Theatre from July 17 to 28 and at Roscoe Street Mall on July 8 as part the Art on the Streets event where plaster-masters, potters and painters will be producing unique and beautiful pieces for purchase. Meanwhile, the Waverley Youth Art Awards will be displaying the work of budding young artists from around the area. The theme, ¨Conspiracy, Myth and Legend¨, will be a fantastic stimulus for some challenging, creative and captivating work. The selected artworks will be exhibited in the Bondi Pavilion Gallery from June 22 to July 1.

Another big Bondi Winter Magic event will be Busking in the Streets, which will be held on the July 29. Last year’s record attendance of 260 buskers filled the streets with soulful sounds and eclectic beats that electrified the ears of those passing by and this year’s event is forecast to deliver even more street-side performances, so make sure you don’t miss a beat!

With fairy lights a-glow and the world famous Bondi Beach ablaze with food, arts, fashion and winter activities it will be hard to stay indoors this season. The Bondi Winter Magic Festival is taking the bite out of winter and serving up a sparkling spectacular for all to enjoy. For more information about the festival, visit www.bondiwintermagic.org.au.