FESTIVAL SEASON HITS THE EASTERN BEACHES AS SPRING BEGINS TO BLOSSOM

By Madeleine Gray on September 5, 2017 in News

Stuff Coachella. Say sayonara to Burning Man. The best festivals to attend this year are to be found right here in our own backyard. This September brings to the not one, but three wonderful community events, each with a singular focus and an epic vibe to boot.

Randwick’s Eco-Living Fair will be kicking off the festivities on Sunday, September 3, the Festival of the Winds at Bondi Beach will be flying high on Sunday, September 10, and from Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17, the NOX Night Sculpture Walk will be lighting up Randwick Environment Park.

The Eco-Living Fair is now in its twelfth year, which is a testament to the popularity of the event as well as its continued necessity in these climate change affected times. If you’ve not been before, it’s a great event that combines educational, environmental fun for the kids with handy eco-friendly tips, stalls, and entertainment for the adults. This year the event falls on Father’s Day, so those of you who prefer a walk in the park to crumby breakfasts in bed are well catered for!

“The Eco-Living Fair is the ultimate day out for the family to learn about simple and fun sustainable practices to use in day to day life,” a spokesperson for Randwick Council said.

Activities will include DIY workshops, gardening, kids nature play, exploring alternative transport options and waste minimisation.

The Festival of the Winds, to be held on the following Sunday at Bondi Beach, is another stalwart on the Eastern Suburbs festival scene, celebrating its 39th birthday this year.

The free event will see Australian and international kite flyers showing off their skills and amazing hand-made creations from 11am, with winners announced at 3pm on the day.

Amateur revellers will have the chance to make their own sky-high creations at one of the kite making workshops offered throughout the day, and there will also be food stalls from around the world, children’s activities, demonstrations, puppet shows, and a day-long entertainment program on the main stage. You’ll be high as kite by the end of the day.

Finally, the NOX Night Sculpture Walk, which will be taking place over three nights, will let visitors experience the evening time at Randwick Environment Park like never before. In a really impressive collaboration between UNSW and Randwick Council, artists from UNSW Art & Design will transform the park and wetland into an illuminated outdoor art gallery.

Artworks will be installed around the park to form a leisurely 1.5km loop walk, starting and ending at the Randwick Community Centre, and artists will be on site every night to discuss the inspiration behind their artworks.

“All of the works do something at night,” a NOX spokesperson said. “They either emit sound, performance, or light.”
So grab the calendar, mark these magnificent events in, and get involved in what your great local community has to offer!