Surf’s Up @ The Pav: Where the Old Meets the New

By Catriona Stirrat on January 31, 2018 in News

Jess Bianchi’s brilliant film, Given, will be screening on February 24.

If you’ve ever wanted to time travel but haven’t been prepared to sacrifice life in the 21st century, Bondi Pavilion’s Surf’s Up @ The Pav may just be your cup of tea. Throughout the month of February, Bondi Pavilion will host a series of colourful events, each one celebrating what makes life in Bondi so wonderful. With plenty of dancing, film screenings, music, art and presentations livening up the Pavilion’s summer fiesta, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find something of interest. And to top it off, many of these events are free!
Dive back in time on Saturday, February 3, with the Harbour City Hoppers’ outdoor swing class overlooking the beach on the Bondi Pavilion Forecourt. If you prefer to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, iconic Australian environmentalist Tim Silverwood will be giving a talk on Sunday, February 4, followed by the screening of Blue, a feature length film exploring the ocean’s simultaneous wonder and fragility. “Blue is a provocative journey into the ocean realm, witnessing this critical moment in time when the marine world is on a precipice.”
The legendary Bondi Surf and Dance will be held on Sunday, February 18. Satisfy your desire to be transported to a Bondi of the past with this revival of the iconic 1940s Surf and Dance at Bondi, the ‘Playground of the Pacific’.
Every Sunday afternoon back in the day, Bondi would get its groove on with dances, cabarets and concerts, all supporting various wartime charities. Now, with the Bondi Surf and Dance’s music provided by the wonderful Andrew Dickeson’s Blue Rhythm Band, and dancing led by the Harbour City Hoppers, no one will be left seated as the Bondi Pavilion revives its old school charm and gets ‘Lindy Hopping’ and ‘West Coast Swinging’ like it’s the 1940s all over again.
Surf’s Up @ The Pav will also feature a series of screenings of enthralling surf escapades, including Jess Bianchi’s brilliant film Given. Told through the visceral experience of a 6 year-old, Given follows legendary surfers Aamion and Daize Goodwin from their island home of Kauai through 15 different countries in the quest for surf and to fulfill a calling handed down through generations. Screening on Saturday, February 24, a presentation from the film’s producer and Bondi local Paige Livingston will provide an even deeper insight into the stories behind this poignant film.
For those who love surf and skate photography and film, come down to the Pavilion on Saturday, February 17 to watch Epicly Later’d, a short documentary that looks back at influential filmmaker Spike Jonze’s career and shows how skateboarding influenced his work, from ground breaking music videos to Jackass and then an Academy Award. There will also be a screening of the iconic favourite Big Wednesday on February 14.
On Sunday, February 18, the screening of Bondi the Beautiful’s unfiltered archival footage of the history of Bondi and its people will provide an intriguing combination of rarely-seen archival footage of Bondi, along with revealing stories from current and former Bondi locals including Margaret Whitlam.
Sydney songwriter Alex the Astronaut will be performing unplugged in the Bondi Pavilion Theatre on Friday, February 23. Praised by Triple J and Elton John for her captivating lyrical and melodic combinations, this fresh talent really knows how to deliver a magical performance.
Further satisfy your cultural cravings on Saturday, February 24, in two separate pyrography workshops directed by Bondi artist James Robinson. Join James for the rare opportunity to create your own uniquely crafted surfboard design and be sure to check out his entrancing, surf-inspired artworks in his free exhibition, Drift, which will also be held throughout February in the Pavilion Gallery.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/theatre. Surf’s Up @ The Pav is proudly presented by Waverley Council to celebrate our local ocean, surf and arts culture.