BONDI FESTIVAL RETURNS IN 2026 WITH A VIBRANT, JOYOUS WINTER
PROGRAM BY THE SEA
Media Release Thursday 21 may,2026
Waverley Council is thrilled to announce the program for the 2026 Bondi Festival, bringing a fun and thought-provoking program of music, theatre, comedy, visual arts and immersive experiences to Bondi Beach from Friday 3 July to Sunday 19 July 2026.
Taking over iconic venues across Bondi, the 17-day, all-inclusive festival makes its triumphant return to Bondi Pavilion and surrounds.
Alongside the exciting arts program, visitors can enjoy festival favourites, including the beloved Bondi Festival Ice Rink and Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel, a 25-metre-high structure with 360-degree
views of the breathtaking Bondi Beach.
2026 is also a special year for Bondi Festival. Bondi’s postcode is 2026, giving rise to a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to unite the community around a uniquely symbolic milestone. To celebrate
postcode 2026 in the year 2026, Bondi Festival is going bigger than ever, with the addition of the spectacular Accordion by Amigo & Amigo (21 June – 29 July). Accordion will bring light, colour and
sound to the Bondi Pavilion Courtyard, in a playful sensory public art experience that celebrates the Bondi community.
Bondi Festival Food Markets return bigger and better in 2026 following their hugely successful debut last year. Across three delicious weekends, Bondi Park becomes a vibrant hub of flavour, with
Blue Sky Markets curating a diverse spread of hot food, ready-to-eat bites, artisan drinks and sweet treats.
All the while, Music in the Park provides a relaxed and lively soundtrack, with local DJs and musicians creating the perfect atmosphere to eat, unwind and soak up the festival by the sea.
Waverley Council Mayor Will Nemesh said: “The iconic Bondi Festival is an unmissable event, with the nation’s most famous beach transforming into a winter wonderland for three exciting weeks of jam-packed fun and entertainment. Expect world-class performances, stunning local art, and exciting cultural celebrations sure to delight everyone.”
Tanya Goldberg, Waverley Council Executive Manager, Arts, Culture and Events, added: “Bondi at wintertime has its own special magic. We love celebrating that each year through Bondi Festival,
with our most dynamic and surprising programming designed to elevate our audiences with the unexpected and extraordinary.”
Amalgamation by Hot Department
Bondi Festival kicks off on Friday 3 July with the opening of the 40 th annual Waverley Art Prize at Bondi Pavilion Art Gallery, a milestone year for one of Australia’s leading contemporary art awards
celebrating excellence across the local arts community and visual arts sector.
Opening weekend also features the return of the Bondi Festival Comedy Gala after an outstanding, sell-out season in 2025. Audiences can expect two big nights of side-splitting, floor-rolling,
unstoppable laughter, featuring a stellar line up of fan favourite and rising new stars of comedy.
In celebration of NAIDOC Week, Bondi Festival is bringing Awesome Black to the Bondi Pavilion for a curated free live music event that focuses on the ongoing impact of First Nations cultural,
contemporary innovation, and future-forward artistic expression.
It wouldn’t be Bondi Festival without standout sessions for all the creative fiends with our friends from Gladdy Drawing Club, once again delivering inclusive, body-positive life drawing sessions
throughout the festival, featuring special guest artists and talks that are not to be missed.
Weekend Two kicks off with a fast-paced collision of surreal humour and sharp satire in Amalgamation by Hot Department (9–11 July), as the duo dive into an anthology of unhinged fan
favourites and new sketches, while Pigeon Fool by Counterpilot (9–12 July) invites audiences into a theatrical Turing Test meets Game Show, exploring humanness in the midst of the AI revolution.
After 21 sell-out seasons across the world, New Zealand based Java Dance bring their 5-star immersive show Back of the Bus to Bondi from the 9-12 July, transforming a moving bus into a stage
of physical comedy, kinetic energy and outrageous scenarios.
Festival icon Paw Parade also returns on Saturday 11 July, bringing together dog lovers for a free day of canine celebration. Enjoy dog themed art activities, stalls, awards and of course the Bondi
Paw Parade!
And if you’re in the mood for fun, glitz and cocktails, Bingo, Burlesque & Bondi Vybes takes over the Seagull Room on Saturday evening, delivering a variety night like no other with special guests Vybe,
DJ Sexy Galexy and sultry performer Yvette Santos.
For the Best by The Last Great Hunt
The final weekend features the irreverent and playful Little Squirt (16–18 July), following one man’s ethical musings on reproduction and the future of our species, alongside For The Best (16–19 July),
an intimate and moving performance built from real stories of friendship and change. This beautiful work will spring from the stories of Bondi locals who share their own raw takes on the ups and
downs of modern friendships.
On Saturday 18 July, M’ap Boulé takes to the stage. Blending storytelling and song, this powerful and deeply personal work by Nancy Denis explores identity, culture and belonging with warmth and
emotional depth. Nancy Denis will also be sharing space to explore creative performance through connection in a limited run of her Spirit, Body, Soul Workshop on Thursday 16 July.
The festival concludes with large-scale illuminated works by Curious Legends, including Spark and Underwater Creatures, presented across Bondi Park and the beach, closing the festival with a
warming bonfire to say farewell.
Throughout the festival, visitors can also explore the iconic Bondi Beach Sea Wall, featuring mural paintings by leading and emerging street artists.
Accordion by Amigo & Amigo
Joyful, sometimes silly, and always exhilarating, Bondi Festival 2026 builds on its strongest years yet, presenting a much-loved program for our community and arts lovers everywhere.
Bondi Festival is proud to be supported by Create NSW and Creative New Zealand; and welcomes our official Ice Rink Sponsor Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation to Bondi Festival for 2026.
The full program and tickets are available at https://www.bondifestival.com.au.
BONDI FESTIVAL:
Dates: Friday 3 July – Sunday 19 July 2026
Location: Bondi Beach and surrounds
Tickets: Open-access sites and ticketed events ranging from free to $30.00.
2026 LINE-UP:
WHOLE-OF-FEST EVENTS
Bondi Festival Ice Rink
Dates: 3 – 19 July 2026, 10am to 8.45pm daily
Bondi Vista Ferris Wheel
Dates: 3 – 19 July 2026, 10am to 9pm daily
Waverley Art Prize
Dates: 3 July – 23 August 2026, 10am to 5pm daily
Location: Gallery, Bondi Pavilion
FREE
Bondi Festival Locals Live
Dates: 3 – 19 July 2026
Location: Bondi Beach and surrounds
FREE
Bondi Beach Sea Wall
Dates: 3 – 19 July 2026
Location: Bondi Beach
FREE
Bondi Festival Food Markets
Dates: Every Saturday & Sunday of the festival, 10am – 9pm
Location: Bondi Park
Music in the Park
Dates: Every Saturday & Sunday of the festival
Location: Bondi Park
FREE
Accordion
Dates: 21 June – 29 July 2026, 6am to 10pm daily
Location: Bondi Beach
FREE
OPENING WEEKEND (3 – 5 JULY)
Bondi Festival + Waverley Art Prize Opening
Dates: 3 July, 6pm – 8pm
Location: Gallery, Bondi Pavilion
FREE
Bondi Festival Comedy Gala
Dates: 3 & 4 July, 7:30pm
Location: Theatre, Bondi Pavilion
NAIDOC Week Live – Awesome Black
Dates: 4 July, 12pm – 3pm
Location: Garu Courtyard, Bondi Pavilion
FREE
SECOND WEEKEND (9 – 12 JULY)
Amalgamation (Hot Department)
Dates: 9 – 11 July, 7:30pm
Location: Theatre, Bondi Pavilion
Pigeon Fool (Counterpilot)
Dates: 9 – 12 July, various times
Location: High Tide Room
Back of the Bus (Java Dance)
Dates: 9 – 10 July, 3:00pm & 7:00pm
11 – 12 July 3:00pm, 5:00pm & 7:00pm
Location: Various (mobile performance)
Pavilion Paw Parade
Dates: 11 July, 11am – 2pm
Location: Courtyard, Bondi Pavilion
FREE
Gladdy Drawing Club
Dates: 4, 9, 11, 17 &18 July, 6pm – 7:30pm
Location: Bondi Pavilion Gallery
Bingo, Burlesque & Bondi Vybes
Dates: 11 July, 7pm
Location: Seagull Room, Bondi Pavilion
FINAL WEEKEND (16 – 19 July)
For The Best (The Last Great Hunt)
Dates: 16 – 17 July, 6:30pm
18 July 3:00pm & 6:30pm
Location: High Tide Room
Little Squirt
Dates: 16 – 18 July, 7pm
Location: Seagull Room, Bondi Pavilion
Ma’p Boulé
Dates: 18 July, 7:30pm
Location: Theatre, Bondi Pavilion
Nancy Denis: Spirit, Body, Soul Workshop
Dates: 16 July, 4pm
Location: Yalagang Room, Bondi Pavilion
Spark (Curious Legends) + Bonfire
Dates: 18 July, 4pm – 8pm
Location: Bondi Park, Courtyard & Beach
FREE (workshop by reservation)
Underwater Creatures (Curious Legends)
Dates: 19 July, 4pm – 7pm
Location: Bondi Park
