1978 - present

Bondi’s Festival of the Winds for kite now attracts more than 80,000 visitors annually in a celebration of the Spring’s arrival each September. The event first took flight in 1978, the brainchild of university student John Silk who had an interest in wind energy and other potential renewable power sources.

His fascination with kites, the possibilities of wind power and the sight of kites in the sky led him to seek out kite festivals overseas including Europe, Japan and Mexico. He quickly realised his dream of starting one in Sydney.

Instinct told him that Bondi Beach in Spring would be the best place and time for the kite-flying extravaganza. Staff at the Bondi Pavilion didn’t need much convincing and helped him make the dream a reality. The first Festival of the Winds was held on Sunday, 10 September 1978. The sky was officially declared open by Waverley mayor Ernie Page, who joined the crowd flying kites.

The colourful spectacular was a success and attracted about 7000 Sydneysiders. In the Bondi Pavilion Gallery, local kite-maker and exhibitor Peter Travis displayed kites and demonstrated how to fly them. The Pavilion foyer was a gallery for photos of kite experiments the Australian aviation pioneer Lawrence Hargrave undertook. The amphitheatre was filled with wind-instrument music and multicultural entertainment. High-flying kite antics were on show in the senior and junior contests.

Today, the festival is a joint event hosted by Waverley Council and the Australian Kite Flyers Society. It is also part of the international kite schedule. Kite-flying is allowed on Bondi Beach one day per year, on the second weekend in September. Friday is ‘set-up and media’ day, Saturday is kite flyers’ day, and Sunday is ‘all other attractions’ festival day.

Images courtesy the Waverley Library Local Studies Collection, Australian Kiteflying Society and Getty.