Ocean Lovers Festival 2026 will return for its sixth year, expanding across the city of Sydney. Under the theme Dive into Discovery & Wonder, the festival invites the public to engage with the ocean through learning, reflection, and action to support its future throughout March.
Launched in 2019 at Bondi, the festival has grown from a community-led initiative into an annual citywide program connecting art, science, culture and urban life in relation to the ocean. In 2026, activities expand again across Sydney, including Manly, North Sydney, Maroubra, and the new Sydney Fish Market, alongside weekly events on Sydney Harbour and the flagship Bondi weekend.
Across March, audiences can take part in a wide range of free public events, including talks, film screenings, workshops, live music, cultural programs, community activities, and interactive ocean-based experiences. The program highlights the ocean’s role in daily life while presenting ideas and approaches centred on long-term care and understanding of marine environments.
Festival founder Anita Kolni said this year’s theme encourages people to engage with the ocean in different ways, from learning and observation to participation and action. She noted that the festival’s growth reflects a strengthening relationship between the city and the ocean.
“The enthusiasm of our community has driven us to continue expanding our offering, and we look forward to providing more new experiences in the new year to inspire awe and understanding,” Kolni said.
“By spreading opportunities to learn and take action across our coastline and harbour,” she added.
“We can foster an even stronger wave of community optimism and engagement in a city that is a world leader in ocean restoration.”
This year’s program is structured around three core areas: Discovery, action and experience, with activities designed for a wide range of ages and interests. Programs span outdoor wellbeing sessions, family-focused creative workshops and opportunities to learn in and around the water.
These include senior surfing lessons, sunrise beach yoga followed by an ice bath, ocean-themed art workshops for children, as well as diving courses and underwater tours held at multiple coastal and harbour locations across Sydney. Through these activities, the festival brings together science, culture, and creativity as pathways for connecting with the ocean.
Festival experiences extend from Bondi Beach to on-water conservation and marine research activities across Sydney Harbour. Citywide events hosted at cultural venues, food spaces, museums and waterfront heritage sites further broaden how audiences can engage with ocean-related stories and practices.
The festival’s impact has been recorded in recent years. In 2025, 93 per cent of attendees said they felt inspired to take positive action for the ocean, while around 80 per cent reported learning something new about marine environments. The festival also recorded increased participation in citizen science projects and ocean-based activities.
Ocean Lovers Festival 2026 opens on March 1 with beach clean-ups held in partnership with Clean Up Australia Day, and concludes on March 27 with the free Sea the Weed sunrise ceremony at North Bondi.
