Flying high at Festival of the Wind

Festival of the Wind. It could be about musical instruments. Or perhaps flatulence. But luckily, the festival was all about kites. When we finally left the apartment, we went downstairs to the bus depot and picked up the express to Bondi Beach. This was the busiest I have ever seen the bus station. Mobs of people trying to get to the beach. Were they all going for the festival?

Excited about the bus

Watching the streets go by

Loving the bus

Watching the dancers

The Bondi Beach Pavilion has several different courtyards, each had different kinds of entertainment. In the eastern courtyard, there were various dancers throughout the day. We were lucky enough to be treated to traditional "Morris" dancers. Amelia loved it! She danced with them on the sidelines. Some of the dancers wore flowers in their hats and bells on their legs. Others carried pom-pom type things and then switched to wooden half circles covered in flowers.  Directly behind the dancers was the kite making area. For $1, you could make your own, though we didn't have time for that, I would do try it next year (if, by some chance, we're back here then.)

The ladies carrying their pom-poms

The first set of kites

Flags blowing in the wind

This is where the pros played

Very cool. A solar powered portable dj booth! There were two of them.

The whale in the sky

Fly Shamoo! Fly!

Whale with alien in background

Defying the odds: A flying whale

Sunlight and kites

In another courtyard, there was a glassblower, art show, other live performances. In the northern courtyard, it was 100% dedicated to children. It was mostly enclosed to keep the little ones safe, but it also provided some protection from the wind. If we had known about this when we got to the festival, we could have spent the entire day here! Some of the entertainment included puppet shows, face painting, hula hooping, plate spinning, baby animals (to view, not to really interact with), a bouncy house, a climbing structure, and a stage with rotating musical entertainers. ALL OF THIS FOR FREE!

How often would you find anything like that, for free no less? I think it was the best festival I've ever been to!

Amelia enjoyed seeing the kites and listening to the music. Since we got out of the house so late, and she took at late nap, we missed some of the fun things for kids. But even with that, we still got to see and do enough to keep us all smiling.

Kite flyers

Hold on tight!

Plenty of wind for the kites

Before we left the festival, we bought Amelia a kite. Though we have one at home, it seemed like a fun thing to have while we're here. It was great for a few days but now one of the crossbeams is starting to split so we need to tape it. I got some of the fiberglass in my finger and that is no fun!