Best Spring Festivals For Kids And Families in Sydney 2016

By: Serina Hajje, ellaslist

Spring is (almost) here! The temperature is slowly rising, new buds are appearing and we can almost smell it in the air. Spring is also the season of many festivals and fetes happening across Sydney which make a perfect day out for the whole family. Gather the kids and enjoy the best Spring Festivals across Sydney.
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King’s Spring Festival

When: 27-28 August, from 10am-4pm
Where: The King’s School, Pennant Hills Rd, North Parramatta
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
King’s Kid Zone has everything to entertain your kids with hilarious and exciting stage entertainment, an animal farmyard, face painting and balloons. If you purchase the ride pass ($35 per day) then you can enjoy the toddlers and teen friendly rides. Or buy your way through the largest pop-up Spring Markets in the Hills Region with over 100 stallholders! Be sure not to miss the Paw Patrol and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ shows and meet and greets!

Source: King’s Spring Festival—>

Multicultural Fair

When: 3 September 2016, 10am-4pm
Where: Eastlakes Community Reserve, Evans Avenue, Eastlakes
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Celebrate the diversity and richness of cultures in Eastlakes! Explore the cuisines and spices of different countries and see and buy arts and crafts from different cultures. Kids can enjoy free rides and local groups will be exhibiting the dances, talents and songs of their culture.

Source: Botany Bay Council

Emerge! Willoughby Spring Festival 2016

When: 3-30 September 2016
Where: various locations
Cost: most events FREE
More Info Here.
Enjoy a full month of excitement at the largest cultural and entertainment celebration on Sydney’s North Shore! Start the festival with the Chatswood StreetFair on Saturday 3 September where you can browse through market stalls and enjoy entertainment throughout the day on numerous stages. Then keep your eyes peeled for the Taiwanese and Japanese performances where you’ll be treated to a stunning performance filled with stunning dances and colours. See Peppa Pig live and the beloved dog Spot will be visiting Australia for the first time at Emerge! Kids will love the wildlife and animal expo, art and craft activities, brick building fun with Lego bricks, the Lego movie, face painting and more!

Source: Emerge Festival

Hilltop to Headland Fauna Festival

When: 3-11 September 2016, 11am-3pm
Where: James Meehan Reserve Dee Why Lagoon Wildlife Refuge, Dee Why 2099
Cost: FREE
More Info Here.
Spring is all about warm days and baby animals and the Fauna Festivals delivers just that! Ready yourselves for a week full of fun with fauna activities spread across the whole peninsular, culminating in a grand finale event in the Northern Beaches Fauna Fair at Dee Why. There’s going to be tons of family activities, including live animal shows, walks, talks and tours, displays, music, skate ramps and more.

Source: Waringah Council

Taste of Coogee 2016

When: 3-4 September 2016, 10am – 6pm
Where: Coogee Oval
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Delicious food, regional wines, craft beers and family entertainment; what a combination! ‘Taste of Coogee’ is back this Spring and it’s bigger than ever. Grab your picnic blanket, gather your family and head down for an afternoon of foodie heaven. Keep the kids entertained at the Fun with Franky Show, jumping castle and let them run wild in the rides area!

Source: Taste of Coogee

Strathfield Spring Festival 2016

When: 4 September 2016
Where: Strathfield Park, Homebush Road and Chalmers Road, Strathfield
Cost: FREE
More Info Here.
One of the largest outdoor festivals in the Inner West, the event welcomes spring and celebrates Father’s Day with a full day of family fun activities. Strathfield Spring Festival is back with many live performances scheduled throughout the day on the main stage, plus carnival rides, kids-focused activities and a variety of stalls serving food and drinks. Hop on the train and take advantage of a free shuttle bus service between Strathfield Station and Strathfield Park.

Source: Strathfield Spring Festival Facebook

Cronulla Spring Festival

When: 10-11 September 2016, 10am-4pm
Where: Cronulla Street
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Cronulla has a wonderful world of activities, discoveries and fun for kids. Visit the Animal Farm and take a Pony Ride through the gardens, learn some skills at the FREE Circus Playground and get your Face Painted or paint an umbrella. Enjoy the live entertainment that caters to the whole family and indulge and explore their market stalls.

Source: Sutherland Shire Council

Festival of the Winds

When: 11 September 2016, 11am-4pm
Where: Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Fly your kite at Australia’s largest and most exciting kite flying festival! Make a kite a their workshops and then join hundreds of other people. Get a taste from each corner of the world as you go through the food stalls, learn some moves at their free dance workshops, and enjoy their roaming entertainment, puppet shows, and a day-long full entertainment program on the main stage.

Camden Festival – Picnic in the Park

When: 11 September 2016, 10am-3pm
Where: Macarthur Park
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Camden is bursting with spring activities with a month of events that cater to everyone in the community. Kicking off the celebrations will be Picnic in the Park where families can gather for high tea. You can make your own high tea from a range of food stalls, with cupcakes, quiches, scones, churros, mini donuts, Dutch pancakes, T2 tea and (of course) coffee. Be sure to take the free native plants the council is giving out. Kids will have a ball with the jumping castle, face painting and petting zoo. There’ll be live acoustic entertainment, floral crown making and pot plant painting.

Source: Camden Council

PetFest 2016

When: 11 September 2016, 10am and 2pm
Where: Holroyd Gardens, Corner of Walpole & Pitt St, Merrylands
Cost: $1 or $2 entry fee
More Info Here.
Whether you’re into snails, scales or wagging tails, everyone will be something fun here.this year’s event will feature high energy Jack Russell racing, a spectacular musical reptile show, fabulous working Kelpie demonstrations and the gripping FlyBall competition. Kids will love the free pony rides, animal farm, wildlife display and range of activities designed just for their enjoyment.

Camden Festival – Kids Fun Day

When: 14 September 2016, 10am – 2pm
Where: Curry Reserve, Elderslie
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Enter a child’s wonderland at Curry Reserve! It’s a full-on fun day out for children 0- 5 years old and their parents, featuring roving entertainment, an appearance by Batman and the Batmobile, face painting, clowns, an animal farm, novelty stalls, hair spraying and a free BBQ lunch.

Source: Camden Council Facebook

Music by the River

When: 18 September 2016, 11am-4pm
Where: Nepean River
Cost: FREE
More Info Here.
There’s something magical about lying by a river as a wave of tunes and beats washes over you throughout the day. This wonderful family occasion is part of Penrith City Council’s ‘By the River’ series of events that’s all about family friendly fun! There will be a delicious array of cuisine on offer from food stalls but you should definitely consider bringing your picnic blanket.

Source: Penrith City Council Facebook

Spring Harvest Festival 2016

When: 25 September 2016, 10am – 3pm
Where: Elizabeth Farm, 70 Alice St, Rosehill
Cost: Gold coin entry
More Info Here.
Step inside Elizabeth Farm and discover the interiors of Australia’s oldest surviving homestead. Explore the food and stories of the colonial dining table, drop into a range of live food demonstrations and hands-on opportunities including bread making the colonial kitchen. Don’t forget to bring a picnic rug and enjoy the picturesque setting with a delicious spread from one of many ready-to-eat food vendors or visit the Elizabeth Farm Tearooms to savour a homemade Devonshire tea or a ploughman’s lunch.

Source: Spring Harvest Festival Facebook

TASTE Food, Wine and Music Festival

When: 25 September 2016, 12pm – 5pm
Where: Camden Town Farm, Exeter Street, Camden
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
The event boasts the finest food, fresh produce, jams, chutney and preserves as well as wine and beer from a number of local suppliers. Enjoy cooking demonstrations at 1pm & 3pm and a meet and greet at 2.15pm with Tasia & Gracia, 2016 winners of My Kitchen Rules. It’s not just cooking, there will be live entertainment, children’s cooking workshops, a jumping castle, face painting and more!

Source: Camden Council Facebook

Spot On Children’s Festival

When: 27 September to 7 October 2016
Where: Riverside, various locations
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
Riverside in Parramatta hosts the annual Spot On Children’s Festival during the Spring School Holidays. Awesome theatre, vibrant circus performances, magical musical events, storytelling, movies and more; this kids Spring festival is guaranteed to spark children’s imaginations of all ages. There are plenty of free activities too with facepainting, Balloon Twisting, Hopscotch and Giant Jenga, Chalkboard Art, a Reading Tent and a Kinderling Radio Live Broadcast!

Source: Riverside Theatres Facebook

Auburn Festival 2016

When: 8 October 2016
Where: Wyatt Park, Church Street Church St, Lidcombe
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
This multicultural celebration is one of Auburn’s biggest annual events! Families can expect incredible live performances plus the festival staple of carnival rides, pony rides, food stalls and much more.

Source: Cumberland Council Facebook

Pet Festival

When: 9 October 2016, 10am-2pm
Where: Blacktown Showground, Richmond Rd
Cost: FREE
More Info Here.
Get ready to be overwhelmed with fur and fun at the Pets Festival! The Blacktown City Annual Pet Festival is a perfect family fun day! Gather the kids, animals and enjoy a day of celebrating everything furry. Kids can enjoy face painting, the jumping castle, see the animals at the petting zoo and watch live pet caricature. There’ll be Best Dressed Pet and Best trick Contest so be sure to enter! Take advantage of their free vet check, free micro chipping for Blacktown City residents (limit of 2 per household).

Burwood Festival 2016

When: 16 October 2016, 10am-5pm
Where: Burwood Park
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
The classic car show will be back with a rock n roll theme and this year’s kids korner will focus on gardening with pots and wind-chime decorations. Families will be delighted by the range of rides, stalls, animals, model boats, ponies and the entertainment on the main stage. At the pond in the middle of Burwood Park you can admire the meticulously constructed model boats on display. If you’re lucky, one of the owners might even let you have a turn sailing them around the pond!

Source: Burwood Festival

Crows Nest Festival

When: 16 October 2016, 10am-5pm
Where: five ways at Pacific Highway, up Willoughby Rd to Atchison St – the entire shopping precinct of Crows Nest
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
It’s a community that spans around 50 000 people, all coming together to share, create and have fun in a safe, family friendly environment! Children of all ages are invited to the bouncy world of ‘Inflatable Land’, where they can enjoy pony rides, face painting, and an animal petting farm. This year, the Festival is also introducing parasol painting and dinosaur rides. There’s plenty of market stalls and delicious food and wine tasting for adults too with over 200 stalls, 4 stages of entertainment and street entertainers.

FREE Children’s Festival

When: 22 October 2016, 10am-2pm
Where: Civic Park, 200 Miller Street, North Sydney
Cost: FREE
More Info Here.
North Sydney’s Civic Park will be transformed into a giant playground for this year’s Children’s Festival on Saturday 22 October. From face painting to a butterfly garden, petting zoo and hula hooping, there will be entertainment and activities suitable for all ages from 10am to 2pm. There will also be live stage performances and music, arts & crafts, a drumming workshop and storytime in a teepee.

Source: North Sydney Council Facebook

Marrickville Festival

When: 23 October 2016
Where: Marrickville and Illawarra Roads
Cost: FREE entry
More Info Here.
The Marrickville Festival brings together the diversity and vibrancy of people, cultures, and creative communities with a feast of international cuisine, live music and entertainment. THe entire family will be more than entertained by over 120 stalls displaying local produce, handmade artisan works, gifts and community groups as well as a Main Stage program, International Dance Floor, The Break music competition and a range of free activities for kids.

Source: Inner West Council Facebook