It’s festival season! As soon as Spring arrives, there’s a plethora of Spring Festivals, Fetes & Fairs happening across Sydney’s North Shore – Food & Wine, Children’s, Granny Smith, Fringe Festivals and more. Get your calendars ready… and discover the best events to attend in our Spring Festival Guide! Here’s the best Spring Festivals for families.
Upcoming Spring Festivals around Sydney’s North Shore
There are so many fabulous Spring Festivals happening across the North Shore over the next couple of months. So open the calendar on your phone, and pop these amazing local events in your diary…
Spring Festivals: What’s On in September 2023
- Lane Cove Festival: 30 August – 23 September
- Emerge Festival, Willoughby: 1 September – 7 October
- Orange Blossom Festival, Castle Hill: 1-27 September
- Sydney Fringe Festival: 1-30 September
- Pymble Ladies’ College Garden Party: Saturday 16 September
- St Ives Food & Wine Festival: Sunday 17 September
- Spot On Children’s Festival, Parramatta: 26 September – 4 October
- Leura Gardens Festival: 29 September – 2 October
Spring Festivals: What’s On in October 2023
- Hills Food & Wine Festival: Sunday 8 October
- Crows Nest Fest: Sunday 15 October
- Brooklyn Spring Fair: Sunday 15 October
- Granny Smith Festival, Ryde: 21 October
- Mosman Children’s Fair: Friday 27 October
- Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival: Sunday 29 October
- Living Futures Festival: Sunday 29 October
Emerge Festival, Willoughby
Emerge Festival features events for the whole family across Willoughby City. From art exhibitions, workshops and food and drink to outdoor activities, digital events and plenty for the kids, there’s something for everyone from Friday 1 September to Saturday 7 October.
The Emerge Festival is a time when the North Shore comes alive and emerges from winter to enjoy the sunshine, take part in outdoor activities and discover new groups and events.
Don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems in your neighbourhood in 2023 and to support local businesses and community groups.
- When: Thursday 1 September – Saturday 7 October 2023
- Where: Willoughby
- Events details.
Lane Cove Festival
Lane Cove Festival
Get ready for a busy September in Lane Cove with the Lane Cove Festival. This month-long festival features community and Lane Cove Council-run initiatives including live music, film screenings, talks, walks and workshops. There are exciting and diverse events that will keep you out of the house and celebrating community life. There is something for everyone! The festival includes your favourite events, such as The Lane Cove Fun Run and the Big Family Fun Ride.
- When: 30 August – 30 September 2022
- Where: Lane Cove
- Events details.
Orange Blossom Festival, Castle Hill
Orange Blossom Festival, Castle Hill
Residents, visitors, and foodies alike are invited to enjoy a taste of spring at The Hills Shire’s biggest community event- the Orange Blossom Festival from 1 – 27 September.
The 2023 festival will run throughout September with two major events, the OBF Night Markets and the return of the iconic OBF Parade.
A range of Orange Blossom Festival Associated Events organised and delivered by community groups will also run throughout September as part of the month-long festival.
- When: Friday 1 September – Wednesday 27 September
- Where: Castle Hill
- Events details.
Pymble Ladies’ College Garden Party
Pymble Ladies College is hosting their annual Garden Party on Saturday 16 September. It is sure to be a fun-filled day, with an array of fabulous food, coffee, entertainment, rides, games, produce, arts and crafts, plants, gifts, toys and much more. Funds raised at this year’s Garden Party will go to The Smith Family and Dignity.
- When: Saturday 16 September, 10am-3pm
- Where: Pymble Ladies’ College, Avon Road, Pymble
- Events details.
St Ives Food & Wine Festival
Bouncy Castles at the St Ives Food & Wine Festival
The St Ives Food and Wine Festival returning to St Ives Village Green on Sunday 17 September for a day of family fun and entertainment!
Enjoy fabulous, festive and favourite foods. Talk to the winemakers and brewmasters when they come to the city with their products to show and share! Lovely lifestyle luxuries and leisure pieces reflecting your style to transform a house into a home. Plus delicious foods to take home that will transform meals from your kitchen into gourmet delights! And entertainment for the whole family.
Organised by the Rotary Club of St Ives. All funds raised to go to Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre (KNC).
- When: Sunday 17 September, 10am-4pm
- Where: St Ives Village Green
- Events details.
Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival
Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival
The Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival will return to Wahroonga Park, Wahroonga on Sunday 29 October. The event features 30 wineries, together with small-batch distillers, craft brewers, local produce and artisan stallholders, and gourmet food vendors. The rotunda stage features the wonderful musical talents of several local school bands, presenting over 110 performers.
This annual festival event is a free entry and open event for all ages for the local upper North Shore community. Branded festival wine-tasting glasses and ticket packages are available starting at a pre-sale at $37.50 (1 glass & 5 tasting tickets) and tasting packages available for sale from the Tasting Ticket Marquee on the day.
- When: Sunday 29 October, 11am to 5pm
- Where: Wahroonga Park
- Events details.
Crows Nest Fest
Crows Nest Fest
Crows Nest Mainstreet is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated return of Crows Nest Fest 2023, a free community event set to captivate attendees on Sunday 15 October. This year’s festival promises to be an unparalleled experience, with over 150 artisan and produce stallholders, boasting an array of activities, delectable cuisine, captivating entertainment, and more, making it the best Crows Nest Fest to date.
Crows Nest Fest stands as a testament to the thriving community spirit that embodies the Crows Nest neighbourhood. With an estimated 30,000 attendees anticipated to join the celebrations, this festival truly showcases the vibrant culture and strong sense of community that defines Crows Nest.
- When: Sunday 15 October, 10am-5pm
- Where: Crows Nest
- Events details.
Mosman Children’s Fair
Mosman Children’s Fair
The Mosman Children’s Fair will be held at Mosman Village Green on Friday 27 October. The Children’s Fair is a celebration for children and families held during Children’s Week and the Festival of Mosman. It is aimed at children aged 0-5 years. It will include children’s performers, amusement rides and activities such as art and craft, storytime, interactive animal displays, drumming and face painting.
- When: Friday 27 October, 10am to 12pm
- Where: Mosman Village Green, Myahgah Road, Mosman
- More info
Living Futures Festival
The North Sydney Living Futures Festival will be filling The Coal Loader with ideas, colour and sustainable fun on Sunday 29 October from 10am-4pm. This is a day not only for inspiration and information but for entertainment, fun, networking and socialising.
Stage entertainment, workshops, stalls, kids’ activities, guided walks and tours are just a few of the things that will be on offer for a great day out at one of Sydney’s most iconic harbourside sites. Be sure to meet our amazing festival ambassadors; TV favourite Costa Georgiadis and Indigenous educator and performer Charleen Aguiar Dos Santos.
- When: Sunday 29 October, 10am to 4pm
- Where: Coal Loader, Waverton
- Events details.
Brooklyn Spring Fair
Brooklyn Spring Fair
Brooklyn Spring Fair and Markets will take over Brooklyn Oval on Sunday 15 October. You’ll find lots of rides, food trucks, live music & entertainment, the famous ‘pony pooing’ competition and great prizes in the raffle. Enjoy a day in the sunshine by the Hawkesbury River!
- When: Sunday 15 October, 10am to 4pm
- Where: Brooklyn Oval
- More info
Hills Food & Wine Festival
Hills Food & Wine Festival
Don’t miss the Hills Food & Wine Festival 2023 at Bella Vista Farm on Sunday 8 October from 11am-5pm.
The Hills Food and Wine Festival centres around live music, rides for the kids, beverage sampling and food market stalls.
- When: Sunday 8 October, 11am to 5pm
- Where: Bella Vista Farm, Norwest Blvd & Elizabeth MacArthur Drive, Bella Vista
- More info
Granny Smith Festival, Ryde
Granny Smith Festival, Ryde
The much loved Granny Smith Festival is set to return to Ryde on Saturday 21 October. The festival will be celebrating 38 years featuring old favourites and new activities, with amusement rides, market stalls, food trucks, performances, youth zone, kids activities and ending the night with a Celebrity Performance and Fireworks Spectacular!
The true strength and success of the Granny Smith Festival is its community character which sees over 250 stall holders attend, 500 performing artists and 1500 local participants who proudly take part in the grand street parade. If you are interested in being apart of one of the largest one-day street festivals make sure to apply now.
- When: Saturday 21 October, 9am-8.30pm
- Where: Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre, Victoria Road, Ryde
- More info
Sydney Fringe Festival
Don’t miss Sydney Fringe Festival from Friday 1 to Saturday 30 September.
Get a taste of the wildly vivacious side of the city at the Sydney Fringe Festival. Running across the whole month of September (and sneaking into October), the festival is a colourful bouquet of live performances, comedy acts and creative experiences that celebrate our talented local artists.
Venues across the CBD, Moore Park, Hurstville, Parramatta and the Inner West will play host to the stacked program of events blooming in this year’s theme Paint The Town Pink! Immerse yourself in the flourishing Sydney art scene this September. Here are just some of the sparkly, quirky, and salaciously brilliant events you can find yourself at this year.
- When: Thursday 1 September – Saturday 30 October 2023
- Where: Sydney NSW
- More info
Leura Gardens Festival
If you and the family fancy taking a trip to the gorgeous Blue Mountains for a weekend or day trip, you won’t want to miss the Leura Gardens Festival.
Following the huge success of last year’s Festival, the Leura Gardens Festival will be held over the four days of the October long weekend from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Flowering annuals, perennials and other pretty bulbs are expected to make an appearance.
- When: Friday 29 September – Monday 2 October
- Where: Leura Gardens Accommodation, Fitzroy Street, Leura
- More info
Spot On Children’s Festival Parramatta
Riverside Theatres is set to once again become a hub for the best of children’s entertainment and activities this spring school holidays for the annual Spot On Children’s Festival, running over nine jam-packed days.
This year’s program features a fun-filled line-up of theatre, musical performances, physical comedy, engaging workshops and circus acts, all guaranteed to keep children of all ages entertained throughout the school holidays.
Riverside’s Spot On Children’s Festival encourages children to explore the world of the arts, delve into tales of magical creatures and places near and far and experience the power of live performance and dynamic storytelling.
- When: Saturday 23 September to Wednesday 4 October
- Where: Riverside Theatres, Corner of Church and Market Street, Parramatta
- More info
