A Citywide Celebration of Ocean Conservation and Culture
Australia’s largest cultural and science event dedicated to the ocean, the Ocean Lovers Festival, is back for its fifth year with an even bigger splash! Expanding beyond its iconic Bondi roots, the 2025 festival will span multiple Sydney locations throughout March, featuring a diverse lineup of ocean-inspired events aimed at celebrating, educating, and inspiring action for a healthier ocean.
The festival will transform Sydney into a vibrant hub of ideas, art, music, and action. Whether it’s a sunrise yoga session on Bondi Beach followed by “science in your swimmers” talks, a Trashion Parade and eco markets or ferry tours across Sydney Harbour highlighting marine restoration efforts – there’s something for everyone!
Families can enjoy hands-on workshops and eco-markets, revellers can dance on the beachfront to bands, while ocean enthusiasts dive deeper with expert panels on topics such as sustainable seafood, Indigenous sea knowledge, and shark net alternatives.
Sydney Fish Market will host special events, including cooking classes with award-winning chef Luke Bourke and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours. The Coal Loader at North Sydney will also offer kid-friendly ocean activities, ensuring the city embraces ocean conservation.
For those keen on adventure, opportunities include participating in Valerie Taylor’s Grey Nurse Shark Census, free diving lessons, and exclusive IMAX ocean documentaries. Audiences can meet ocean scientists or become a citizen scientist and join a Marine Bioblitz community science event in their area.
Festival founder Anita Kolni expressed her excitement: “The passion from our ocean-loving community has been overwhelming, urging us to expand across Sydney, and inspire real hope and action for a thriving harbour and ocean. We have received generous support from the government and local councils through to organisations and individuals and we’re beyond thrilled to unveil this program and invite everyone to dive into our events this March. Together, we can turn ripples of action into waves of lasting change.”
The 2024 festival saw a remarkable 70% of attendees leave feeling more optimistic, having learned actionable ways to protect the ocean.
“By spreading out across Sydney, we can amplify that passion to have a truly amazing impact on the health of our much-loved ocean. This not only strengthens our mission but helps solidify Sydney as the greatest ocean city in the world,” Kolni said.
Check out the event dates throughout March with highlight free festival weekends on 15 & 16 March in Darling Harbour and 22 & 23 March at Bondi Beach. More info: https://www.oceanloversfestival.com
Highlights:
- 1 – 31 March – IMAX Ocean Film Screening Series
- 2 March – Rose Bay Beach Clean for Clean Up Australia Day
- 5 March – Paint and Splash Ocean Series each Wednesday in March
- 5 & 12 March – Seabirds to Seascapes Boat Tour, ticketed, Circular Quay (Book Here)
- 6 – 19 March – Ocean Film Festival World Tour – various venues and dates (Book Here)
- 8 March – First Nations with Rockpool’s Luke Bourke, Sydney Fish Markets (Book Here)
- 8 March – Valerie Taylor’s Grey Nurse Shark Census
- 12 March – Paint and Splash Ocean Series
- 14 March – Sea Science Student Expo
- 16 March – Trashion Shows, Darling Harbour
- 19 March – AMCS Deep Blue Screen Film & Panel Talk
- 19 March – Paint and Splash Ocean Series
- 20 March – Blue Solutions Summit at ANMM
- 21 March – School Excursions
- 22 March – Embodying Action To Create Change Talk (Free, Register Here)
- 22 March – Sunrise Yoga on the beach with Rare Studio Bondi (Free, Register Here)
- 22 March – Ocean Adventures with Diver Dave, North Sydney Coal Loader (Book Here)
- 22 March – Big Bondi Beach Clean with Take 3 for the Sea, (Free, Register Here)
- 22 -23 March – Ocean Lovers Festival Film Program at Bondi Pavilion
- 22 – 23 March – Ocean Lovers Talks in the High Tide Room (Free, Register Here)
- 22 – 23 March – Live music on the Sunshine Stage and markets.
- 22 – 23 March – free kids activities, Festival hub and adult workshops in the Bondi Pavilion
- 23 March – Expanding Purpose & Possibilities with Michelle Boyde (Book Here)
- 26 March – Eco Playgroup – Protecting The Ocean, North Sydney Coal Loader (Book Here)
- 26 March – Paint and Splash Ocean Series
- 30 March – Fillet-a-Fish Course, Sydney Fish Markets (Book Here)
Visit the website for more details and the full Festival program as it’s unveiled.
About Ocean Lovers Festival
The Ocean Lovers Festival was born in Bondi in 2019 and has been staged annually since 2022. The festival is a place to ‘Sea Change‘ in a multi-channel showcase of entertainment to highlight ocean protection and innovative solutions, as well as celebrate the ocean through ideas, art, music, film, science and actions.
About IMC Pacific Foundation
IMC Trading is a leading global trading firm with technology at its heart. IMC believe that businesses and those who work for them should contribute towards a better society. Therefore, they give time, talent, and money to enrich the lives of people in the communities where they live and work, with a particular focus on education. Through the Pacific Foundation, they donate for impact, supporting charities and organisations that share a commitment to helping young people develop to their fullest potential.
