Concrete Playground

Sliding into the slipstream of the coming Sydney Fashion Week is a festival of a more irreverent, grass-roots variety. An event about “culture, creativity and bringing people together”, Sizzle is Bondi’s answer to the much-loved Surry Hills Fest. The four-day festival will cover just about every angle in celebration of the arts, beach culture and Bondi’s unique community.

Events include the re-painting of the infamous graffiti wall by some of the town's most celebrated artists, as well as exhibitions, live music, pop-up cinema and a classic Bondi garage sale on steroids (the biggest ever, they say). Local businesses will be showing their support by offering community cards redeemable during the slower winter months, and select cafes and restaurants will offer up a customised dish inspired by their love of Bondi.

Of course, what would a Bondi festival be without a surf comp of some kind? Curated by Sam McIntosh of Stab magazine, pros and plebs alike of any age are encouraged to get a ‘soft-on’ in a pirate-themed soft board competition featuring special guests and VIP judges. So, if you’ve had it up to your Balenciagas with fashion caper and are craving some artsy street culture and a bit of barefoot fun, park your car in the next suburb, wander the streets of this beachside beauty and discover what New Zealanders have known all along.