The Times Australia
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Ocean Lovers Festival 2025: A Citywide Celebration of Ocean Conservation and Culture

  • Written by The Times

Sydney, January 2025 – 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 immerse in actions for the ocean, 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, freediving lessons, and exclusive IMAX ocean documentaries. Audiences can meet ocean scientists or become a citizen scientist and join a Marine Bioblitz community 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 full program event dates throughout March with highlight free festival weekends on 15 & 16 March in Darling Harbour and 22 & 23 March at Bondi Beach.

Highlights:

Visit the website for more details and the full Festival program as it’s unveiled.

Information and images contact: Carolyn Grant | 0407 898 727 | carolyn@oceanloversfestival.com Connect here for high res Images and captions. Logo files for use are here. Contact us for specific images for films and activities listed.

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.

Ocean Lovers Festival 2025 Partners

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