The Lakes Festival

The Lakes Festival is back in 2025!

This popular annual event will be making a splash across the entire Central Coast between 7-16 November 2025.

This huge 10-DAY celebration of our waterways across the Central Coast that brings locals and visitors together to enjoy exciting family-friendly activities, cultural and educational programs hosted by local organisations and businesses.

The Lakes Festival is a great opportunity for everyone to get out and about, rediscover some places right on your doorstep and celebrate our diverse lakes and waterways with your family and friends.

Expressions of interest to join the 2025 program are now open. Please see below for further information.

Remy Brand Popran Creek

Expressions of Interest for The Lakes Festival 2025

The Lakes Festival is back for 2025 and will be held from 7 November to 16 November 2025.

We are looking for organisations and businesses to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to help us build The Lakes Festival program for 2025 with a range of fun and innovative activities and events.

No idea is too big or too small, so let your mind soar!

Previously our program has included activities such as kayak eco tours, the Bouddi Coastal Run, waterside yoga, art workshops, theatre and comedy shows, cooking classes and community festivals.

With the overarching theme aiming to “Activate, Educate, and Celebrate’ the Central Coast’s waterways’, festivals, sporting events, art events, outdoor installations, workshops, and community activities are just a few examples of the kind of elements that we are looking to have included. We are also looking to showcase businesses with existing products and services that align well with the theme and champion sustainability on the Central Coast.

Submit an EOI
Submission close on Monday March 10 2025 at 2pm.
Complete your EOI by clicking here

Guidelines
View guidelines and eligibility here

Have some questions?
If you have any questions about being part of The Lakes Festival, or would like to discuss your idea before submitting an EOI, please email events@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au and request to speak with the Event Officer.

Sustainability

The Lakes Festival has officially completed the national Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard with Ecotourism Australia!

We’re on a journey to create a more sustainable event for the Central Coast. This Scorecard has helped us to measure where The Lakes Festival sits on its sustainability journey in 2024, aligned to the four pillars of sustainability impacts: environmental, socio-economic, cultural, and sustainable management.

 This is a huge learning milestone for us, as we continue to educate our community and guests about the Central Coast’s waterways.

How are we being more sustainable?

This year we’re taking even more steps to improve our sustainability.

We’ve switched the paper used for printing - The PEFC Certified uncoated paper is recyclable and compostable and does not receive any coating during the manufacturing process.

Our merchandise promotes re-use! You can pick up some merchandise at Light Up the Lake, or at surprise locations throughout the festival, so keep your eye on the Facebook page!

  • Eco friendly cotton tote bags
  • Bottles made from 98% sugar cane with a natural cork lid, making them 100% ecofriendly, plant based, CO2 negative and they’re BPA free!
  • Sunglasses with frames made from 50/50 rice husk fibre and BPA-free polypropylene
	jamesvodicka_centralcoastnsw_2021_27
Photo by Destination Central Coast x James Vodicka

Proudly supported by

Lakes Festival 2025 sponsors
Lakes Festival 2025 EOI Video
Would you like to be part of Lakes Festival 2025?