It’s Festival Time! Here are our hot tips to having a fantastic festival adventure at Words on the Waves 2026.
Smoking Ceremony
This year there will be a Smoking Ceremony generously provided by Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences from 9:15am on Saturday May 30 next to The Festival Marquee. This is held in the Peninsula Recreation Precinct, the parklands next to Jasmine Greens and Umina Beach SLSC. We hope you can commence your weekend with this special cultural experience.
Info and Ticket Booth
Don’t have a ticket yet? Fear not, there are still plenty of ways to engage with the festival. Remaining tickets listed below and here. And, there will be an Info & Ticket Booth at the Festival Marquee. Come say hello!
Getting Around
If you have a Weekend, Saturday or Sunday Pass and you are changing venues between sessions between Ocean Beach SLSC, Umina Beach SLSC and the Festival Marquee, you can make use of our complimentary Shuttle Bus. Look for the driveway at the rear of the Clubs or ask a friendly volunteer for guidance. Otherwise, it is a short 8 -10 minute stroll along a quiet back lane or the beach itself.
Festival Bookseller
Book signings will follow each session, and books can be purchased at our onsite festival bookseller thanks to BOOKFACE Erina.
Please support our authors by buying their books!
Food for thought…
Pre-order: Jasmine Greens Park Kiosk
Hungry for more than brain food this festival? Pre-order your meals, tasty treats and drinks from Jasmine Greens and have them delivered to you during the festival.
1. Simply choose your preferred food and drink
2. Specify which date you’d like to pre-order for (Saturday May 30 or Sunday May 31)
3. Input the venue you will be at (either Umina SLSC at 509 Ocean Beach Rd, Umina Beach or Ocean Beach SLSC at 176 The Esplanade, Umina Beach; or if at the Festival Marquee, select Pickup instead of delivery, and Jasmine Greens will know what that means!)
4. Finish transaction
5. Cut-off dates will apply.
Use this code to receive 10% off your pre-order: L6T43VG8
Upstairs Wine Bar from 4pm!
Our Silver Partner Upstairs Wines will be setting up a cute wine bar in our Festival Marquee on Saturday May 30. Available from 4pm, they have a divine range of craft and small-batch wines along with other tasty beverages. If you’ve wrapped your day of literary goodness or it’s only just beginning… meet you at the bar!
Soph’s Dumplings is coming to the festival!
You can enjoy the fresh, handmade dumplings made by this lovely local business at the Festival Marquee, Saturday May 30 from the afternoon into the evening.
Rain or Shine – it’s Festival Time! The Festival Marquee is cosy and warm…
Rug up and bring your brolly! Our venues – including the Festival Marquee – will be cosy and warm, but we do recommend bringing warm clothes, a raincoat/umbrella and gumboots/waterproof shoes to stay comfy and dry.
Drive and arrive with care. Allow extra time for traffic and delays in public transport during wet weather. Drive carefully and give yourself time to find parking and make your way to the venue.
Walk – don’t run – to your sessions. ‘Take the time’ is our 2026 theme and we encourage you to adopt a mindful pace in the rain to avoid slips and trips.
Stay tuned for updates. We will notify you in the event of any changes.
Grab your Festival Merch
This year, we will be offering fabric tote bags, as well as notepads (with pens) as official Words on the Waves merchandise for only $10 each. You can support your festival and hold onto a memento to boot, grab yours at the Festival Marquee Info & Ticket Booth.
See you there!
Words on the Waves is a not-for-profit organisation proudly supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW, Central Coast Council and is made possible with thanks to our partners.
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Words on the Waves acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which these gatherings will take place.
