At a glance
- When
- Friday 6 to Sunday 15 November 2026; most events run on Saturday 7 and Saturday 14 November
- Where
- Twelve places on the Central Coast, from Avoca Beach and Ettalong Beach to Gosford, Terrigal, The Entrance, Toukley, Woy Woy and Wyong
- Cost
- Most events are free; the Bouddi Coastal Run ($25 to $155), Bombora SUP Festival ($10 to $60) and a few others charge or need a booking
- Sold out
- Glow Kayak Tours, at all three locations
- Getting there
- The festival program asks visitors to take a bus or train, ride a bike or walk where they can, and says car parking is available at each location
- Who it’s for
- Families and locals who want a free event close to home on any day of the 10 days, not only at The Entrance on Saturday 7 November
- What to do now
- Book the events that need it (cooking class, Wyong River Catchment Crawl, Terrigal marine centre tours, Bouddi Coastal Run) before you pick a day
- Last checked
- Monday 26 October 2026, against the festival’s digital program and the Love Central Coast event pages
- Not yet confirmed
- Road closures for the busiest days (none listed by Central Coast Council yet), and the film for the Terrigal outdoor cinema night
The Lakes Festival runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 15 November 2026 across the Central Coast, and its digital program lists more than 15 free events in 12 places. This guide sorts the events by day so you can see what is on near you, what costs money and what is already full. The big night, Light Up the Lake at Memorial Park, The Entrance on Saturday 7 November, has its own guide: Light Up the Lake times, parking and closures.
We read the festival’s 12-page digital program and the Love Central Coast event pages on Monday 26 October 2026. Times are New South Wales daylight saving time (AEDT), one hour ahead of Queensland. The program is a printed document, so a few details differ from the website; where they do, this guide says so.
What do I need to book before the festival starts?
Most events are walk-up. These are not, according to the program and the Love Central Coast festival page:
| Event | Date | Where | Cost and booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bouddi Coastal Run (14 km, 21 km, 1 km kids’ run) | Saturday 7 November, 7am to 2.30pm | Bouddi National Park, Killcare (see the address note below) | Bookings required. Kids’ run (5 to 12 years): $25. 14 km junior (11 to 16 years): $100. 14 km: $125. 21 km: $155 |
| Plein Art Competition | Sunday 8 November, 9am to 1.30pm | Memorial Park, The Entrance | Bookings required, $10 |
| Marine Discovery Centre tours | Sunday 8 November, 9am to 3pm | Terrigal Rotary Park | Free; bookings required for tours |
| Cooking with Local Seafood | Friday 13 November 4pm to 6pm, Saturday 14 November 12pm to 2pm | Food Innovation Kitchen, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah | Free; bookings essential |
| Clambake Bioluminescent Immersion | Saturday 14 November, 7pm to 11pm | Funhaus Factory, 141 Mann Street, Gosford | Bookings required, $35 |
| Splashabout Showcase | Saturday 14 November, 2pm to 3.30pm and 6pm to 7.30pm | Roundabout Circus, 96 Showground Road, Gosford | Bookings required, free to $25 |
| Bombora SUP Festival | Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, 6am to 2pm | Ettalong Beach | Bookings required, $10 to $60 |
| Wyong River Catchment Crawl | Sunday 15 November, 8.30am to 3pm | Central Coast Wetlands, South Tacoma Road, Tuggerah | Free; bookings required |
The printed program gives the Wyong River Catchment Crawl time as “8.30pm to 3pm”. The event page says 8.30am to 3pm, which is what the table uses.
The program and the event page give two different addresses for the Bouddi Coastal Run: 81 Beach Drive, Killcare, and Bouddi Coastal Walk, Putty Beach Road, Killcare Heights. We have not found a published start location. The organiser, Max Adventure, says it emails event information to entrants in the two weeks before the day, so use that email for the start point and parking.
Are the Glow Kayak Tours sold out?
Yes. The event page for the Glow Kayak Tours says the event “has now SOLD OUT in all locations”. The tours were $10 a person and were allocated through an expression-of-interest form. The dates were Sunday 8 and Sunday 15 November at The Entrance North Boat Shed, Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 November at Woy Woy Lions Boat Ramp, and Thursday 12 November at Gwandalan Boat Ramp. The page does not mention a waiting list.
What is on from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November?
| Day and time | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov, 10am to 12pm | Making Waves Community Celebration: water safety information, morning tea and activities for under 5s, run with Mosaic Multicultural Connections | Lions Park, 10 Masons Parade, Gosford | Free |
| Fri 6 to Sun 15 Nov, weekdays 10am to 3pm, weekends 9am to 3pm | Waterways and Ways with Water, a Central Coast Watercolour Society exhibition | The Entrance Gallery, The Entrance Community Centre, corner of Norberta Street and Central Coast Highway | Free |
| Sat 7 Nov, 7am to 2.30pm | Bouddi Coastal Run | Bouddi National Park: the program gives 81 Beach Drive, Killcare; the event page gives Bouddi Coastal Walk, Putty Beach Road, Killcare Heights | Booking, $25 to $155 |
| Sat 7 Nov, 9am to 3pm | Terrigal Markets | Terrigal Foreshore | Free entry |
| Sat 7 Nov, 9.30am to 2.30pm | Artisan Market, hosted by the Central Coast Watercolour Society and Tuggerah Lakes Art Society | The Entrance Community Centre | Free |
| Sat 7 Nov, 10am to 12pm | Skate and Paint Drop-in with skate, scooter and street art mentors | The Entrance Skatepark, Picnic Point | Free |
| Sat 7 Nov, 10am to 1pm | WYLD ART Connections: coil weaving with raffia, music and a Welcome to Country; all materials provided | Scout Hall, 229 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach | Free |
| Sat 7 Nov, 11am to 4pm | Active Avoca Lake: kayak and stand-up paddleboard games and races | AquaFun, Ficus Avenue, Avoca Beach | Free; some sessions need paid bookings |
| Sat 7 Nov, 3.30pm | Pelican Time: how pelicans feed and why the habitat matters | Pelican Plaza, The Entrance | Free |
| Sat 7 Nov, 4pm to 9pm | Light Up the Lake (see the separate guide) | Memorial Park, The Entrance | Free |
| Sun 8 Nov, 11am to 4pm | Active Avoca Lake (second day) | AquaFun, Ficus Avenue, Avoca Beach | Free; some sessions need paid bookings |
| Sun 8 Nov, 3.30pm | Pelican Time | Pelican Plaza, The Entrance | Free |
| Sun 8 Nov, 9am to 3pm | Painting By The Lake, with free use of equipment and helpers on hand | Memorial Park, The Entrance | Free |
| Sun 8 Nov, 9am to 3pm | Marine Discovery Family Fun Day: kids’ workshops, marine centre tours, crafts, face painting, kids’ disco | Terrigal Rotary Park and the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre, 11 Terrigal Drive | Free; tours need a booking |
| Sun 8 Nov, 2pm to 5pm | S.P.I.R.A.L Coast: aerial rig, hula hoop and juggling workshops with Roundabout Circus | Leagues Club Park, Gosford | Free |
On Saturday 7 November, events run in several towns at once. Bouddi, Terrigal, The Entrance and Avoca Beach all have something on, and Light Up the Lake finishes the day with a drone show at 9pm.
What is on from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November?
The middle of the festival is quieter and mostly short, morning or after-work events.
| Day and time | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 9 to Fri 13 Nov, 10am to 1pm | Norah Head Lighthouse Tours, “free for 5 days only” | Norah Head Lighthouse, 40 Bush Street, Norah Head | Free |
| Tue 10 Nov, 8.30am | Tai Chi by the lake | Toukley Village Green, Toukley, and Woy Woy Oval forecourt, Woy Woy | Free |
| Wed 11 Nov, 8.30am | Tai Chi | Kibble Park, Gosford | Free |
| Wed 11 Nov, 3.30pm | Pelican Time | Pelican Plaza, The Entrance | Free |
| Thu 12 Nov, 8.30am | Tai Chi | Memorial Park, The Entrance | Free |
| Fri 13 Nov, 3.30pm to 9pm | Terrigal Twilight Cinema and Food Fair: an outdoor film, food stalls, farmers’ markets and entertainment; bring a rug or low chair | Terrigal Rotary Park, 11 Terrigal Drive | Free |
| Fri 13 Nov, 4pm to 6pm | Cooking with Local Seafood with Chef Phil Davy, using seafood from Tuggerah Lake | Food Innovation Kitchen, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah campus, 10 Chittaway Road | Free; booking essential |
The Tai Chi sessions need some care. The program lists them for 10, 11 and 12 November at 8.30am, which matches the daylight saving start time on the Tai Chi event page. That page says no registration is needed, but it still shows a last date of 30 April 2026, so it has not been updated for November.
What is on from Saturday 14 to Sunday 15 November?
| Day and time | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 14 and Sun 15 Nov, 6am to 2pm | Bombora SUP Festival: 10 km race, SUPBALL, SUP yoga, social paddles, sprint and relay races, junior activities | Ettalong Beach | Booking, $10 to $60 |
| Sat 14 Nov, 8.30am to 5pm; Sun 15 Nov, 9am to 4pm | Water Polo By The Waterfront: exhibition and competitive games by Gosford Water Polo Club | Mason’s Parade Park, Gosford, near Gosford Sailing Club | Free |
| Sat 14 Nov, 9am to 3pm | Sustainable Future Festival | Memorial Park, The Entrance | Free |
| Sat 14 Nov, 10am to 2pm | Treasure of the Tides: ocean-themed experiences, live entertainment and environmental education | Hunter Park, Avoca Beach | Free |
| Sat 14 Nov, 12pm to 2pm | Cooking with Local Seafood (second session) | Ourimbah campus | Free; booking essential |
| Sat 14 Nov, 2pm to 3.30pm and 6pm to 7.30pm | Splashabout Showcase: The Ripple Effect, a nature-themed circus show | Roundabout Circus, 96 Showground Road, Gosford | Booking, free to $25 |
| Sat 14 Nov, 7pm to 11pm | Clambake Bioluminescent Immersion: underwater-themed cabaret, circus, drag and live music | Funhaus Factory, 141 Mann Street, Gosford | Booking, $35 |
| Sat 14 and Sun 15 Nov, 11am to 4pm | Active Avoca Lake (last two days) | AquaFun, Ficus Avenue, Avoca Beach | Free; some sessions paid |
| Sat 14 and Sun 15 Nov, 3.30pm | Pelican Time (last two days) | Pelican Plaza, The Entrance | Free |
| Sun 15 Nov, 8.30am to 3pm | Wyong River Catchment Crawl: a bus tour of the Wyong River with dip netting for waterbugs and water testing, run by Central Coast Waterwatch | Central Coast Wetlands, Pioneer Dairy, South Tacoma Road, Tuggerah | Free; booking required |
| Sun 15 Nov, 3pm to 8pm | The Wonders Of Water: dance, music, storytelling and visual arts | Avoca Scout Hall, 229 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach | Free |
On Saturday 14 November, events again run at the same time in several towns: Gosford, Ettalong Beach, Avoca Beach and The Entrance. The Gosford waterfront has the water polo during the day and the two paid evening shows a few streets away.
How do I get to the events and where do I park?
The festival program tells visitors to “take a train or catch a bus” so they can spend more time at the events and less time looking for a car park. For buses it points to the Busways and Red Bus websites. It also suggests riding a bike on the shared cycle paths near the event locations, catching a taxi or an Uber, carpooling or walking. The Transport for NSW Trip Planner will give you the stops and last services for any address in the tables above.
For drivers, the program says only that “car parking is available at each location” and that some key roads around event hubs may be affected on event days, with extra traffic. It names no car park for any single event other than the Karagi Point closure for Light Up the Lake, which is covered in the separate guide. Central Coast Council’s road closures page, last updated on 21 October, did not list any Lakes Festival closures when we checked. Check it again in the week before, and check Live Traffic NSW for State roads such as the Central Coast Highway. Our guide to how to check Central Coast road closures explains where the council and Transport for NSW post notices.
What if it rains?
The program says that in wet weather you should check the festival’s Facebook page or tune in to Triple M or Hit FM for updates. It does not say which events would move or be cancelled, so for a booked event such as the cooking class or the Bouddi Coastal Run, contact the event through the booking page it gave you.
Which events suit small children?
The program describes these as family-friendly: Making Waves Community Celebration (free activities for under 5s), the Marine Discovery Family Fun Day (kids’ workshops, face painting and a kids’ disco), Treasure of the Tides, Pelican Time, the Terrigal Twilight Cinema and Food Fair and the S.P.I.R.A.L Coast circus workshops. The Bouddi Coastal Run has a 1 km kids’ beach run for ages 5 to 12, and the cooking class is open to all ages but children must be with an adult.
Quick plan
- Book first: Bouddi Coastal Run, the seafood cooking class, the Wyong River Catchment Crawl, Terrigal marine centre tours, and any paid evening show.
- Skip the Glow Kayak Tours; they are sold out at all three locations.
- For Saturday 7 November, choose one area for the day and then go to The Entrance for Light Up the Lake from 4pm.
- For Saturday 14 November, pick between Gosford, Ettalong Beach, Avoca Beach and The Entrance; they run at the same time.
- Check the council road closures page and the festival Facebook page in the week before and on the morning.
Sources
- The Lakes Festival 2026 digital program (PDF) (checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — The Lakes Festival (checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — Glow Kayak Tours (sold out; checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — Wyong River Catchment Crawl (checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — Cooking with Local Seafood (checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — Bouddi Coastal Run (prices; checked 26 October 2026)
- Love Central Coast — Free Tai Chi (checked 26 October 2026)
- Central Coast Council — Road closures (last updated 21 October 2026)
Featured image: Brisbane Water from the Gosford waterfront (photo: JaredMcKenzie / CC0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with The Lakes Festival, Central Coast Council, Love Central Coast or Transport for NSW. Times, bookings and closures can change; check the official pages above before you go.