Festival of the Winds

For a university project, we were asked to choose an Australian music, social or political event, and design a poster for it. The event I chose was Festival of the Winds, an annual kite flying festival held on the sands of Bondi Beach in Sydney. It is the largest event of its kind in Australia and enters its 42nd year in 2020.

The event draws kite flyers from all over Australia and the world, who demonstrate their hand-made creations and flying skills for all to enjoy. Attendees can join in the fun and fly their own kite, and prizes are awarded for the best displays in a number of categories. It is truly a visually exciting, fun-filled, family-friendly festival.

Solution

In today’s hectic world, kite flying seems to be a forgotten pastime, so I wanted the poster to emphasise the good old-fashioned fun that kite flying brings, and remind people of simpler times.

Those two phrases—“old-fashioned” and “simple”—formed a foundation for the design of the poster. I wanted it to have a bit of a retro/art deco feel, so I selected a typeface that was reminiscent of early twentieth century advertisements. The kites flying in unison (and attached to the logotype) highlight the size of the event, and serve as the graphic “hook” for the event’s visual communications.