Surf + Sound Manly 2026: free art, surf and live music by the sea

Surf + Sound runs at Manly Wharf and Manly Beach from 16 October to 1 November 2026. The festival combines a free outdoor art trail and live painting with two days of free surf competition, while several evening concerts at Felons Barrel Room require tickets.

Surf + Sound 2026 at a glance

Prices above are in Australian dollars and were checked on 5 October 2026. Moshtix says its listed totals include GST and service fees; a separate A$2.95 transaction fee applies to the cited Whitlams and Skunkhour orders. Availability can change.

Which parts of Surf + Sound are free?

The simplest free plan is the art programme at Manly Wharf. The festival says Jeremyville’s outdoor trail will place inflatables, sculptures and installations around the precinct throughout the event. Five vintage Land Rover Defenders are also due to be painted live, with the process open to public viewing.

The surf programme is free for spectators on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November at Manly Main Beach. Eighteen clubs are due to compete in men’s open, women’s and under-18 divisions.

When is the surf competition?

Saturday begins with morning wellness at 6.30am. Under-18 heats are scheduled from 8am, followed by women’s and men’s open heats; the Legends Heat is listed for 3.30pm and surfing is due to finish at 5pm.

Sunday starts at 6.30am, with semifinals, a “meet the legends” session and finals scheduled between 8.15am and 2.15pm. The presentation is listed for 3pm at Felons Manly. Coastal conditions can affect surf events, so check the organiser’s programme before travelling.

Which live shows need tickets?

The Whitlams open the music programme at Felons Barrel Room on Friday 16 October, with William Crighton and his band also on the bill. The verified ticket price is A$79.90, doors open at 7pm and entry is restricted to people aged 18 and over.

Skunkhour’s Back to Basics show is scheduled for Friday 30 October at 8pm. General admission is A$59.90, the venue is 18+, and booking is through Moshtix.

The wider programme also lists The Beautiful Girls, Skegss, Babe Rainbow, Kita Alexander, Yolanda Be Cool, GANGgajang and Winston Surfshirt. Some events are free and others are ticketed. For example, the festival page currently labels Kita Alexander’s 29 October show as free but also points readers to a forthcoming ticket release, so capacity and booking arrangements should be checked on the official programme before setting out.

How to plan a useful Manly day

• Use the official festival programme to confirm any last-minute time or venue changes.
• For the free surf weekend, allow time for both the Manly Main Beach competition and the art trail at Manly Wharf.
• Book paid concerts through the ticket link on the artist’s official festival page, and check the 18+ rule before buying.
• The final weekend combines the surf competition with several music events; check the programme before choosing your travel time.

Verified sources

Event dates, venues and programme details were checked on 5 October 2026 against the Surf + Sound website, the official programme and the Boardriders competition page. The selected concert prices and age limits were checked against the Moshtix pages for The Whitlams and Skunkhour.

Featured image: aerial view of Manly Beach photographed on 24 October 2020 by Maksym Kozlenko (Maxim75), via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This archive photograph shows the venue area and does not depict the 2026 festival.