Community Spirit Shines as Coastal Twist Fair Day Overcomes Council Red Tape

The Central Coast’s beloved Coastal Twist Festival Fair Day defied extraordinary bureaucratic challenges to deliver one of the region’s most joyful and unifying weekends of the year.

Despite a mountain of council red tape and just three weeks to promote an event that usually takes four months to prepare, thousands of locals and visitors gathered over the October long weekend to celebrate inclusion, creativity, and queer pride on the long weekend — reaffirming Coastal Twist’s place as a vital force in the state’s cultural calendar.

Festival Director Glitta Supernova on overcoming red tape

Festival Director Glitta Supernova said the path to Fair Day felt at times impossible. “After months and more reams of red tape and diversion than any producer should ever have to deal with, it sometimes felt like the life and joy had been drained from the process,” she said. “More money and time went towards council than community building — a broken system working against the people it’s meant to serve. But when I saw the participation, the smiles, and the magic our volunteers and artists created, my cup refilled instantly.”

The 10-month struggle to secure approval came with staggering costs: a 492 per cent increase in council compliance fees and administrative demands. Organisers described it as a “Clayton’s DA” — a 13-page approval document with just 14 days to meet its conditions. “We had to fight for the life of this festival at levels none of us have seen before,” one organiser said. “Coastal Twist 2025 simply wouldn’t have happened without the support of dozens of people, including Central Coast Councillors, aghast engineers, and the NSW Rural Fire Service.”

Local businesses, engineers, and traffic specialists pitched in more than $25,000 in pro bono work to help meet the council’s growing list of requirements — a testament to how deeply the community values the event.

Despite the setbacks, the festival achieved a strong turnout  — the festival still achieved 23 per cent national
visitation, which is slightly down on previous years but the festival says this was “balanced by an unprecedented surge in local attendance”, and surveys showed them 99 per cent of attendees would recommend Coastal Twist to friends and family next year.

Local leaders and community rally behind Coastal Twist

Central Coast Mayor Lawrie McKinna addressed the cheering crowd, commending organisers for embodying the community’s spirit: “Through our community plan, people told us they want to feel celebrated and connected to life on the Central Coast — and Coastal Twist truly delivers that vision.” FunHaus Factory Chair Juan Iocco said the return of councillor support had “restored transparency, accountability and local leadership.”

Even in the final hours before the event, organisers were met with new obstacles — including a failed council lockbox that delayed access to stage power and gates for several hours. Council later resolved the issue, assuring organisers there was “no ill intent to sabotage your event.”

Despite it all, Coastal Twist went ahead — powered by resilience, volunteer energy, and a fierce belief in community. NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper praised the festival’s alignment with the state’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, calling it part of a “world-class calendar of events that drive visitation, support jobs, and boost the businesses that rely on our growing visitor economy.”

For Glitta Supernova and her team, the message from Fair Day was clear: the Central Coast community is ready to thrive — if only the system lets them. “We will be back next year,” she said, “with a focus on community and delivery.”