The Woodleigh Beanie Festival is based on the Alice Springs Beanie Festival which is a community-based event that began in 1997 with a ‘beanie party’. The Festival was organised to sell beanies crocheted by Aboriginal women in remote communities. It has since grown into a fun event where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists share their culture and exhibit together. The Festival is unique because of the incredible amount of community participation and the unique ties with local Aboriginal organisations.

The Woodleigh Beanie Festival is now in its fourth year and school leadership recognise the fit of this eclectic event with Woodleigh values and are keen to grow the Festival and make it a major fundraiser for the whole school. It is designed to be a community building event that brings together students, parents, staff and friends from all three campuses, together with local Indigenous groups, collaborating to promote reconciliation and the arts whilst raising funds to support the Woodleigh School Community Fund. The aim is to have fun and provide our community with the opportunity to be a beanie maker, wearer or supporter.