The pencils, crayons and textas are coming out in Chatswood, with local primary school children being invited to design the flags that will decorate the CBD over the festive season.
Willoughby City Council has opened its 2026 Festive Flags Competition to students from kindergarten to Year 6, with up to 40 artworks to be chosen and transformed into flags for display around Chatswood during December and January.
For the children whose designs make the cut, an A3 drawing created at home or school could soon become part of the summer streetscape in the middle of Chatswood.
What does the festive season look like to a child?
There is plenty of room for young artists to answer that for themselves. Designs need to depict a festive-season theme connected with December and January, with Christmas and New Year’s Eve among the examples suggested by Council rather than being the only subjects children can choose.
The competition is open to students from kindergarten to Year 6 who either live within the Willoughby municipality or attend school there. Children are also welcome to have another go if inspiration strikes, as multiple submissions from the same entrant are permitted.
There is one important format requirement: artwork must be created in portrait orientation on the competition’s official A3 template. The form and template can be downloaded online, while printed copies are also available from Council’s Customer Service Centre on the ground floor at 31 Victor Street, Chatswood.
Once entries close, submissions will be scored by a judging panel chosen by Willoughby City Council, with up to 40 winning designs selected to be produced as flags.
Council says the successful entrants will receive a gift card and certificate, with the young artists invited to an awards presentation at the tree-lighting event at The Concourse on 20 November.
From the drawing table to Chatswood CBD
There is a fairly quick turnaround between putting the finishing touches on an entry and seeing the winning designs overhead.
Completed artwork and entry forms must reach Council by 5:00 pm on Friday, 16 October 2026, with Council intending to advise successful entrants by 26 October. The flags are scheduled to be installed around Chatswood CBD from Monday, 16 November and remain on display until early January.
Entries can be dropped off at Willoughby City Council, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood, or posted to:
Festive Flag Competition 2026
Media, Marketing and Events
Willoughby City Council
PO Box 57
Chatswood NSW 2067
Parents and carers should read the competition conditions before signing the entry form. Selected designs may be reproduced by Council during the festive season and in future years, while the conditions also grant Council rights to use an entrant’s name, likeness or voice in publicity connected with the competition. Materials submitted to Council will not be returned.
For Chatswood children with an idea of what the festive season should look like, there is still time to get it onto paper — and perhaps see it flying above the CBD before the year is out.
Enter the 2026 Festive Flags Competition
Entries close 5:00 pm Friday, 16 October 2026.
Published 22-Aug-2026
