Thousands of Students Celebrate 50 Years of DreamBIG Children’s Festival as Opening Parade returns

Students from 30 schools across South Australia will celebrate the opening of DreamBIG Children’s Festival today with DreamBIG’s Birthday Parade on site at Adelaide Festival Centre, and numerous parades hosted by regional schools across the state.

The world’s longest-running curated children’s festival (originally known as Come Out Children’s Festival) is bringing back the Parade, a cherished Come Out tradition, in honour of the festival’s 50th anniversary.

Taking over Adelaide Festival Centre and surrounds until May 17, this year’s DreamBIG Children’s Festival focuses on the theme ‘I Was, I Am, I Will Be,’ and features more than 70 shows, activities, and exhibitions across 10 days.

DreamBIG Children’s Festival Director Georgi Paech:

I look forward to welcoming children, families andteachers to Adelaide Festival Centre, across ten fun-filled days of discovery, imagination and transformation for DreamBIG’s 50th anniversary program.

The popular Big Family Weekend returns from May 10 – 11, with free events for children of all ages across Adelaide Festival Centre and Festival Plaza. Families can look forward to free exhibitions, interactive workshops, high-energy musical acts on the Big Family Weekend Outdoor Stage, and the mysterious Lucky Dip Tent featuring a surprise lineup of 20 minute performances for all ages.

A highlight of the Big Family Weekend is Zindzi and the Zillionaires, a hip hop show for the whole family featuring Play School host Zindzi and her fluffy friends The Zillies on May 11 at Space Theatre.

 

 

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM:

DreamBIG Children’s Festival hasbeen bringing world-class performances to the children of South Australia for 50 years, and we are proud tocontinue to bring these important experiences to our youngest audiences.

In an Adelaide premiere, two Australian picture books will come to life on stage – IMAGINE LIVE, an enchanting interactive performance based on Alison Lester’s iconic bestseller, and Rachel Burke’s glittery and vibrant musical Fancy Long Legs.

International shows include New Zealand’s The Bookbinder, an original dark fairytale full of magic and mayhem, and Mini SPIN, an inclusive dance event celebrating joy and connection from UK-based AnnaSeymour.

 

 

Shows making their Adelaide debut at Space Theatre include; The Princess, The Pea (and the Brave Escapee) from Australian Chamber Orchestra – a stunning reimagination of the much-loved fairytale featuring live classical music, and award-winning theatre show Whalebone by Jens Altheimer, combining comedy, magic and circus.

At the State Library of South Australia, local artist Stephen Noonan will present his award-winning, non verbal performance the Boy & the Ball, and Omusubi Productions will fuse Japanese folklore traditions and contemporary storytelling in Little Bozu and Kon Kon.

 

 

At Latvian Hall, Sensorium Theatre invites children inside the Wonderbox, an immersive multi-sensory wonderland where each child is given the opportunity to find a magical version of themselves.

Minister for Arts, the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP:

South Australia is proud to be the festival state, and DreamBIG Children’s Festival provides a fantastic opportunity for the youngest members of our community to engage with the arts.

DreamBIG Children’s Festival (initiated in 1974 as Come Out Children’s Festival) has two programs-one for schools and another for families. This year, DreamBIG Children’s Festival has attracted more than 500 bookings from 175 schools, including 28 who are travelling from regional South Australia to attend the festival.

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Season Details

Venue: Adelaide Festival Centre
Date: 07-17 May 2025

For more information click HERE