This year’s DreamBIG theme, I Was, I Am, I Will Be, encourages kids to think about their past, present, and future as they get inspired by the festival.
Launched today (16 January), the family program features more than 70 exciting shows, activities, and exhibitions over 10 days.
Families will have the chance to enjoy music, storytelling, interactive play, and so much more! There are nine world premieres and 12 South Australian premieres to look forward to.
DreamBIG’s Birthday Parade
To celebrate 50 years of DreamBIG, the festival’s iconic parade will make a return to open the event. On 7 May, students from all over South Australia will come together for a huge birthday party with DreamBIG’s Birthday Parade at the Adelaide Festival Centre. Teachers can even host their own celebrations at school!
Big Family Weekend
The much-loved Big Family Weekend will also return 10 and 11 May, with free events for kids of all ages at the Adelaide Festival Centre and Festival Plaza.
Kids can try out activities like controlling a giant marionette in String Symphony, creating a time capsule in The Museum of the Everyday, using flowers as instruments in The Plants, and drawing all over the walls, ceiling, and floor in Scribble Zone. More fun activities will be announced soon!
DreamBIG’s Creative Producer, Georgi Paech, said: “This year’s theme encourages young audiences to think about their dreams for the future.”
On-stage adventures
Two Australian picture books will come to life on the Dunstan Playhouse stage. Fancy Long Legs, by tinsel queen Rachel Burke, is a sparkly adventure about a spider who loves to create, while IMAGINE LIVE is a magical interactive performance based on Alison Lester’s famous book, exploring the wonders of the natural world. Another highlight is Zindzi & The Zillionaires, a musical adventure with Zindzi, a hip-hop artist and Play School host, and her furry friends, The Zillies.
At the State Library of South Australia, artist Stephen Noonan will perform his award-winning non-verbal show, The Boy and the Ball, and Omusubi Productions will present Little Bozu and Kon Kon, a beautiful tale of self-acceptance and friendship between a raccoon and a fox.
International performances include The Bookbinder, a dark fairytale from New Zealand’s Trick of the Light Theatre, and Mini SPIN, a fun and interactive dance event from the UK, welcoming children of all abilities to join in.
Sensorium Theatre, Australia’s leading theatre company for young audiences with disabilities, will invite children into the Wonderbox, an immersive, multi-sensory world where they can discover magical versions of themselves.
At Space Theatre, Whalebone promises a thrilling adventure with comedy, magic, and circus, while The Princess, The Pea and the Brave Escapee is a stunning reimagination of the classic fairytale, featuring live classical music from the Australia Chamber Orchestra.
DreamBIG has welcomed more than 2.5 million children since its first festival in 1974, and is a beloved part of growing up in South Australia. The festival continues to provide fresh, imaginative, and inspiring experiences for young audiences.
The DreamBIG Children’s Festival will take place from 7-17 May, 2025, at the Adelaide Festival Centre.
