DreamBIG 2023, the world’s longest running children’s festival, will return to Adelaide Festival Centre this May 17-27.
The family program, launched today, focuses on the theme ‘Our World,’ and features more than 50 shows, activities, and exhibitions for audiences from babies to teenagers across 10 days.
Audiences can expect giant life-like dinosaurs, interactive light installations, thought provoking theatre and more from the family program which includes eight world premieres, one Australian premiere and seven Adelaide premieres.
The BIGGEST BIG Family Weekend
To celebrate Adelaide Festival Centre’s 50th year the 2023 festival will feature The BIGGEST BIG Family Weekend yet from 20-21 May across Adelaide Festival Centre and Festival Plaza, including free events for children of all ages, performances, exhibitions, workshops, installations, markets, food trucks by Fork in the Road, and the Big Family Weekend Gala – a variety hour celebrating some of SA’s best young performers.
Paint your way across the seas in Patch Theatre’s Sea of Light, learn to dance like an animal and be still like a tree with Guru Dudu’s Mysteries of Nature Silent Disco Walking Tour, unleash your inner musician with Wallabeats’ handmade instruments, let your imagination run wild in Massive Maker Space, play amongst 200kg of swirling, shredded recycled paper in Fluffy and join the Tutti Choir as they sing all your favourite tunes in Tutti’s Big Singalong.
Fun filled 10 days of DreamBIG
“The world’s first children’s festival has been delighting young South Australians for generations and we can’t wait to celebrate Adelaide Festival Centre’s 50th Anniversary with our youngest audiences over a fun-filled 10 days.” says Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM.
We welcome children and their families to Our World, a place of celebration, joy, and wonder.
International shows include:
- North Irelands Removed: a funny, moving, and critically acclaimed story of a young man’s experiences in a state authority system
- Norway’s We Come from Far, Far Away: an epic story of people, places, survival and friendship, following two boys from Aleppo.
Two of Mem Fox’s classic Australian stories will come to life on stage with Monkey Baa’s award-winning adaptation of Possum Magic featuring live action, magic, puppetry and animation, and Australian Chamber Orchestra’s immersive and intimate performance of Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge weaving together captivating storytelling and mesmerising music.
Something for kids of all ages at DreamBIG 2023
Babies and toddlers will enjoy The Thing That Matters, a dance performance for 0 – 3 year olds presented to livemusic, and A Song For Your Child, where families can create a lullaby for their child that will last a lifetime.
Watch dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures take to the stage in Erth’s Prehistoric World, an enchanting show from world-renowned Erth Visual and Physical. In another feat of technology, Here and There brings together six stories, from six different and diverse artists via an extraordinary performance that is live streamed between Australia, Malaysia, India, and Singapore.
A unique collaboration between two neurodiverse men and WA Theatre Company, award-winning ARCO is a heartfelt show about living with autism, and the struggles of a young man trying to make connections with the world around him.
Another performance opening the doors for honest conversations about mental health is AWGIE Award winning show Claire Della and the Moon, exploring depression and anxiety through puppetry, music, striking visuals and poetic storytelling.
Older children can look forward to Guthrak, a unique interactive theatrical experience inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, as well as Ruby Award-winning theatre company AJZ productions’ I AM, an immersive theatre experience that explores the ultimate question – “What is my one true purpose?”
The DreamBIG Opening Event at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Festival Theatre on May 17 will feature 1200 students from 15 schools converging on Adelaide Festival Centre to sing “My Island Home.” In a DreamBIG first, the event will be live streamed into classrooms around the state and the choir will be led in a mass dance event by youth dance ensemble, Dusty Feet Mob.
Formerly known as Come Out Festival which began in 1974, DreamBIG has two programs – one for schools and another for families/general public. It is held every two years and is proudly presented by Adelaide Festival Centre.
For more information visit the DreamBIG Children’s Festival website:
