Adelaide is about to come alive with a smorgasbord of fun activities and performances when DreamBIG Children’s Festival presents the Big Family Weekend from May 22-23.
Families are invited to explore more than 50 events – from paid performances to free workshops and exhibitions, and everything in between!
To help you make the most of it, here’s our step-by-step guide to the Big Family Weekend.
Step 1: Decide on when you’ll attend
The great thing about Big Family Weekend is that there’s so much to see and do! Just make sure you pick the right date if there’s something in particular you want to check out, as there are a few events scheduled for Saturday or Sunday only.
On Saturday:
- In the Space Theatre foyer, the Adelaide City Library Out & About team will present free event Robots & Storytime from 10am
- Ayers House Museum will host Everybody’s Mansion, a day of free games and craft activities from 10am
- Much-loved children’s band Teeny Tiny Stevies will appear in the Festival Theatre at 11.30am
- The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will perform Are we there yet? in the Scott Theatre at the University of Adelaide at 1.30pm and 3.15pm
On Sunday:
- Government House is offering free tours of its public rooms from 10am
- Scottish cellist Scott Sinclair will present A Piece of You in the Dunstan Playhouse foyer from 10.15am
- The Big Family Weekend Concert will showcase some of South Australia’s youth arts groups in the Festival Theatre from 11.30am
- Big Tutti Singalong will feature Tutti Choir and Adelaide’s own international superstar Hans in the Festival Theatre from 3pm
Step 2: Book ahead for special events and shows
Bookings are required for some of the free events, and you’ll need to buy tickets for paid performances, so make sure you check out the DreamBIG website for more information while planning your visit.
Shows on sale at Adelaide Festival Centre venues include Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus, Creation Creation, Dr AudiYO’s Giant Adventure and Magic Beach.
The Narrator will see audiences picked up on a bus from Elder Park, while Patch Theatre’s ZOOOM will be at the Adelaide College of the Arts and interactive experience Still Point of a Turning World is in the Queen’s Theatre near Light Square.
For toddlers, there’s Touch & Go and Our Corka Bubs in the Rehearsal Room at Adelaide Festival Centre, along with Nat Bartsch’s Lullabies at Nexus Arts.
Step 3: Map out the places you’ll go
While most of the fun and excitement can be found at Adelaide Festival Centre, other venues include the South Australian Museum, State Library, Art Gallery of South Australia and Adelaide Botanic Garden – along with nearby Elder Park, where Fork on the Road will offer a variety of food trucks.
Copies of the Big Family Weekend map can be found in the May edition of KIDDO and will be available at participating venues.
To help you get around, EcoCaddy will be cycling along North Terrace with free rides from 10am to 3pm on both days thanks to a partnership with RAA and DreamBIG.
Step 4: Make a schedule for the day
A great starting point for planning your day at Big Family Weekend is to pick out which shows and events are at specific times, then add other activities around these.
For example, here’s what your day at Adelaide Festival Centre could look like:
10.30am: Join the quest of a beatboxing superhero for Dr AudiYO’s Giant Adventure in the Quartet Bar
11.30am: In the Festival Theatre foyer, let your creativity run wild during interactive event Infinite Monster
12 noon: Walk over to Elder Park to enjoy a delicious lunch at Fork on the Road. While you’re there, the kids can play on the Climbing Tree and take a look at the DreamBIG Forest
1pm: Return to Adelaide Festival Centre for African Drumming Workshops
1.30pm: Check out the Hidden Creature Gallery in the John Bishop Room
2.30pm: Dance up a storm at Silent Disco with DJ Monski Mouse in the Artspace Gallery
3pm: Enjoy a pop-up performance from local musician Ben Anderson in the Space Theatre foyer
In between all of this, you can keep an eye out for roving performers and jump in on free craft activities with Playgroup SA. There are also some wonderful art exhibitions on display in the Festival Theatre and Space Theatre foyers.
Step 4: Be COVID safe and have fun!
Measures will be in place to keep families, artists and staff safe. Please review the Adelaide Festival Centre website for the most up-to-date information on the day.
You can also head to the Facebook event for the latest updates and discussion about Big Family Weekend. With more than 2000 people already registering their interest in attending, it’s gearing up to be one of Adelaide’s biggest children’s events of 2021!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the DreamBIG Children’s Festival website:
