The Play! Kids Festival

Get ready to sing, dance, drum and dive into the magic of South Sydney’s biggest kids performing arts festival returning this school holidays.

The Play! Kids Festival opens at The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre on October 1 to 5, bringing five days of live shows, creative workshops and hands-on fun for kids of all ages.

A few of the highlights include:

• ARIA Award-winning artist, Emma Memma, will headline this year’s festival on October 5 with her brand-new show, Dance Island Party. Following her sell-out Boop and Twirl tour, Emma’s performances focus on movement, creativity and friendship, with AUSLAN sign language woven into the choreography to promote inclusiveness.
• The Play! Kids Festival premieres a brand-new performance of Shark Dive by acclaimed puppetry innovators Erth – an underwater adventure with giant shark and marine life installations that bring Australia’s ocean creatures to life through storytelling, imagination and celebration of marine conservation.
• Adding to the excitement, Play! Kids Festival Ambassador and Cronulla footy player, Jesse Ramien, will join the Shark Dive experience on October 4th. As part of the event, Jesse will host a special meet and greet for winning ticket holders, sharing his passion for the ocean and his strong connection to the local community.
• The program also includes the Fringe Festival award-winning performance The Box Show by Junkyard Beats, a high-energy performance that turns everyday objects into drums and dance props, and IMAGINE LIVE, an interactive musical inspired by Alison Lester’s bestselling book Imagine.

The Play! Kids Festival is the perfect affordable outing for families this school holidays, with performance tickets start from only $29. Alongside performances, the festival offers workshops where kids can get creative, with daily dance classes and art sessions from just $15, or guests can select a Play! Pass for $50 to experience a full day of family fun. Free activities such as daily Storytime, foyer games and colouring competitions will also run throughout the week.

The Pavilion is South Sydney’s newest entertainment venue and is fully accessible for all families. Located just 30 minutes by train from Central Station, and a short walk from Sutherland Station, it is an ideal destination for a school holiday day out, with food and beverage options available all week long for families.

Daily activities start from 8.45am, with performances at 10am and 1pm.

This year, The Pavilion will also launch its new Creative Crew program, giving 30 local primary and high school students the chance to step behind the curtain and gain hands-on experience in event production, lighting, audio-visual technology and arts journalism.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit: thepavilionarts.au/play/