Wonder awaits as children’s festival lights up Geelong

COLOUR, magic and imagination will transform Geelong’s CBD this month, as a children’s festival takes over Little Malop Street with a two-week program of performances, workshops and creative adventures.

An initiative of Geelong Arts Centre, the Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival will make its return between September 12–25, serving up school holiday fun for the entire family across the city’s arts precinct.

Among this year’s highlights are RAIN, an intimate live cello performance created specifically for babies, The Indirect Object’s Morphology, a growing interactive sculpture of light that morphs as you play, and a kid take-over of The Piano Bar.

On the stage, Geelong Arts Centre will present leading family productions such as Spot – Live on Stage and Velveteen Rabbit, while the Wonder Schools Showcase, a celebration of creativity with a 77-year history, will spotlight the region’s young performers.

The Geelong Library, meanwhile, will host story time sessions and Archibald Prize-inspired pet portrait workshops, Geelong Gallery will present a portraiture exhibition celebrating young artists and Barwon Water will open the doors to its highly successful Museum of Modern (f)Art.

Geelong Arts Centre chief executive and creative director Rhys Holden said the festival was created to “nurture children’s boundless curiosity” and “spark the joy and awe that comes from taking part in creative experiences in all their unexpected and magical forms”.

“With free events, street festivities and a curated program of some of the country’s leading productions for young people, we can’t wait for families to experience all there is to offer across this year’s extraordinary festival,” he said.

More than 12,000 people are expected to attend this year’s festival, which is fast becoming the largest children’s festival in regional Victoria.

New this year is the Big Wonder Weekend and Wonder Walk on September 20 and September 21.

The two-day event will take over Geelong Arts Centre, the Geelong Cultural Precinct and Little Malop Street precinct between 10am and 4pm with a program of free family events and entertainment, including roving performers, treasure hunts, face painting and tasty treats.

Geelong MP Chris Couzens said the festival, which is now in its third year, brings the community together in “the most joyful way”.

“It’s fantastic to see local families enjoying world-class performances, free events and hands-on experiences right here in the heart of our city and the state-of-the-art Geelong Arts Centre.”

Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival is supported by the Victoria government through Creative Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong.

For more information, including the festival’s full program, head to geelongartscentre.org.au