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DreamBIG Children’s Festival has today revealed its full program for 2021 with a theme of Be Curious - encouraging South Australian children to continue to be curious, kind, imaginative, adventurous and compassionate in a changing world. In addition to a diverse offering for South Australian schools, the festival is hosting an assortment of thrilling and inspiring events available to the general public from 19th to 29th May. 

More than 300 artists will present hundreds of performances across the festival, with families invited to explore 14 shows, four online experiences and more than 20 free activities.

DreamBIG’s Creative Producer Susannah Sweeney said audiences were eagerly awaiting the biennial festival’s return, with the number of school bookings already up from 2019.

Sweeney notes “Teachers understand how important this festival is for their students’ development, and the enthusiasm they’ve shown is a great indicator of how well our family shows will be received.

“In this strange new world that 2020 has delivered, we’re hoping to help young people navigate their way through by fostering a shared sense of humanity and curiosity. This year’s theme of Be Curious is all about encouraging kids to observe their surroundings and come up with new ideas and ways of thinking.

“DreamBIG Children’s Festival 2021 is full of shows and experiences that will stretch children’s minds, fill them with wonder and help them find their inner explorer.”

Adelaide Festival Centre Chief Executive and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier adds “DreamBIG Children’s Festival is woven into the fabric of our collective history as South Australians. Since 1974, more than 2 million children from across the state have taken part in this celebrated festival, and many have gone on to bring their own families.

“Whether you are continuing a family tradition, or starting a new one, you are all very welcome. DreamBIG is the perfect introduction to the infinite world of the arts and live performance. I look forward to seeing you at Adelaide Festival Centre as we unleash the curiosity of a new generation, all ready to dream big!”

Within the family program, five productions will make their world debut in addition to 12 Adelaide premieres and the first Australian performances of Ecoute Pour Voir: Listen to See by SA’s award-winning Restless Dance Theatre in collaboration with Canadian company Danse Carpe Diem. 

Shows on sale from today include modern technology and storytelling at its best with Patch Theatre’s ZOOOM and New Zealand company Trick of the Light’s Tröll.

Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus will animate the mischievous composer’s vibrant music with physical comedy and thrilling acrobatics, while Magic Beach will see the team behind The Gruffalo and the Treehouse series bring to life Alison Lester’s best-selling children’s book. In Creation Creation, Windmill Theatre Company will endeavour to answer life’s big questions – everything from the Big Bang to the afterlife.

The program also features a beatboxing superhero (Dr AudiYO’s Giant Adventure), dramatic bus tour (The Narrator) and an interactive installation encouraging audiences to slow down, reflect and wonder – Still Point of a Turning World, a co-production between South Australian and Danish performers. Children of all age ranges are catered for, including under threes with Our Corka Bubs and Touch & Go.

More than 20 free activities will be on offer over the Big Family Weekend on Saturday, May 22, and Sunday, May 23. The ever-popular event will converge on Adelaide Festival Centre and includes performances in the Festival Theatre by Teeny Tiny Stevies and Tutti Choir. It will also stretch out to the Adelaide College of the Arts, Adelaide Rowing Club, Torrens Parade Ground, State Library, South Australian Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Botanic Garden and Marion Cultural Centre – along with other locations dotted around Adelaide.

To coincide with the weekend’s festivities, Elder Park will host Fork on the Road – South Australia’s premier mobile food truck event showcasing local food and supporting grassroots talent.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the DreamBIG Children’s Festival website and Facebook

Image top: DreamBIG Children's Festival 2021 Magic Beach Credit: James D Morgan; image above: DreamBIG Children's Festival 2021 Wolfgangs Magical Circus Credit:Damien Bredberg

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