RIVERSIDE’S SPOT ON CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL RETURNS TO DELIVER AN EPIC PROGRAM OF SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN

Riverside Theatres is set to once again become a hub for the best of children’s entertainment and activities this spring school holidays for the annual Spot On Children’s Festival, running over five jam-packed days from 27th September to 1st October.

This year’s program features a fun-filled line-up of theatre, musical performances, physical comedy and circus acts, all guaranteed to keep children of all ages entertained throughout the school holidays.

In celebration of its 10th year, Spot On has also established a brand-new partnership with Playgroup NSW, who are this year celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Spot On encourages children to explore the world of the arts, delve into tales of magical creatures and places near and far and experience the power of live performance and dynamic storytelling.

Director of Riverside Theatres, Craig McMaster says, “After a highly successful digital festival last year, Spot On Children’s Festival is coming back with a 100% live program and will be bigger and better than ever this Spring school holidays. Our exciting new partnership with Playgroups NSW will add even more family fun to the festival, and we can’t wait to see Riverside turned into a magical world of fun and creativity for the little ones to let their imaginations run wild.”

The Festival program includes:

• The Gruffalo – Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Ages 3+ years.
• Holiday Island – Sit back, relax and watch physical comedian, Ali Gordon, enjoy a perfectly silly holiday with your family. Inspired by the nonsense of Mr Bean and driven by a nostalgic soundtrack, this show offers your family the feeling a holiday: an outing full of laughter, joy and shared memories. Ages 3+ years.
• A Big Animal Adventure – Join The Nannas and The Poppas as they go looking for their lost pet elephant. Along the way they fly like birds, roar like tigers, swing like monkeys, chomp like friendly alligators and they even learn how to super bunny hop! Ages 2-7 years.
• Urza and the Song in the Dark – Featuring shadow projections, live music and puppetry, this intimate production will spark your imagination. When a mysterious song leads miner, Urza, into the depths of the earth her world is shaken and is caught up in an ancient story of legendary proportions. Ages 6-12 years.
• ROFL - A bonkers sketch comedy extravaganza of epic proportions, made just for kids. Jam packed with magically stupid stuff like a burpershop quartet and the kind of madness that only the award-winning maestros of kidault comedy, The Listies, can make. Ages 4+ years.
• A Bee Story – Incorporating a kaleidoscope of circus, acrobatics, dance and live music, this show tells the story of Queen Bee and Worker Bee who must work together to rebuild their hive after being destroyed by a bushfire. Ages 3+ years.
• The PlayYard – The Riverside Courtyard will be transformed in to the PlayYard for the Spot On Festival, with families invited to join Playgroup workshops and other playful experiences designed to engage children and help them explore possibilities through play!

CEO of Playgroup NSW, Nadene Lee says, “The Spot On Festival PlayYard is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our communities and create valuable play experiences families can recreate in their own homes.”

Playgroup NSW leads play-based programs across NSW that are dedicated to supporting children and families and strengthening local communities to positively impact those that engage with our services.

Riverside Theatres is the premier performing arts venue in Western Sydney. Well-established and highly respected both by the local community and the national arts industry, Riverside is a successful cultural and community asset of City of Parramatta Council.