Big Wonder Weekend 2026

Free & ticketed family fun across Geelong Arts Centre and beyond!

Big Wonder Weekend invites you to turn the September school holidays into a joy-filled Geelong adventure, and a vibrant celebration of creativity and curiosity in the heart of the CBD.

LIVE AT GEELONG ARTS CENTRE

Ticketed performances and free activities happening across Geelong Arts Centre.

ROOM ON THE BROOM

19–20 SEP
Sat 12pm & 3pm
Sun 10am & 1pm

The Play House, Geelong Arts Centre

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, will there be room on the broom for the witch and her friends?

Ages 3+

Tickets $20–$32

ERTH'S DINOSAURS

19–20 SEP
Sat 11am & 2pm
Sun 11am & 2pm

The Play House, Geelong Arts Centre

Travel back to a prehistoric world and come face-to-face with creatures great and small in this immersive live dinosaur experience.

Ages 5+

Tickets $20–$32

WONDER BEATS

19–20 SEP
Sat 10.30am & 1.30pm
Sun 10.30am & 1.30pm

Church, 71 Ryrie St

Led by DJ Andrew McClelland, get ready for a high-energy dance floor made just for kids, packed with colour, movement and feel-good fun.

All ages

Tickets $15

Wolfgang in the Stars Circus Workshop with Circa

19 SEP
Sat 9.30am, 11.30am & 2.30pm

Limelight, Studio 4, Geelong Arts Centre

Jump, tumble and play with Circa performers while learning circus skills and creative movement inspired by Wolfgang in the Stars.

Ages 5–12

Tickets $20

Emma Memma's Jungle Picnic Tour

19 SEP
Sat 10am

Costa Hall, 1 Gheringhap St

Emma Memma’s much-anticipated Jungle Picnic Tour brings music, movement and colourful family fun to the stage.

All ages

Tickets $42.50

BEASTIES

19–20 SEP
Sat 12.15pm & 2.45pm
Sun 9.45am & 12.45pm

Ryrie St Foyers, Geelong Arts Centre

Step into a wonderfully weird petting zoo filled with quirky creatures, playful surprises and plenty of hands-on fun.

All ages

FREE

SLOW STAR VILLAGE

19–24 SEP
Daily 10am–4pm

The Open House, Geelong Arts Centre

Step into a colourful, hands-on space where families can weave, play and help create an ever-changing world together.

All ages

FREE

EXPERTS RADIO LAB

19–20 SEP
Daily 10.30am–12.30pm
& 1.30pm–3.30pm

Level 3, The Story House Foyer, Geelong Arts Centre

Drop into the pop-up radio studio, take the interview chair and share your expertise on whatever topic you know best.

All ages

FREE

OUR FRIEND IN ME - MOBILE SENSORY TRAILER

19–20 SEP
Daily

Plaza Forecourt (By The Open House), Geelong Arts Centre

Our Friend in Me Mobile Sensory Trailer is a purpose-built inclusive space designed to bring calm, connection and sensory support directly into the community.

All ages

FREE

WONDER AROUND TOWN

Activities and experiences popping up across the Little Malop Street precinct and beyond.

Plus, keep an eye out for roving street performers, kid buskers, drawing stations and more surprises popping up throughout the weekend.

Little Artists Day Out: Discovering the Impressionists Tour & Flower Crafting

19 SEP
Sat 9am, 9.15am, 9.30am & 9.45am

Geelong Gallery, Little Malop St

Step into a world of colour and imagination with a family-friendly tour of Discovering the Impressionists, followed by free drop-in flower crafting.

All ages

$50 family (2 adults + up to 4 children)
$25 family (1 adult + up to 2 children)

GEORGIE ROSE PUPPETRY: THE BOY WHO LOST HIS LIGHT

19 SEP
Sat 10am & 2pm

Little Cloud Studio, Creative Geelong, Centrepoint Arcade, 132 Little Malop St, Geelong

An immersive puppetry performance and creative experience inviting families into a playful world of storytelling and imagination.

All ages

Tickets $20 + booking fee

KIDS’ COUNTRY AT HONKY CAT SALOON

19 SEP
Sat 11am & 1pm

Honky Cat Saloon, 90–92 Little Malop St, Geelong

Boots on! Join professional dancers for line dancing, singalongs and live country music with Andy Pobjoy and Shandelle Cooke.

Ages 0–12

Tickets $10–$35

THE CAROUSEL

14–24 SEP

The Carousel, Geelong Waterfront

Discover the magic of Geelong’s historic waterfront carousel, featuring an original Armitage-Herschell steam-driven, hand-carved wooden carousel built around 1892.

All ages

WHAT NOW? INTERGENERATIONAL DANCE WORKSHOP

TUE 22 SEP
10:30 - 11:30am

Platform Arts

Through play, movement, and sharing of stories, this workshop will offer children an opportunity to dance together with their caregivers and offer caregivers an opportunity to connect with not only their child, but also their own ‘inner child’.

All ages

KIDS OWN PUBLISHING: BOOK MAKING WORKSHOP

WED 23 SEP
10am - 12pm

Platform Arts

Join an artist-led workshop that creates an imaginative space for collaboration and creative play. Children, families and carers will be guided through a process of turning experiences into images and stories, learning skills to create and publish their own books together at this workshop and at home.

All ages

GEELONG CITY MARKET

19 SEP
Sat 9am–2pm

Little Malop St Central, between Yarra St & Moorabool St

Explore local produce, food, drink, creative stalls and entertainment in the heart of Geelong.

All ages

FREE ENTRY

LITTLE BEAVS LIVE WITH THE SUBURBANS

19 SEP
Sat 3pm–5pm

Beav’s Bar, 77–79 Little Malop St, Geelong

Dance and sing along with The Suburbans for a family-friendly Saturday afternoon at Beav’s Bar.

All ages

FREE

MACHINE MAKERS LAB

19–20 SEP
Sat 10am–2pm
Sun 10am–2pm

National Wool Museum, 26–32 Moorabool St

Cut, stick, build and decorate your own planes, trains, buses and brilliant transport machines of the future.

All ages

FREE

CREATIVE GEELONG MAKERS MARKET

19 SEP
Sat 10am–3pm

Creative Geelong, 132 Little Malop St

Browse locally made art, clothing, books, handmade goods and creative finds while supporting Geelong makers.

All ages

FREE ENTRY

CHILL OUT ZONE

19–20 SEP
Sat 10am–5pm
Sun 10am–5pm

Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, 51 Little Malop St

Drop in, slow down and enjoy a welcoming space for families to read, play, create and recharge.

All ages

FREE

IMAGINARY FRIENDS

14–24 SEP
Available all hours

Yarra Street Window Gallery, Market Square, Yarra St, Geelong

Meet a playful collection of imaginary companions inspired by the wishes, memories and daydreams of people aged 5 to 78.

All ages

FREE

MUSEUM OF MODERN (F)ART

20 SEP | 11am - 3pm
22 SEP | 9am - 1pm

Barwon Water, 55-67 Ryrie St, Geelong

Discover the surprising journey of what happens after you flush at Barwon Water’s Museum of Modern (f)Art, featuring free interactive fun for the whole family.

All ages

FREE

Local Eats & Festival Deals

Make a day of it with family-friendly food, sweet treats and special festival offers across Geelong.

Augustus Gelatery

41 Gheringhap St, Geelong

Kids under 12 can enjoy a $3 scoop.

Loukoumadness

65 Lt Malop St, Geelong

Family Pack: two large loukoumades packs for $20

Double Pack: two small loukoumades packs for $15

Caruggi

66 Little Malop St, Geelong

Family-friendly dining with kid-sized pizza and pasta options available.

Mavs Greek Restaurant

73A Little Malop St, Geelong

Mention Wonder Children’s Festival and receive:

One free kids’ meal with every regular main, or

Up to two free kids’ meals with every Mix Grill Platter for Two or Seafood Platter for Two.

Hot Chicken Project

84A Little Malop St, Geelong

Kids’ meals available, including tenders and fries, chicken poppers (boneless bites), or fries.

OK. Smash

88 Little Malop St, Geelong

Kids’ meals available, including a cheeseburger and fries, corndogs, a ballpark dog and fries, or waffle fries.

GETTING HERE

Make your journey part of the adventure. Geelong Station is a short walk from Geelong Arts Centre, with public transport options available across the city.

Eat, drink and recharge

Take a break between adventures with family-friendly food and drinks available at Tutti Café.

Wonder Children's Festival

Explore even more great adventures across Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival.

Festival FAQs

Geelong Arts Centre is located at 50 Little Malop Street, Geelong

Venues and services at the Little Malop Street venue include -
Geelong Arts Centre Box office, The Story House, The Open House, The Play House, Cue Light (Studio 1), Spotlight (Studio 2), Beam Light (Studio 3), Limelight (Studio 4) and the Merge Co-working space

Costa Hall is located at
Deakin University: 1 Gheringhap St, Geelong

Geelong Arts Centre events take place at multiple venues. Before you attend your event, please visit the dedicated event page on the Geelong Arts Centre website for all of the latest show information and event venue information.

Below are just a few of the ways to get to Geelong -

BY ROAD - Geelong is only an hour from the Melbourne CBD via the Westgate and Princes Freeways

BY RAIL - Regular rail services operate between Melbourne's Southern Cross Station and Geelong with VLine. Check out the most up-to-date schedules at Public Transport Victoria

BY AIR – Avalon Airport is Victoria’s second International Airport, and is located just 20 minutes outside of Geelong

BY FERRY - Take the ‘seanic’ route with these three ferry options -
Port Phillip Ferries | Docklands, Melbourne to Geelong CBD
Searoad Ferries | Sorrento to Queenscliff
Spirit of Tasmania | Devonport to Geelong

For more information, see the Getting here section of the Plan your visit page.

The Geelong precinct offers multiple parking options including on-street parking - which can be found here at geelongaustralia.com.au/parking

There are often multiple events on, in, and around the precinct. We suggest you allow enough time to find a suitable park prior to the event.

For further information, check out these helpful resources for parking in Geelong

Parking options in Central Geelong
Geelong CBD accessibility map
Parking Information - Deakin Waterfront
Multideck Campus Map

We have baby changing facilities in our toilets – ask at the Box Office and our staff will happily point you in the right direction.

Prams are not able to be taken inside our theatres but you are welcome to leave it in a spot just outside your entry door.

That’s ok, get in touch and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Presented by

Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, and in partnership with City of Greater Geelong.