Spectrum Now Festival

Spectrum Now Festival

The Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum Now Festival presented by ANZ today announces their family-friendly program, taking place throughout each weekend of the 11-night Domain component of the festival, March 3-13.

The free-to-attend fairground, fit for the whole family's enjoyment, will feature the KidZone, a mini-oasis of merriment equipped with an obstacle course, a jumping castle, giant games and face painting. While over on the Spectrum stage, an enormous program of free and ticketed arts, music, drama and science workshops will be happening 12pm to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Caroline Kemp, Festival Director, comments:

'With activities organised for all ages, there's something for everyone at the Spectrum Now Festival @ The Domain. The Live Love Learn team will have the kids creating tie-dye beach bags, the science folks will be conjuring up mind-boggling experiments and Sydney's very own vegetable-roots-reggae band, The Vegetable Plot, will have everyone up on the dance floor."

The complimentary experiences extend beyond the KidZone offerings with four must-see acts promising to entertain kids and grown-ups alike. On Sunday March 6, rad dad and rockstar-to-the-rugrats Benny Time will present an afternoon of live music, sweet tunes and parental debate with Kinderling Kids Radio Danceteria. Once the hot-topics are out of the way with Kinderling Conversation, Benny will be taking requests for your favourite childhood tunes guaranteed to get the singing and dancing started. With any energy still left to burn, The La La SistarZ, will be hosting a hula-hooping extravaganza where festivalgoers aged three to 83 will be able to grab a hoop and master the magic of motion with this entertaining sister act.

Offspring will be able to enjoy the wonders of science through electrifying and captivating experiments as the mad scientists from Fizzics Education Science turn the Spectrum stage in to their own laboratory. Be prepared for explosions, fireballs, gigantic bubbles, flying toilet paper, liquid nitrogen, levitating beach balls and so much more.

On Saturday March 12 The Vegetable Plot, a roots reggae group starring some of Sydney's tastiest musicians and singers, will be serving up a feast of fresh grooves, catchy tunes, colourful characters and delicious puns in the KidZone Domain. Kids, families and foodies of all ages will be taken on a soil train with Aspara Gus, Ru Barb, Sir Paul McCarrotney and Blowbergine.

Every weekend the KidZone will also feature two exclusive ticketed events. First up is the Live Love Learn gang, who will be encouraging youngsters to get crafty in a bid to create artworks inspired by The Royal Botanic Gardens, Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour and Ken Done's designs of the city. The four 90-minute workshops will help develop the infants' fine motor skills with each lesson focusing on design foundation techniques, turning every canvas into a masterpiece – perfect for their next exhibition on the kitchen fridge.

From kindy kids to teenagers, the NIDA Kids Workshops will show attendees how to unlock their inner actor-self. In this fun-filled festival setting, each two-hour session will teach performers simple acting and compelling storytelling techniques through group dramatic play and improvisation exercises.

In addition to the family-friendly arena is the wider carnival of Spectrum Now Festival fun, which features a 20-strong troupe of burlesque performers, showgirls, contortionists, fire-throwers and snake charmers. As well as pop-up barbershops, tattoo parlours, hairdressing salons and delicious food and top-notch drinks, is a massive line-up of music and comedy. Artists taking to the stage in the Big Top tent include The Jesus and Mary Chain, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Calexico, Birds of Tokyo, Missy Higgins, Augie March, Seekae, Alvvays, U.S. Girls, a Comedy Central Gala with the Workaholics, Hot Dub Time Machine, Jonathan Boulet and RocKwiz Live with Megan Washington.

With more line-up details set to come, tickets to the already announced shows are on sale now via spectrumnow.com.au.

Experience NOW. Remember Forever.

#spectrumnow

Spectrum Now Artist Playlist: http://spoti.fi/1QhWNI9

Video: https://youtu.be/nf7D8yy7l28