Head South Side with the kids
It’s time to head South Side…
In 2025, South Side Festival is showing no signs of slowing down as it delivers a program packed with surprises, colour, tender moments, belly-jiggling laughter and acrobatic feats that will have your heart-racing.
These are the types of events you used to have to travel to Melbourne for – but no more – South Side is the good time you need locally.
It’s a massive program though – there are over 40 experiences across 10 days to choose from. That can be hard to digest and even harder to understand how you can get in there and get involved.
So let us help you.
This one’s for the families – if you have kids, South Side has an event to entertain, engage and inspire.
We also have one for the adults – couples, friends, newly dating or hoping to date in the future – head over to this guide if you don’t have to worry about the little people.
Back to the kids - Let’s start with the lights….. the neon ones to be exact.
Once again set to transform Beauty Park, Neon Fields will be lighting up the night from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 May. From 5 to 10pm each night, explore, interact and play among the neons in a colourful fantasy land. Fan favourites from last year will be back, alongside a heap of new installations for that Insta-perfect picture you’ve been seeking.
What makes this different to the other light shows popping up around Melbourne – this one is free! Come down, bring the family, don’t forget your pooch and enjoy a magical meander that won’t break the bank.
We all love to get creative, and the team from Playable Streets are bringing you the perfect outlet with their interactive exhibition, Reflection.
From Saturday 10 May, until Saturday 21 June (so heaps of time to get to this one!) the Glass Cube at Cube 37 will become a space for creativity.
Explore the mirror-like shapes and draw your reflection on its surface. Then walk through the winding maze and pause to appreciate the reflections of others – discovering similarities and differences in each drawing. After dark, the Reflections come alive with ultraviolet light transforming each drawing into a vibrant display of electric lines of colour.
After such a positive splash in 2024 we couldn’t resist bringing all the dippers together again for Sea Soak 2025.
On Saturday, 10 May at 7:45 AM head to the Frankston Foreshore, right outside the Frankston Life Saving Club and get ready to do something you’ll always remember.
Cold water immersion isn’t just for the brave—it’s proven to lower stress and boost mental health. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to bond with your family and meet new friends. Whether you’re part of a regular group or totally new to the cold-water experience, this event is all about coming together as a community to kickstart your weekend in the best possible way!
And what’s better than a morning swim? A BBQ brekkie roll, of course—served hot and fresh right from the Life Saving Club grill.
So, are you ready to take the plunge? Head to the website to register, and don’t forget to bring your towel and something cosy to slip into after your dip!
To answer the question nobody asked, ‘What do acrobats and carrots have in common?’ let’s take a look
at The Farmy Farm.
An acrobatic performance from the award-winning Circus Trick Tease team, this laugh-a-minute high flying family fun show is full of physical feats, cheeky moments and just enough audience participation to keep you on your toes. There’s only two performances though. Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May. Make sure you book your tickets before they sell out.
Come for the party, stay for the fun of Bamma Mia! With two shows on Tuesday 13 May, grab your family and friends and get to Cube 37 to sing and dance along to all your favourite ABBA songs.
Performed by “Treblemakers” music theatre ensemble from BAM Arts Inc, Melbourne's leading provider of inclusive performing and creative arts programs for people with disabilities this show is ideal for people aged 15 years. There’ll be singing, dancing, challenges and most importantly, a great time for all. Get your tickets here.
Over in the Library, jump into one of the hands-on workshops for the wanna-be gardener and waste conscious creative. The Urban Nanna will teach you how to start your low waste journey with sessions on low-waste food gardening and even a class on how to dehydrate your food to give it another life. Then on Sunday 18 May, local author, Jaclyn Crupi will be putting on a winter gardening workshop sharing her knowledge about soil, making liquid fertilisers, how to save seeds and more.
After dark between 6-9pm from Friday 9 – Sunday 18 May, the Library forecourt will become a screen for a 15-minute animated story by Australian/Columbian artist, Joshua Searle, paired with an epic soundtrack by local talent Josh Davies. Pop by and see at the buildings transform with colour and culture as Joshua shares a slice of his Columbian history, in his story
Themes of sustainability run through the South Side program, creating new ways to see old problems or ways of doing things.
Liz Walker’s Let’s Get Real installation is an immersive visual arts exhibition using recycled obje
cts and collected plastic waste from local beaches to visually show us the volume and variety of single use items contributing to environmental devastation. You can drop in on Saturdays during the festival to join Liz and make your own piece of the artwork.
In the same vein, contemporary jeweller, Lori Hakim, explores the transformative power of craft to reclaim and repurpose waste in her exhibition, Undercurrent. Coastal rubbish is reimagined into wearable jewellery, vibrant colour, dramatic scale, and familiar materials draw you in - inviting you to consider the environmental impact of consumer culture and the pervasive nature of waste.
So, as you can see there’s heaps to choose from in the South Side Festival 2025 program for families looking to put off winter hibernation for just a little longer.
All of these events happen in and around the Frankston Arts Centre, so make sure you keep some time up our sleeve to grab a bite to eat in the City and make a day or night of it.
From General Public’s scrumptious lunch specials, or Young Street Tavern’s most delicious burgers – plus amazing Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and of course the sweet finish ice-cream, fro-yo or Spanish donuts – Wells, Young, Playne Streets and Nepean Highway are a foodie’s dream.
Be sure to book your spot on the weekends though as tables fill up fast!
Think these events all sounded pretty cool? You should see the adult only ones!
Why not sort a baby-sitter (or dog-sitter – or tell hubby he’s on duty) and make a plan for a night on the South Side….. Check out the guide here
Check out all that South Side has to offer and grab your tickets to your favourite events at southsidefestival.com.au.southsidefestival.com.au.
Don't forget to follow the Festival on Facebook and Instagram as well.
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