Latest news with #Children'sFestival
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Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Scottish circus festival show cancelled after 'performer injury' in 'stunning' aerial display
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A festival circus act described as a 'stunning aerial show' has been cancelled after one of the artists was injured during a performance. The planned three-day run of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at the Edinburgh International Children's Festival (EICF) was cancelled at the weekend ahead of the festival's official opening night on Monday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad EICF said the cancellation of the two-person performance by Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali, which features aerial displays in harnesses and modern circus-style performance, was due to 'performer injury'. It is understood Mr Ali had to attend accident-and-emergency (A&E) after an afternoon show in Johnstone on Wednesday last week and has been advised by doctors not to perform. Commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, the show was due to run on Monday and Tuesday nights and Wednesday afternoon. The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl was due to be performed this week. | Edinburgh International Children's Festival A statement from the Catherine Wheels Theatre Company and the Edinburgh International Children's Festival said: 'It is with a sad heart that we have had to cancel the performances of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at the Children's Festival, due to performer injury. We know this is disappointing news for the artists involved, our audiences and ourselves, but the health of the performer is paramount. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are lucky that the show Grown Ups from Belgium, an absurd tragi-comedy about what happens to grown-ups when children are not looking, is able to step in at the last minute for the opening night of the festival tonight.' The show is also due to be performed during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August, when it will be part of the Made in Scotland showcase. The statement added: 'For those with tickets for the performances, we will be in touch with information on alternative shows or refund options. The Unlikely Friendship is performing at the Edinburgh Fringe as part of Made in Scotland, so an opportunity to see the work will still be possible. We hope to see some of you at the other inspiring and joyous shows taking place at the Children's Festival this week.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Aimed at children aged nine and over, the show tells the story of a girl who wants to be a monster and a boy who wants to fly. The description in the festival's brochure said: 'Exploring the universal yearning to belong and sharing the joy of friendship, this is a dynamic and visually stunning aerial show.' A performance of the same show, due to take place in Glasgow's Tramway as part of Dance International Glasgow, was also cancelled last week, as was a second evening performance in Johnstone Town Hall on Wednesday last week. The hour-long EICF performance was due to be staged at the Assembly Roxy.
STV News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
Children step into politicians' shoes for festival performance
It's a political debate like you've never seen before. Young performers have stepped into the shoes of politicians for the day as part of their performance Elections at the Edinburgh International Children's Festival. Performer Reel told STV News: 'It was about kids being politicians and acting all silly with neon colours and fun moustaches and it's about showing what we want. We have a line where we say we should vote because it's our future and we feel like adults are voting for our future even though it's about us but they have more control than we do.' Aimee added: 'It was really fun and we were just looking at how we actually want to change the world and how we can make an impact on that.' STV News Reel enjoyed performing as part of Elections STV News Artistic director Bishop May Down said: 'The young people have such profound views about the world and they are really clued up and I think that's not necessarily appreciated as much by adults, adults think that children can't engage in political conversations and political thinking so I really wanted to challenge that and put them in a place where the power dynamic is a bit flipped and they can say what they want about the world.' It's just one of dozens of performances taking place at the festival – which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Kicking off the nine-day event is Family Day at the National Museum of Scotland, which featured pop-up performances from swinging aerial artists, resilient mushrooms and party shrimps. Noel Jordan from the festival said: 'The vision of the Children's Festival is to promote theatre and dance for young audiences and to really nurture children's development through access to culture. Whether they come with a school's performance or if they're coming with their families on the weekends or in the evenings, we really want people to appreciate that art for children can be extremely high quality, risk taking, experimental and fun.' The festival will run at locations across the city until June 1. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Gardens by the Bay's Children's Festival has 7m-high slide and Lilo & Stitch-themed play spaces
The Stitch-themed outdoor festival is also the first in the Asia-Pacific region. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Gardens by the Bay's Children's Festival has 7m-high slide and Lilo & Stitch-themed play spaces SINGAPORE – Kids can zip down a 28m-long slide from nearly 7m high, circling one of the world-famous Supertrees. It is among the highlights at Gardens by the Bay's 11th annual Children's Festival from May 24 to June 15, featuring free play activities and installations inspired by Disney's Lilo & Stitch. The live-action movie, which opens in Singapore cinemas on May 22, is a reimagining of the 2002 animated classic of the same name. The Stitch-themed outdoor festival is also the first in the Asia-Pacific region. Stitch, the beloved blue extraterrestrial which helps a lonely Hawaiian girl mend her broken family, will likely feel at home in the Supertree Grove. After all, some visitors have described its other-worldly architectural design as resembling an alien landscape. Kids aged six to 12 can zip down The Great 'Ohana Wave, a 28m-long slide that is nearly 7m high, circling one of the world-famous Supertrees. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The Great 'Ohana Wave slide, designed for children aged six to 12, was unveiled in an exclusive preview for The Straits Times on May 21. For safety, kids must wear helmets and use round floats to go down the gentle slope. The other three play spaces are open to kids of all ages. In a nod to Stitch's extraterrestrial origins, Space Adventure engages children in a cosmic mission where they navigate swing cars and compete to strike numerous light beams. Seth Wang (left), five, and Aiden Heng, eight, race in swing cars in Space Adventure during ST's exclusive preview of Gardens by the Bay's Lilo & Stitch-themed Children's Festival. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Forest Of Belonging is a forest-themed inflatable where children can uncover hidden messages and the meaning of 'ohana, a Haiwaiian term for family. Finally, Stitch's Mischief Makers offers a beach-themed play area with kinetic sand to encourage children's creativity and sensory development. Kids can look forward to receiving a free activity booklet which complements the installations. Present the completed booklet at the redemption counter to receive a sticker sheet, while stocks last. They can also meet Stitch and snap a photo with the character on June 7 and 8. Sisters Sophia, nine (left), and Sonia Wang, seven, explore the forest-themed inflatable playscape, Forest of Belonging. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Ms May Yeo, assistant chief executive at Gardens by the Bay, said: 'Through play at the thoughtfully curated installations, we hope that kids will receive a deeper appreciation of the true value of friendship and family, and the confidence to be who they truly are – just like in the story (of Lilo & Stitch).' The play spaces close at 7pm daily, but do stay on to catch a special edition of the 15-minute Garden Rhapsody shows, titled The Way To 'Ohana, at 7.45 and 8.45pm. The lights on the Supertrees are programmed to synchronise with music from the 2002 Lilo & Stitch movie soundtrack. Kids can play with kinetic sand at the beach-themed Stitch's Mischief Makers at Gardens by the Bay's Children's Festival. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI And inspired by the film's Pacific setting, there are Plants On The Move! sessions on May 31 and June 14, led by Gardens by the Bay's Hawaii-born plant researcher. Sign your kids up for the free 35-minute programme, which uses storytelling to teach them about plants brought by early settlers from South-east Asia to the central Pacific Islands. Book it/Gardens by the Bay's Children's Festival featuring Disney's Lilo & Stitch Where: Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive When: May 24 to June 15, 10am to 9pm daily (play spaces close at 7pm) Admission: Free; separate charges apply for carnival games and selected workshops Info: Get the ST Smart Parenting newsletter for expert advice. Visit the microsite for more
AsiaOne
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Jurassic World, inflatable playgrounds and more: Family-friendly events and activities this June holiday, Lifestyle News
The June holidays are coming up, and there's plenty of family-friendly events and activities popping up all over Singapore for some fun bonding time with your loved ones. From bouncy inflatable parks to whimsical art experiences and more, here are family-friendly events suitable for kids happening this June holiday season. Monstrous Fun! 2025 at The Arts House Running from May 30 to June 1 at The Arts House in the Old Parliament House, Monstrous Fun! 2025 is a literary programme presented by Arts House Limited. In this installment, families can look forward to workshops like the Drum-a-Story experience with 2018 Cultural Medallion recipient Louis Soliano, performances, activities and even a Monster Parade where parents and children can put on the costumes and accessories they've created together during the programme. Some other highlights include the Monster Hunt where participants embark on a hunt around The Arts House, The Monstrous Fun! Book Fair and A Message To My Little Monster, an outdoor community visual art installation located at the lawn. The event includes both ticketed and free events. More information can be found on Arts House Limited's website. Children's Season 2025 across the Civic District Led by Children's Museum Singapore and supported by Museum Roundtable members, Children's Season 2025 is returning from May 31 to June 29 across the Civic District with a SG60 special installment. The theme for this year's festival is Belonging – and visitors can expect programmes that are meant to ignite curiosity and creativity in children. Some examples include Tools and Treats: A Tasty Journey, an interactive hands-on workshop about Singapore's food heritage and For A Better Future, a multisensorial performance where participants can experience being in the shoes of early immigrants. The event consists of both free and ticketed programmes. Find out more on the National Heritage Board's website. Gallery Children's Biennale 2025 at National Gallery Singapore Kids can tap into their imagination through art and play at the fifth edition of the Gallery Children's Biennale at National Gallery Singapore. Happening from May 31 to March 29, 2026, the festival will feature eight multi-sensory and immersive installations by both local and international artists. To truly cater to all children and families, this will also be the first time that all installations featured will be baby-friendly. Admission is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents. More information can be found on National Gallery Singapore's website. Children's Festival featuring Disney's Lilo & Stitch at Gardens by the Bay If your children are Disney fans, there's the Children's Festival featuring Disney's Lilo and Stitch happening at Gardens by the Bay from May 24 to June 15. For the duration of this event, the Supertree Grove will transform into a Lilo and Stitch-themed festival with interactive installations like The Great 'Ohana Wave featuring a giant slide and Stitch's Mischief Makers with kinetic sand play. Admission to the Children's Festival is free. Visit Gardens by the Bay's website for more information. Jurassic World: The Experience at Gardens by the Bay Travel back to pre-historic times this holiday at Gardens by the Bay's Jurassic World: The Experience launching on May 29. Taking place at Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest, the experience will feature interactive larger-than-life animatronics modelled after dinosaurs, themed exhibits and more than 72,000 plants over 50 species dating back to ancient times. Tickets to the experience cost $26 for Singapore resident adults and $22 for Singapore resident children and senior citizens. They can be booked on the event's website. i Light Singapore 2025 at Marina Bay From May 29 to June 21, head over to the Marina Bay and South Beach area as i Light Singapore 2025 returns with 17 immersive and interactive light art installations. The installations include work from 20 local and international artists, and feature new satellite sites at the Singapore River and Raffles Place. The fan-favourite GastroBeats Festival Village featuring a variety of F&B offerings and performances will also be returning. This year, there will also be a new addition called Campfyre @ NOMADS located at The Promontory @ Marina Bay, where visitors can gather and mingle. Entry is free with some ticketed programmes. More information can be found on i Light 2025's website. K!DZ Pop Con Asia at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre Running for two days only at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, K!DZ Pop Con Asia is a kids and family festival that incorporates learning and playing. Here, visitors can engage in hands-on workshops, creative activities, cosplay competitions as well as interactive family games. An event highlight is Bounce Wonderland, which will feature 14 Baby Shark inflatables for the little ones to play in. Tickets are now on sale on Sistic. A standard ticket for adults costs $15 and a standard child ticket is $8. To find out more, visit the event's website. Bluey's Outdoor Adventures at Safra Punggol If your child is a fan of the cartoon Bluey, you'll have to consider the Bluey's Outdoor Adventures programme happening at Safra Punggol from May 31 to June 29. The programme will include several different ticketed experiences like Bluey Kayaking Adventure at Punggol Waterway where participants will discover the flora and fauna along the waterway on a leg-powered kayak. For the budding artists, there's also The Bluey Painting Workshop where children can explore colours, techniques and self-expression through art under the guidance of an expert instructor from Artary. Tickets and more information are available now on Safra's website. Summer at the Island at Little Island Brewing Co. @ Changi and Gillman Barracks Those looking for fun for both adults and children, check out Summer at the Island by Little Island Brewing Co. at Changi and Gillman Barracks running from May 31 to June 28. [embed] Throughout the event, there'll be various activities that participants can sign up for including movie screenings, a soccer camp, pizza-making workshops, beach clean-ups and more. By signing up for three activities, you'll also be able to earn a $5 F&B voucher – or take it up a notch to five activities and more for a $15 voucher. Ticket registration and more information can be found on Little Island Brewing Co.'s website. Disney's Lilo & Stitch 626 Party at VivoCity If you can't get enough of the adorable blue alien, head on over to VivoCity from May 21 to June 29 for Disney's Lilo & Stitch 626 Party. Here, visitors can explore a variety of activities ranging from a Miniso Stitch Fluffy Pop-up featuring themed collectibles as well as a limited-edition Stitch Vinyl Plush Blind Box, to Planet of Play where children can engage in some party fun like a Stitch-themed Mini Express Train and activity cards. There will also be photo zones at the event including a 4.5m Stitch installation. Entry is free with some paid activities. More information is available on VivoCity's website. Family-themed staycation at Furama RiverFront For the ones who want to enjoy a quick getaway in Singapore, Furama RiverFront will be launching two new family-themed rooms this June holiday season. The Playful Learning Room is a sensory-friendly space with a child-first design to support learning and connection with loved ones in a restful environment. It features an in-room projector curated with an educational playlist (Ms. Nat's bilingual Learn With Me! series), complimentary Learning Activity Book, galaxy light projections and cocoon-styled swivel armchair for quiet sensory time. As for the Starlight Cinematic Themed Room, guests can enjoy a movie night experience right from the comfort of the room with an in-room projector, ambient galaxy lighting and DIY popcorn redeemable at Apollo, the hotel's on-site restaurant. Pre-bookings are now available for stays from June 1. Find out more on the Furama Hotels' website. Jumptopia Lite: Bounce Beyond at Suntec City Suntec City is launching Bouncy Escapade, a month-long celebration featuring Jumptopia Lite: Bounce Beyond – a large inflatable playground presented in collaboration with Kiztopia – from May 29 to June 29. The inflatable playground will feature familiar Kiztopia characters: Happy, Raby and Bell across three themed inflatable zones. Some highlights include Bell's Dreamy Delights with dessert-themed hurdles, Happy's Hideout with giant slides and Raby's Arena with bouncy, winding tunnels. The event will also include a pop-up retail store with exclusive Kiztopia merchandise like plushies and other collectibles. The event is ticketed and more information will be released on Suntec City's website. Airpark x Pororo Park June Holiday Inflatable Pop-up at Marina Square For more bouncy fun, Airpark is partnering up with Pororo Park to launch an inflatable pop-up event at Marina Square from June 11 to 22. [embed] The event will feature three large inflatables that families can enjoy, including Elephant Playground, Pelican Maze, a maze-styled inflatable designed for children to explore and the towering Dragon Slide. Tickets are now available at $10 for one child and one adult. A family pass for four pax is available at $35. Visit Airpark's Instagram page for more details and bookings. [[nid:461513]]
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Scotsman
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh International Children's Festival: 'a celebration of joy'
After years of curtailed ambition, the Children's Festival looks set to return to its former glory, says Joyce McMillan Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... When Noel Jordan arrived from Sydney in 2015, to take on the role of Festival Director at the Edinburgh International Children's Festival, he had no idea what a rollercoaster his decade in charge would turn out to be. At first, all was plain sailing, as he put together festival programmes showcasing both a brilliant array of international work, and an ever-increasing number of shows from Scotland burgeoning children's theatre scene which – after 25 years of investment via the festival's year-round parent organisation, Imaginate – was beginning to win fans and admirers worldwide. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl | Tommy Ga-Ken Wan In March 2020, though, as the first wave of Covid lockdowns swept across Europe, the EICF became one of the first Scottish arts organisation to have to cancel its May festival completely. There followed two years of tentative reconstruction, as the festival staged an ingenious 2021 'outdoor and online' programme, followed by a 2022 programme built around half a dozen Scottish shows and other work from neighbouring countries. And it's only now, half a decade on, that the festival is once again beginning to look like the exuberant showcase for international and Scottish work that it was when it was first launched in a tented village in Inverleith Park, back in 1989. For Jordan, it seems like the right moment to step down, as he prepares to return to Australia; but not without delivering an enthusiastic drum-roll for this year's event, which opens on 24 May with its usual Family Day at the National Museum of Scotland, followed over the next week by a programme of 13 shows, including three new works made in Scotland, and five presented as part of a Spotlight on Flanders season, showcasing work from a culture that produces some of Europe's most adventurous theatre for young audiences. Tongue Twister | Contributed 'One thing I'm particularly pleased about,' says Jordan, 'is that we're starting to move on towards a new generation of children theatre-makers in Scotland – although the established companies are still there, and often play a key role in fostering new talent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "Our opening night performance, for example, is The Unlikely Friendship Of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl, a fabulous circus-inspired show by Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali about how the power of friendship can transform us from loners and misfits into strong characters ready to pursue our dreams. 'Greg Sinclair's Tongue Twister, by contrast, comes from one of Scotland's best-known makers of theatre for young people; but it represents a new departure for him, and it will be staged at the newly reopened North Edinburgh Arts Centre, which is great to see.' Jordan is also excited to see the festival expanding this year into a venue it has never visited previously, as Belgian company Be Flat come to Portobello Town Hall with their intriguing acrobatic show Double You, a spectacular circus performance that explores 'fear of missing out'. And at the Traverse, he's delighted to present the legendary Belgian company Kopergietery in The Pale Baron, an exceptionally timely show for older children about two musicians trying to pursue their art during a regime that tries to eliminate everything that seems too free, too different or too rebellious. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We also have shows this year from France and Germany, and from the wonderful Oily Cart company from England, working with the Australian company Polyglot,' says Jordan. 'And the programme includes some intensely physical work that really explores the idea of storytelling through acrobatics, and expands our ideas of what the human body can do. Because above all, I want this festival to be about the power of creativity, celebration and fun; not as a form of escapism from all the problems we face, but as an expression of joy. Because without joy – in our bodies, and in the power of our imaginations – we will never be able to overcome those problems; and we hope that this year's Festival truly captures that spirit, and celebrates it.'
