Family friendly activities to celebrate Australia Day Festival in Perth

The Australia Day Festival will be held across five days from Friday 22 to Tuesday 26 January and includes a wide range of free events and activities.

Plus, stay for longer and see more with 3 hours of free parking at all City of Perth carparks on weekends and public holidays.

Here’s our pick of family-friendly fun in the city:

Shining the Light: The Story of Us
Elizabeth Quay, The Esplanade
Friday 22 January to Tuesday 26 January
Session 1: 7.45pm to 8.45pm 
Session 2: 9pm to 10pm
Free, tickets essential. Click here to book.

Shining the Light: The Story of Us is the hero event to celebrate the Australia Day Festival. It consists of two parts:

Shining the Light: Yarning Together 
A captivating water projection showcase, that shines the light on the story of the Whadjuk Nyoongar people starting with the dreamtime moment of creation. Elders share their stories of courage and resilience during the time of colonisation, and then shine the light towards a brighter more inclusive future.

Immersive Experiences
A wonderful immersive exhibition of light installations, accompanied by live performance and art, telling our diverse Australian stories.

Tickets are available from 10am on 11 January.

Water Pistol Park
Yagan Square
Saturday 23 January
10am to 5pm
Free
It's a super-soaker showdown of epic proportions! Come along to our Water Pistol Park this Australia Day Festival to beat the heat and challenge your friends. Select your water pistol of choice and fill 'er up at the water station - but be quick to run and hide behind a field barrier before you become a target! Good old-fashioned fun for kids and kids at heart.

City of Perth Fringe World Power Hour 
Yagan Square
Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 January
5pm to 6pm
Free
Come down and check out a unique selection of highlights from some of the best things on offer this season at the Fringe World Festival.

Family Concert
Forrest Place
Sunday 24 January
10am to 5pm
Free
A day of children and family friendly entertainment including puppets, magicians, music, dancing and fun all round!

Sunset Sounds 
JH Abrahams Reserve
Sunday 24 January
5pm to 8pm
Free
A community concert featuring an Aboriginal dance group, multicultural performances and classic Aussie rock music. Food trucks and children’s activities will get everybody in the spirit of the Australia Day Festival.

Claisebrook in Concert
Victoria Gardens
Monday 25 January
5pm to 8pm
Free
Pack a picnic and join your local community on the green for this free concert. Enjoy an evening filled with music, entertainment and food stalls in a beautiful garden setting. 

AUSTRALIA DAY 26 JANUARY

A jam-packed day to celebrate the Australia Day public holiday!

Lotterywest Carnival
Langley Park
Tuesday 26 January
10am to 5pm
Free, tickets essential. Click here to book.
Nothing says ‘celebration’ like a carnival! Fun for the young and the young at heart with a range of free rides including the ever-popular Wave Swinger, Dodgem Cars, Super Sizzler, Castle of Fun, Cup and Saucer and more! One hour of unlimited rides with your free ticket.

Lotterywest Water Playground
Langley Park
Tuesday 26 January
10am to 5pm
Free, tickets essential. Click here to book.
Splash your way through the Australia Day Festival at the Water Playground! With masses of water slides and activities galore our water playground sure beats the old backyard slip n’ slide!

Ultimate Adrenaline – Motocross and BMX Displays
Langley Park
Tuesday 26 January 
11am to 4pm
Free
Witness awe inspiring feats of gravity as some of Perth’s best Motocross and BMX riders show off their moves. Enjoy the twists, turns, loops and jumps. A must see for moto enthusiasts and sure to impress the public too!

Australia Day Markets
Forrest Place
Tuesday 26 January 
4.30pm to 8.30pm
Free
A special Australia Day edition of the much-loved Twilight Hawkers Market featuring international cuisines from around the globe.

Big Aussie BBQ
Hay St (between Colin and Outram St), West Perth
Tuesday 26 January
3pm to 8pm
Free
The Big Aussie BBQ pays homage to a favourite Australian pastime; our beloved BBQ. What better way to celebrate than by closing the street and filling it with a BBQ for all? Beginning with Aboriginal bush tucker and making our way through a diverse selection of BBQ from other cultures with veg and vegan options included. Accompanied by musical performances and roving entertainers, this street vibe event is a perfect way to spend an Australia Day afternoon.

Other things to look out for:

• Skydivers: Langley Park, Tuesday 26 January 2pm: Witness skydivers twirl and twist from the sky, towing Australian flags and trailing coloured smoke before they land on Langley Park amongst the Australia Day festivities.
• Roving entertainment: Murray and Hay St Malls, Saturday 23, Sunday 24 and Tuesday 26 January: Roving entertainers and musicians will brighten up your shopping day with their colourful antics and upbeat music. 
• Busking: various city locations: A selection of Perth’s best buskers will perform nearby all Australia Day Festival events, to entertain you as you come and go between the festivities on offer. 

Other events:

Moonlight Cinema
Kings Park
Friday 22 to Sunday 25 and Tuesday 26 January
From 6pm
Ticketed
Enjoy cult classics, new releases and much-loved favourites under the stars in Kings Park while you share a picnic and make the most of Perth’s long hot summer nights with a glass of wine and a picnic.

Lotterywest Films
Somerville Auditorium
Friday 22 to Tuesday 26 January
From 6pm
Ticketed
Kick back under the stars and enjoy Perth’s most picturesque outdoor movie location.

Fringe World Festival
Friday 22 to Tuesday 26 January
Various locations and times
Ticketed
You’ll be spoilt for choice with hundreds of shows to see at a wide range of venues including The Woodside Pleasure Garden and Girls School. There’s something for everyone at Fringe World; from comedy, music and musicals to circus and much more.