Geelong comes alive with a bumper load of fun

DIPS ME LID: Dazzling Dan the musician is just one of City Hall's attractions in central Geelong during school holidays.

There’s a feast of holiday fun in store across the City of Greater Geelong to keep local children entertained during the winter school holiday period from 1-17 July.
Director Community Life Linda Quinn said the City was supporting a variety of events across the region, from educational programs to craft, performance and food-themed events running alongside the Tastes of Central Geelong Food Festival.
“There is sure to be something that will spark the interest of school children of any age, with lots of fun and activities to choose from,” she said.
The City of Greater Geelong’s School Holiday Program enrolments are now open and offer a range of activities, experiences and excursions for primary school aged children.
The winter program guide and enrolment form can be found at
www.geelongaustralia.com.au.
Central Marketing Geelong is running a huge variety of food-themed activities sure to get the tastebuds tickling for kids of all ages. This year’s theme is Food and Fun and runs alongside the Tastes of Central Geelong Food Festival.
This means kids can get involved in tastes too by participating in cooking classes, food art and edible crafts. Besides food activities there’s Skate Fest, Mindful Glitter Jars, Analogue Photo Walk, Pokemon Card Club, special offers and a competition to win tickets to Diary of a Wombat.
There’s also The Big Build installation, The Storytelling Fairy, Mindfulness Tools For Kids, a giant apple jumping castle and loads more to keep the kids entertained. Bookings for activities open on Wednesday 21 June at 12pm at www.centralgeelong.com.au.
Visit the National Wool Museum these school holidays for an exciting program of galaxy-themed craft activities which align with the theme of the Scarf Festival currently on display until 27 August.
Activities include fun with milk and food colouring, creating galaxies using wax resist techniques, making your own lantern, tie-dying and stamping fabric with vegies to create an out-of-this-world pattern. Create aliens out of paper and your own experimental space projection with food and liquids and learn how to create comets, stars and planets with wet felt.
Craft activities are free for children under 16 when accompanied by a paying adult. Activities are being held between 10.30am and 12.30pm from Monday to Friday each week from 3-14 July. For more information visit
www.geelongaustralia.com.au/events.
Geelong Botanic Gardens holiday program includes making your very own bug hotel and helping to make a giant bug hotel for the gardens. Kids can joint in a bug hunt walk and get involved in an interactive bug story. All children must be accompanied by an adult and there’s a small participation fee. To book a place at one of four sessions, visit
www.geelongaustralia.com.au.
Get on board for a magical experience the kids will not forget with Dazzling Dan the Magic Man who holding a special workshop on the Magic Wand on 4 and 11 July 2017 on the Bellarine Railway. The show is perfect for parents and grandparents with children who love to watch and learn about and perform magic.
This special is part of the Heritage Service and includes a two-hour return journey from Queenscliff to Drysdale with one 50-minute session in the entertainment carriage and the other in the regular carriages. For more information visit bellarinerailway.com.au/magic-train-specials.
And when the family needs a break from all the organised activities on offer, there’s plenty of open space in Central Geelong and at our local parks. For more information on the locations visit
www.centralgeelong.com.au/news/free-play-in-central-geelong.