Kidtopia Is The Family Festival That Has It All

By: Ann-Marie Kutasi, ellaslist

I couldn’t help it at first but when I heard about KIDTOPIA, a festival completely devoted to children, scepticism was my first reaction.

How long would this event keep my kids occupied maybe 2-3 hours max, before the whinging started and how many handfuls of $20 notes would I have to take to buy my 3 children (5 , 3 and 1.5 years old) a snack? 

I think us parents have been burnt so many times with various fetes, festivals and shows, promising the world but always missing the mark. I can almost see my inner child, finger wagging and reminding me that when something is too good to be true, it usually is. 

Well, in this case, boy, had I got it wrong! 

A Festival That Has It All

KIDTOPIA promised to be an event packed with live music, theatre, delicious food and tons of activities for kids and grown-ups to enjoy together. And it didn’t disappoint! 

What I really enjoyed was that the festival was setup so that rides and the games were at the back end on the park while everything else was at the front. This meant that kids could spend the majority of their time participating in the many activities on offer, enjoy non-stop entertainment with hourly shows (we only had time to see one) and then go berserk in the rides and games section. 

There was something for every child. Arts and crafts, circus playground, face painting, silent disco and, if your child is a budding chef in the kitchen or enjoys mixing and experimenting with concoctions in the lab, then children have an opportunity to be a part of one of the Masterclasses and workshops on offer (an additional cost). 

Parents and kiddies were also able to relax when they wanted in an assortment of shady areas provided by sponsors. 

 

There's a Bar!

Parents: our prayers have been answered. We can sit back, relax and enjoy a wine or beer at the Bar, while our children whittle-away their abundant reserves of energy. 

There were endless food options which catered for all diets (or no diets) for both parents and kids, most offering kid size meals which was convenient and clever thinking. I had to physically stop my children at play and force them to eat something. They were too preoccupied with the 5 million other distractions going on. 

We Love Littletopia

Whoever came up with the concept of Littletopia deserves a key-to-the-City or a plaque. My biggest worry was that my 1.5 year old was going to miss out.....until I saw Littletopia. This section is filled with activities like block building, a reading corner, a playground, a ball pit and many, many more fun-filled activities. This is a must for smaller children. 

My family and I arrived at lunchtime and left at 8pm. We had finished our amazing and fun-filled day, by enjoying a family dinner and watching a family film at the Openair Cinema. This was such a memorable day for the whole family, that we truly can’t wait for the next KIDTOPIA.

Top Tips

Trains: Parking may be a problem, and to avoid paying expensive hourly rates, take the train if you can. The venue (Parramatta Park) is a 7min walk from Westmead Station. 

Food: Apart from provisions for infants and toddlers, additional food is not permitted into the festival so, pack a picnic and find a shady spot nearby. This was the first time I had ever visited Parramatta Park -it’s huge! 

Water: I also recommend taking water bottles for every family member. There are ‘Free Drinking Water’ stations available near the toilet facilities inside the festival. Saves on buying bottled water. 

Unlimited Rides Pass: This is a must! Money was well spent on this pass. There are some height restrictions that apply to some rides but parents can accompany their little one on most rides.

Where:     Parramatta Park, Parramatta
When:      Friday 6 – Sunday 8 October, 2017
Cost:        $20 per child, $30 per adult. Kids under 5yrs are FREE!

Book your tickets HERE! 

For more information, visit the website.