Community & Business
30 July, 2024
The Empire launches festival program
The Empire’s popular family festival Thrive on Arts will return from September 26-29, celebrating all things nature and the environment.
Sponsored by C&K Childcare and Kindergarten, Thrive on Arts is an annual four-day festival celebrating play, imagination, creativity and storytelling, held during the spring school holidays alongside the iconic Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
The Thrive on Arts program offers a mixture of free and ticketed events for children aged 0-12, including lawn games and activities, Storytime Under the Magnolia Tree, Pat Malone’s Magic Garden in the Armitage Centre, craft projects by Tinker and children’s tours of The Empire that are part history, part adventure.
A festival highlight is acclaimed First Nations performing arts company Bangarra Dance Theatre with its first children’s work, Waru: Journey of the Small Turtle.
This stunning and interactive theatre piece follows the
story of Migi the turtle as she undertakes a journey of discovery and survival under the star-studded skies of the Torres Strait.
Other ticketed experiences include children’s physical theatre production A Bee Story, a screening of children’s comedy film The Lorax, and First Five Forever’s reading of local author Rory Mather’s book Roary the Lion with accompaniment by musicians from the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra.
The Empire General Manager Giuliana Bonel said Thrive on Arts brings unique experiences to the community and is a perfect way to introduce our youngest audience members to the arts.
“This year’s program is a celebration of conservation, the environment and nature featuring a diverse program of performances, displays and interactive experiences,” Ms Bonel said.
“Thrive on Arts has something to bring out the artist in every member of the family!” she said.
“Thrive on Arts has been running annually since 2018, growing and expanding each year and as we launch the program for our seventh consecutive festival, we are looking forward to opening the gates for another incredible festival during the 75th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.”
Bookings are essential for ticketed Thrive on Arts performances.
For more information or to book visit empiretheatre.com.au
