Festival Entertainment For Family Day Events

Family day events are some of the most rewarding events to program – they bring together toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents for one big day out. The challenge is keeping everyone engaged, moving and smiling across the whole program. That’s where smart entertainment planning – and the right mix of acts – makes all the difference.

Below, we’ll look at the key types of entertainment that work brilliantly for family day events, then walk through a practical 6-hour sample program built around a selection of Vogue Entertainment artists. You can lift and adapt this structure for councils, schools, community days and corporate family events.

What Makes Great Festival Entertainment For Family Day Events?

A strong family day event entertainment has three simple goals:

• Appeal across ages – little kids need colour, songs and interaction; older kids and adults need clever humour and wow moments.
• Create energy “waves” – big stage shows, followed by roving fun and food breaks, then another big peak.
• Be easy to run – professional, self-contained acts with clear tech needs and experienced performers.

Rather than planning for a “one big show” for your family day event, it’s more useful to think in blocks: headline kids’ shows, magic, music, comedy/stunts and roving characters that glue everything together.

Key Types of Entertainment To Include

What entertainment options should you book for your family day event?

Celebrity Kids’ Stage Shows

A recognised children’s entertainer instantly tells parents, “This event is worth coming to.”

Sam Moran

Sam Moran is a celebrated children’s entertainer whose TV series Play Along With Sam on Nick Jr has made him a household name for young families. His shows blend movement, music and playful learning – perfect for main-stage morning sessions when the youngest kids are freshest.

Christmas Spectacular

For a Christmas-season family day event, Christmas Spectacular starring Bethany Fisher delivers a high-energy, dance-driven festive show that’s already proven itself at major carols and festivals and was named Best Kids Live Show at the 2019 What’s On 4 Kids Awards.

Magician Shows for All Ages

Magic is one of the few art forms that genuinely works for five-year-olds and fifty-year-olds at the same time.

Tricky Nick

Tricky Nick is a kids magician who brings what he calls “insane magic (or magical insanity)” to the stage. He’s a regular on kids’ TV, has performed at government events and festivals, and his shows are packed with comedy and gasp-worthy tricks that keep big crowds engaged.

Slotting a magician show around lunchtime works beautifully – it cuts through post-food sluggishness and re-energises the site.

Comedy, Stunts & Spectacle

Family day events are the perfect place for quirky visual acts that adults genuinely enjoy.

Martin Ralph

Martin Ralph is a one-of-a-kind entertainer who blends comedy with extraordinary visual stunts and original props – including his record-breaking spinning tops. With a background that spans from Olympian to comedian, he delivers shows that are clever, clean and full of jaw-dropping moments.

This kind of act is ideal in the early afternoon when the whole site is in full swing and you want something “big” that isn’t just for little kids. Comedians are always a great hit, not only on family day events but also on corporate events, Australia Day events, and major festival events.

Live Music & Big Vocals

Live music gives your family day event atmosphere and sophistication. A strong vocalist can hold a crowd between kids’ shows and create that “mini-concert” moment as the day winds on.

Clara Helms

Clara Helms is a pop-opera / adult contemporary crossover artist who first came to national attention as a finalist on Australia’s Got Talent. She’s known for her “voice of an angel” and the ability to move seamlessly between opera, musical theatre, jazz and contemporary repertoire – a perfect choice for an afternoon concert slot that parents will love.

Roving Characters & Fairy Floss Fun

Roving characters are the “secret sauce” of a good Family Day. They:

• Welcome families at the gate
• Keep queues entertained
• Create organic photo moments for social media

A colourful Fairy Floss-style roving character (or small team) can drift through the site, interacting with kids, handing out small treats (subject to event policy), and appearing briefly on stage to link segments. They’re low-tech, highly flexible and make the whole event feel alive, even between main-stage acts.

A 6-Hour Sample Program Using Vogue Entertainment Acts

Let’s put this all together into a practical 6-hour schedule you can use on your family day event.

Scenario:

• Community Family Day, 10:00am–4:00pm
• One main stage, plus roving entertainment
• Programming built around Sam Moran, Bethany Fisher’s Christmas Spectacular, Tricky Nick, Martin Ralph, Clara Helms and a Fairy Floss roving character.

You can adjust the times and descriptions to suit your site and season.

10:00–11:00am – Welcome Hour + Fairy Floss Roving

As gates open, you want families to feel the event is buzzing from the first minute.

• MC welcome (10:00–10:10am): Housekeeping, amenities, sponsors, quick overview of what’s coming up.
• Fairy Floss roving: Your Fairy Floss character works the entry zone and picnic areas, posing for photos, sprinkling a bit of cheeky comedy and guiding families towards the main stage.
• Background music: Light, upbeat tracks set the tone while people arrive, grab coffee and find a spot.

This first hour is less about a big “show” and more about orientation, warmth and visual impact – though the roving character ensures it still feels like entertainment, not admin.

11:00–11:45am – Sam Moran Main-Stage Kids Show

Late morning is prime time for a headline kids’ act. Younger children are bright, awake and ready to move.

Tips for this block:

• Encourage kids to come to the front and dance
• Get the MC to tease this show in the first hour so no one misses it
• Have Fairy Floss characters visible near the back, drawing latecomers into the crowd

12:00–12:45pm – Tricky Nick Kids Magician

Once Sam’s show finishes, allow about 15 minutes for a bathroom / snack break and a quick reset. Then roll straight into magic.

Why this works here:

• It bridges that pre-lunch period when people might otherwise drift off
• Magic gives parents a clear reason to stay another hour
• The style is flexible enough for outdoor stages and changing audience sizes

During this slot, Fairy Floss can shift focus to roving near food trucks and picnic tables, keeping anyone who isn’t at the main stage entertained.

1:00–1:45pm – Christmas Spectacular with Bethany Fisher (Seasonal Option)

If your family day event falls in November or December, this is the ideal spot for a big festive hit.

If it’s not Christmas season, you can swap this festival entertainment option for Bethany’s non-seasonal kids show or another children’s or family act in a similar style. The key is:

• Strong visual staging (bright costumes, choreography)
• Big, simple hooks kids can follow (actions, choruses, clapping routines)
• Lots of opportunities to invite children on stage or involve them from the audience

This hour becomes your post-lunch energy reset, turning a potential lull into one of the biggest moments of the day.

2:00–2:45pm – Martin Ralph Comedy & Stunts

With the kids well-served by three big shows, now’s the time to give adults and older children something extra special.

In this slot, you’ll:

• Hold the attention of the entire site – this kind of visual spectacle draws people from every corner
• Give parents something they’ll rave about long after the event
• Create brilliant photo and video moments for your social media and future marketing

Pair this with Fairy Floss doing a quick pre-show “parade” around the site, encouraging people to head to the main stage.

3:00–3:45pm – Clara Helms Family Concert & Event Wind-Down

As the afternoon moves on, a concert-style vocal set is the perfect way to keep the atmosphere warm while gradually winding towards close.

Use this final major slot to:

• Give families a chance to sit, relax and simply enjoy the music
• Acknowledge sponsors, volunteers and partners between songs
• Build to a final, feel-good number where kids can dance at the front one last time

In the last 15 minutes of your family day event (3:45–4:00pm), your MC and Fairy Floss character can do final thank-yous, prize draws and farewells as background music plays.

Final Tips For Booking Festival Entertainment For Family Day Events

When you’re building your own program, start with these questions:

• What’s my headline kids’ act?
• Where are my magic / comedy slots?
• How will I use roving characters to keep the site alive between shows?
• Do I have at least one concert-style set that adults will love?

Using the combination of Sam Moran, Tricky Nick, Bethany Fisher’s Christmas Spectacular, Martin Ralph, Clara Helms and a roving Fairy Floss character gives you a rock-solid blueprint for a professional, engaging family day event that feels full from the first announcement to the final song.

From there, you can work with Vogue Entertainment to tweak timings, add extra roving acts, or scale the production up or down to suit your budget, site layout and audience size – all while knowing the core program is built around proven family-friendly performers.