Delivering world-class entertainment within an enchanting vintage structure, Wonderland Spiegeltent returns with more than a month of circus, cabaret, comedy, burlesque, music and family shows by the sea.
The countdown to Summer is underway and Wonderland Spiegeltent will once again be taking up residency on the foreshore of Barwon Heads with its spectacular arts and entertainment playground, filled with sparkling lights, a Nostalgic Ferris Wheel overlooking the Barwon River and a Sunset Bar to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere, sunsets over Barwon Heads and live tunes in the garden bar.
From Saturday 17th December 2022 to Sunday 29th January 2023, the beautiful 1930s nostalgic wooden mirrored travelling European circus tent will become home to performances of all kinds, from astounding circus, magical stories of Neverland and the boy who never grew up, luscious burlesque, big comedy names and a Champagne fuelled adult cabaret Popcorn Underground.
The key takeaways
- Wonderland Spiegeltent returns to the foreshore of Barwon Heads with their spectacular program of live entertainment
- The program includes five weeks of circus, cabaret, comedy, burlesque, music and family shows
- With a savvy bar, special guest food trucks, sparkling lights full of glittering shows for all ages, it truly is a fantastic night out for family and friends over the festive season.
- Tickets are on sale now.
Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.
Looking at the program this year, the event promises to be an art and entertainment playground for all, allowing residents and tourists alike to sip, savour and celebrate at Wonderland Spiegeltent Festival Hub, where the drinks are cold, the Donuts are sweet, the popcorn is Poppin, the lights are raunchy and the entertainment is smoking!
Headlining the family program is Circus Wonderland – A Neverland Adventure, a new production with an all-star cast; while Wonderland’s hit cabaret show Popcorn Underground will delight the adults with the creme de la creme of the cabaret world. For the music, this year will be the event’s biggest lineup yet featuring Mark Seymour & The Undertow, INXSIVE, Absolutely 80s: UK Hits Tour, Vaudeville Smash, The Bash Big Band, Ella Hooper – Old News Tour and Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie’s Skyhooks Show!
View this post on Instagram
Wonderland Spiegeltent Summer Program 2022/2023
Circus Wonderland – A Neverland Adventure
Monday 26th December 2022 – Sunday 29th January 2023 – Various Dates and Times
Be amazed and captivated as you are immersed in the magic of Neverland! Audiences young and the young at heart will be all smiles enjoying the spellbinding magic of Circus Wonderland. Fun for the whole family as the adventures of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and the Pirates come to life with a fun-filled enchanting circus adventure for the whole family.
A fantasy wonderland of family entertainment you will never forget! Starring an amazing world class cast of acrobatic characters with astounding feats and hilarious antics, this is a show that will keep you enthralled and in wonder! Tik Tok, a magical wonderland awaits.
Comedy Christmas Gala
Saturday 17th December 2022 – 7:30pm
The Comedy Gala will feature some of Australia’s favourite Comedy legends this December! Expect to see the likes of Harley Breen, Kirsty Webeck, The Nelson Twins and Tyson Popplestone!
Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie’s Skyhooks Show
Friday 23rd December 2022 – 8:00pm
Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie’s Skyhooks Show with Laura Davidson is coming to Barwon Heads! The perfect event to celebrate the start of the Christmas season with your family and friends! Bob ’Bongo’ Starkie, original guitarist with the band, has assembled a red hot band to perform their classic songs in a personal celebration of the music of Skyhooks.
SKYHOOKS helped change the face of rock’n’roll in the 1970s with a string of Number One and Top 10 singles to their credit, as well as two of Australia’s biggest selling albums, ‘Living in the 70s’, and ‘Ego is Not A Dirty Word’.
Popcorn Underground Cabaret
Thursday 5th – Sunday 15th January 2023 – Various Dates and Times
A night of joyously entertaining, cabaret, adult carnival, burlesque, astounding circus and extraordinary artists. A riotous variety show like you’ve never seen before.
Popcorn Underground is a rainbow show of diversity and glamour guaranteed to leave audiences breathless as the performers twirl their way through sex, skill and slapstick. Combining thrilling acts and hilarious moments that will shock and delight. The creme de la creme of the cabaret world. A magical experience!
Mark Seymour & The Undertow
Saturday 7th January 2023 – 8:30pm
Mark Seymour formed Hunters and Collectors in 1980, with a bunch of Uni friends. The band became famous for its rhythmic power and very quickly became touted as the “next big thing”. The Album “Human Frailty“ was recorded in Melbourne in 1985.
By 1998, Mark felt that he had done all that he could as the front man of Hunters and Collectors. After eighteen years of touring with what became one of Australia’s most successful and deeply loved rock bands, he found himself alone on stage with just an acoustic guitar. As a solo artist, Mark continues to search for the emotional truth in a song. Mark Seymour’s strength as a performer remains undiminished despite the ever-present shadow of the band he used to be in.
INXSIVE
Sunday 8th January 2023 – 8:00pm
INXSIVE brilliantly capture the sound and style of Aussie Rock legends INXS in their high energy, crowd engaging concerts.
Their full production sound combined with energetic audience engaging performances make INXSIVE Australia’s leading INXS tribute show and an excellent live entertainment option for any venue or event. Their repertoire encompasses all the smash hits from the impressive INXS back catalogue, and a performance by INXSIVE needs to be seen to be believed. They regularly receive rave reviews from their audiences on how closely they capture the sound and style of INXS.
Absolutely 80s: UK Hits Tour
Saturday 14th January 2023 – 8:00pm
London’s calling as The Absolutely 80s – UK Hits Tour heads out on the road, paying tribute to New Wave & the New Romantic sound of the 80s from England, Ireland & Scotland.
Without doubt, the 80s was one of the most memorable and massive decades of music. The Absolutely 80s UK Hits Tour is the ultimate celebration of massive hits of the United Kingdom from the 80s. It’s a showstopping spectacle of mega proportions. Featuring some of Australia’s favourite 80s pop icons: Uncanny X Men’s Brian Mannix, Kids in the Kitchen’s Scott Carne & Boom Crash Opera’s Dale Ryder. The UK Hits Tour pays tribute to the best of British New Wave & New Romantic acts of the 80s, with smash hits also included.
The Bash Big Band
Friday 20th January – 8.30pm
It’s great to be to able to pull together a group of talented local musicians from Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Geelong and the coastal towns of southern Victoria into one big vibrant team that delivers a great mix of traditional Australian rock, R&B, Funk and Blues.
The Bash Big Band produces a great night of entertainment, taking the audience back to the sounds that incorporate James Brown, Joe Cocker. Stevie Wonder, The Angels and AC/DC and other artists from the 70’s & 80’s.
Vaudeville Smash
Saturday 21st January – 8.30pm
Made up of three brothers and two mates, no other Australian band sounds like them. An explosion of funk, flute, sax, synth and groove, the dance floor is packed at a Vaudeville Smash gig, the crowd goes wild. In case you’re wondering, they took their name from an Italian children’s karaoke machine that was around in the late ’80s.
AKMAL
Friday 27th January 2023 – 8:30pm
Akmal is one of the funniest comedians in the world. The fact that he has written this blurb does not take away from his genius.
He will be doing a best of show, bringing comedic gold selected from the previous 25 years. Some people have suggested that he’s doing this because he is lazy and could not be bothered writing a new show. These people are ignorant and most likely lesser comedians who are jealous of his talent and good looks. Happy ending guaranteed (for an extra twenty bucks). *No kids, no real estate agents, no refunds.
Ella Hooper
Saturday 28th January 2023 – 7:00pm
Ella Hooper was still a teenager when she burst onto the Australian music scene – Unearthed by Triple J when she was just 13, Ella scored her first number one with the single ‘Mascara’ on her 17th birthday. And at 18, she became the first woman to be awarded APRA’s Songwriter of the Year.
After releasing three hit albums with Killing Heidi, Ella embarked on a solo career. Her forthcoming album, Small Town Temple – written in her hometown of Violet Town – has been hailed as a new beginning, showcasing Ella’s deeply personal songwriting. After a multitude of gold and platinum records and four ARIA Awards, Ella remains committed to her craft.
As she sings on Small Town Temple: “Still strong, still on a mission.”
Aussie music legend Ella Hooper announces 2023 Australian tour dates
All housed in beautiful opulent pop up venue, a favourite to the region, with stained-glass windows, lush velvets aplenty, all wooden, all mirrored to enjoy and gasp at world class entertainment, Wonderland Spiegeltent shows often come with a word of warning – it’s a little bit saucy, most definitely fun and once you’ve experienced it’s a bohemian love story you’ll never forget. To us, that sounds like the perfect way to spend a summer in Barwon Heads.
Wonderland Spiegeltent Festival Hub is located at Lahey Square Park next to Ocean Grove Bridge, Barwon Heads. Check out the full program for the Wonderland Spiegeltent in Barwon Heads here.
