Following a successful Australian debut in 2023, DinoFest returns to Adelaide with an immersive experience that has all the thrills and excitement of Jurassic Park (without the chaos and imminent danger) and this reviewer was lucky enough to attend a sneak peek weekend ahead of its Easter school holiday season.
Unfolding in the heart of Victoria Park, DinoFest transports audiences back in time to the Mesozoic era to get up close and personal with over 30 dinosaur species brought to life through stunningly realistic costumes, puppetry and animatronics.
Designed primarily for children aged nine years and under, this 90-minute experience begins with an exciting encounter where adults and children can touch and interact with incredible life-size moving dinosaurs including the triceratops, stegosaurus and ankylosaurus.
Led by a team of knowledgeable ‘rangers’, the encounter unfolds in a fun, casual manner designed to entertain, inform and capture young imaginations. Children are encouraged to share their dinosaur knowledge and there were plenty of hands in the air each time a question was asked during the 5 April performance. We were even asked to help herd wayward dinos by roaring and the children in attendance took full advantage of the opportunity to be unashamedly loud.
Following the encounter, participants can enjoy a self-paced walk along the dinosaur trail, where they will come face to face with a variety of still and moving creatures. Rangers roam the area with some of the show’s smaller stars and there are plenty of opportunities to touch and interact with the environment as well as capture some fun photos.
Families can also come together to enjoy the free dinosaur-themed activities including searching for fossils in Dino Dig (my sand-loving child’s personal favourite). While each activity is simple enough for children to do largely unassisted, they are also a great way for adults and children to play together in a relaxed setting and, for this reviewer, it was an enjoyable, calming way to end the session.
Nestled on the outskirts of the city, Victoria Park is the perfect setting for this experience. With its wide-open spaces filled with lush green grass and surrounded by towering trees that block the city skyline, it really does resemble a prehistoric world. The trees provide ample shade for the event (a bonus given the continuing unpredictability of Adelaide’s weather) and there is plenty of room to move freely and easily between the activities.
There are two free car parks bordering the parklands (with clear signage guiding patrons to the event) and most of DinoFest takes place on flat (or gently sloping) grass and dirt paths, making it fully accessible for both prams and wheelchairs. There were plenty of families with prams/strollers at the session attended, with one lucky young toddler being wheeled around the dino trail in a small, ride-on 4WD which appeared to manage the terrain with ease.
That being said, DinoFest is an all-weather event, so plan for mud if you are attending on a wetter day.
There are toilets nearby as well as a coffee cart and ice cream van situated just outside the events main entrance and you could easily make a day of it by packing a picnic lunch to enjoy in the picturesque surrounds of the parklands.
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While its content is aimed primarily towards younger children, DinoFest is a Roar-some family fun day, which will appeal to dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages.
DinoFest is presented by Bonus Eventus Australia and will be open at Victoria Park, Adelaide until 27 April 2025.
