September 13, 8pm

The Vault, Military Lane, Port Kembla

Tickets: $20 at the door

Things are about to get wild in Port Kembla.

Expect an influx of costume-clad creatives, donning their finest leopard print, monkey suits and even foliage to mark The Vault's Jungle Party cabaret.

Host Heidi Hoops-Hillier has raided her own dress-up box for the occasion, putting together an eclectic animal totem ensemble.

"I couldn't quite find the right costume so I decided on different elements and I've come up with my own totem," she said. "I've got a horse head and a jaguar suit; I'm a bit of a hybrid really."

Hoops-Hillier will combine her hosting duties with her popular hoops routine, performing alongside a cavalcade of weird and wonderful acts.

Comedian Marty Bright is set to make the audience laugh before trapeze artist Claire Kirk Downey, from Circus Monoxide, shows off her skills.

The cabaret night will culminate with the wild drum rhythms of the Beatmeisters, who are set to get the dance floor jumping.

Hoops-Hillier said the show was intended to be a homage to the changing of the seasons.

"It's really a chance for people to put winter behind them and bring in spring, which is always party time. The Beatmeisters are really into that bush doof, kind of 'burning man' festival vibe so the jungle theme is a bit of a play on that. It's a chance to just let loose and shake off the cold."

Guests have been encouraged to wear everything from prints to peacock feathers to celebrate and Hoops-Hillier is hoping people embrace the theme.

"I think people that come along always love to dress up, it's part of the show's appeal," she said.

"There's no rules, it's all very loose - people can half-dress up, it's really up to them.

"We've extended the theme beyond that sort of '50s jungle theme, of safari suits and Tarzan and Jane; we want it to be a bit freer and a bit more spiritual."

The Vault cabaret shows have become a popular event on the Illawarra creative scene, thanks to their quirky performers and bohemian feel.

Hoops-Hillier puts the series' success down to its uniqueness, offering something totally different for audiences.

"People love coming along because there's always this really loose atmosphere, it's just set up for fun," she said.

"You have to go down this dark alleyway in Port Kembla to get to the venue but it's all part of that sort of underground feeling," Hoops-Hillier says.

"The show is like something you'd see in Marrickville or Surrey Hills in Sydney, but it's here in little old Port Kembla.

"It's good to have something like that in the Illawarra."