THE area surrounding Kiama Harbour will be transformed into an eye-catching festival village when the K.I.S.S Arts Festival returns this month.
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The K.I.S.S. Arts Festival (The Kiama International Seaside Arts Festival) will return for its sixth year in 2017.
The festival will run from April 28-30.
Each year, the organisers, Kiama residents and performers Dave Evans and Tamara Campbell seek to bring interesting, unique and talented artists to Kiama, and treat locals and holidaymakers alike to a slice of the international comedy festival scene.
The festival typically offers an interstate and international line-up of comedy, circus and music.
Last year’s festival marked a new time of year for the event after being moved from its previous January school holidays slot to April.
Evans said the 2017 festival would feature the same location and similar format.
“Last year we decided to give the festival a hub, so we moved it from being spread out around town as well as Jamberoo and Gerringong, and we brought it right down to the Black Beach harbour in Kiama,” Evans said.
“We built a little community festival village around the harbour.
“That was very successful for us. It really gave the festival some focus and made it feel like it had a home for the first time in five years.
“It felt like Kiama took ownership of the festival, which was great.”
International and interstate acts performing this year will include Mario, Queen of the Circus (USA), the UK’s Chris Lynam (described by Evans as “an anarchic clown”), Indian street magician Jaardu, and acrobatic/fire show duo Dream State Circus (Western Australia).
Kiama’s own political troubadours The Blowhole Buskers will also be among the performers.
A new feature is the AIR (Arts in Residence) K.I.S.S Arts Tent, which will be overseen by Kiama area artists Paula Gowans and Penny Sadubin.
Other events include a Kiama Kabaret performance at the Joyce Wheatley Community Centre on April 28 at 7pm.
Kiama Library has also teamed up with the festival to run a session for kids to make floating paper lanterns.
Kiama council’s children’s services officer Elizabeth Skorulis said the floating lanterns workshop, inspired by the Loi Krathong festival celebrated in Thailand each year, has proven popular.
“We’ll have local artists helping the kids make their own lanterns to take home,” Ms Skorulis said.
“They can also help make larger lotus-shaped lanterns from recycled paper and newspaper, which will be floated on Kiama Harbour during the K.I.S.S Arts Festival.”
The lantern-making workshop is free and taking place on Friday, April 21 from 10.30am. It is suitable for children aged six to 16.
To book for the lantern-making, visit Kiama Library.
The K.I.S.S Arts Circus Workshops are also back over the Easter break.
They will take place at La Petite Grande, Hindmarsh Park, at a cost of $55 per child.
Bookings: 0422 914 713.
For more information including the festival schedule, visit the http://kissartsfestival.com.au/ website.