Find another side of Fringe World with South Perth’s Southside Summer program

The City of South Perth’s Southside Summer program will return to the foreshore at Mindeerup this Fringe World with a Circus at Sunset series presented in partnership with ZAP CIRCUS. The 2024 edition will feature a series of workshops and performances from Sunday, January 28 until Sunday, February 4, with programming including circus performances, interactive circus workshops, family fun activities, pop up-style activations, roving performers, and live entertainment. BRAYDEN EDWARDS spoke to South Perth’s Cultural Development Coordinator Adrian Fabiankovits to find out more.

It’s great to see the Fringe festivities are alive and well across the river in South Perth this summer! It seems like the program is bigger and better than ever this year!

The 2024 Southside Summer program certainly is bigger and better than ever, with high-profile, award-winning performers providing world-class entertainment free of charge. This year’s program combines skilled performances and interactive entertainment with a picturesque setting during ‘golden hour’—it’s not to be missed!

There are free, all-ages workshops throughout the Southside Summer series. What kinds of cool things can we learn at these workshops?

There are hands-on circus skills workshops on January 28, 29, 31, and February 3. These are great fun workshops open to all ages and abilities; try your hand at becoming a circus star!

These will be followed by performances from Zap Circus. What kinds of entertainment is this award-winning team bringing to Southside Summer this year?

Each night brings a different, award-winning circus show! With performances from ZAP CIRCUS, Charlie Caper, Natural Wings, Laser Kiwi, and Wildhouse Circus, audiences are in for a treat! There will be magic, acrobatics, fire, aerial dance, hula hooping, comedy, lightshows, and heaps more!

There will be plenty of fun and interesting characters coming to visit as well. I was intrigued to hear about ‘The Purple People’. What can we look forward to when they hit the foreshore?

The Purple People Comedy & Circus show is a high-energy, acrobatic, and comedy show all wrapped up in bright and zany costumes! This show has won the hearts of audiences around the world and features fire, acrobatics, juggling, hula hooping, and plenty of laughs!

You also have a performer visiting all the way from Sweden! What can you tell us about the magician Charlie Caper?

Charlie Caper won Sweden’s Got Talent! He is an incredible magician and performer, and he is bringing his unique tricks to Southside Summer on Monday, January 29. Shows are absolutely 100% free and family-friendly, so come down to Mindeerup on the South Perth Foreshore and get Fringe shows for free!

Other than the entertainment program, how is the Fringe experience different for those going down to Mindeerup compared to the city?

Southside Summer features a scenic, open-air setting at sunset, with a selection of brilliant restaurants and cafes nearby on Mends St., a fantastic Artwalk Mindeerup public artwork trail, and the relaxed, family-friendly vibe of the South Perth Foreshore. Throw in some free family activities, roving performers, and world-class circus workshops and shows, and it’s truly worth the visit across the water!

And finally, what are you looking forward to the most from the Fringe program? Is there anything I haven’t mentioned we should look out for?

Don’t miss the grand premiere launch event! On Sunday, January 28, the foreshore will come alive with a huge Open-Air Variety show filled with acts by the best circus performers from around the globe! There will be circus, aerials, comedy, roving performers, a circus workshop, and music, all free and family-friendly!