Wagga City Council is proposing to replace it with an event that could eventually grow into a multi-day children’s festival.

In a report due to go before council’s meeting on Tuesday night, council staff say there is currently no major children's festival offering within the Riverina Murray and surrounding regions. 

The 15-year-old Little Big Day Out would be axed in favour of new festival pitched at both Wagga residents and visitors, and timed to occur during the September-October school holidays.

The revamped festival would still be largely free, but a big-top style tent would provide a stage for shows by “a nationally recognised children’s performer”, which would have paid entry.

A budget of $40,000 has been suggested for the revamped festival, which has already won the backing of Destination Riverina Murray.

If councillors say yes, the first “Spring Jam” in Wagga would be held at the Botanic Gardens on October 13.

Little Big Day Out has been aimed at children aged under 13. It has offered food, drink and entertainment to visitors, as well as providing a showcase of services offered to the community by Wagga City Council.

A free event, it has attracted thousands of families to the Civic Centre precinct.

The move to the Wagga Botanic Gardens puts the event within walking distance of many of the city’s suburbs and in an area that already features popular tourist attractions like the zoo and miniature railway.

Spring Jam would feature “a variety of interactive activities and workshops to engage children and adults, alongside roving performances and food and beverage options”.

“The festival will feature both local artists and performers along with other non-local professional creative practitioners,” the report to councillors reads.

The proposal is for the event that would become an “iconic regional festival”, which includes both local and visiting performers.

Wagga mayor – and proud grandfather – Greg Conkey is supportive of the proposal to trial the festival.

“We now have Fresh, which is for both our senior and younger people,” Councillor Conkey said.

“Now we’re looking at trialling this new event, which is aimed at children.”

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