- Free award-winning weekend festival with something for all the family at Coogee Beach, set against the backdrop of Coogee Reserve and Omeo Park
- The second annual Great Mermaid Migration set to attract over 50 mermaids
- A share of $10,000 has been committed for young artists to contribute original works to the program
- Cultural stories, live art performances, children’s learning activities, interactive activities and more.
Popular beachside family festival Coogee Live has cemented its status as a best-in-class community event on the national calendar and is due to return to Coogee Beach on 9-10 March 2024.
Finalist for best Australian community event at the 2023 Australian Event Awards and the winner in 2021, the fifth annual Coogee Live attracted 26,000 visitors earlier this year.
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said a huge part of Coogee Live’s success came from its deep community roots.
“Coogee Live combines the winning formula of an inclusive, community-focused and always evolving festival program at an iconic beachside location,” Mayor Howlett said.
“We have intentionally kept the event free so everyone in the community and beyond can enjoy it and share a common experience that fosters connection.”
Mayor Howlett said the theme for Coogee Live in 2024 was ‘metamorphosis’, a powerful concept that resonated with the essence of growth, change, elevation and evolution.
“Just as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, our community too undergoes remarkable shifts and transformations that deserve celebration,” he said.
“The theme of metamorphosis encapsulates the spirit of embracing change, both on an individual level and as a community and we invite you to reflect on your own journey of change and renewal.
“Together, we can foster a stronger, more resilient community that flourishes in the face of transformation.”
The Coogee Live weekend festival has a packed program of family-friendly activities that encourage learning, celebrate culture, foster connection, sparks imaginative thinking, and is an opportunity to participate in something new while enjoying inspirational entertainment for all ages.
Watch the awe spread across kids’ faces as they listen to mermaid and pirate stories or learn about the fascinating life of reptiles, and relax and enjoy an ice-cold craft beer and a magnificent ocean view while toe-tapping to live music.
Pick up a special handcrafted gift or two and have a go at meditation or drawing your face as part of a legacy art project. The range of activities offered at Coogee Live is diverse and inclusive.
Three beach hubs – Beach and Jetty Hub, Community Hub and Omeo Hub – will stretch along the coast from North Coogee to Coogee Beach Reserve.
Coogee Live 2024 activities and attractions will include:
- In March this year, Coogee Live 2023 lured more than 60 mermaids and mermen to the beach at the inaugural Great Mermaid Migration. In 2024, the mermaid metamorphosis continues with Coogee Live looking to break its own record of most merfolk gathered. Witness the fairy tale phenomenon at the southern end of Coogee Beach on Saturday 9 March at 10.30am
- At the northern end of Coogee Beach, ArtVenture Workshops with local artist Bridget Seaton includes the chance to create a beautiful peacock notebook using pastel, collage and acrylic paint, or create two notebooks by transforming card and paper with traditional stitching and weaving techniques
- Wander through an oceanside gallery and admire the artworks of local artists at Sculpture Culture. Sponsored by Frasers Property Australia, join the Faces of Coogee activity with artist Kelly Canby to add your face to create a collaborative community mural that celebrates diversity
- Artists aged 12 to 27 can ignite their creativity to complete an artwork that encapsulates the heart and soul of Coogee Live at a ground-breaking collaboration by Propel Arts and the City of Cockburn
- The City has pledged $10,000 shared among multiple artists through an expressions of interest process, that could kick-start an exhilarating artistic career
- Unleash your inner architect and get your buckets and spades ready for the incredible sandcastle showdown at the Jetts South Fremantle Sandcastle Competition. You can also join the newest beach game invented here in WA, the Beach Ball Masters Competition; think Twister with beach balls
- Metamorphosise your fitness with personal trainers from Jetts South Fremantle at bootcamps with prizes and give-aways across the weekend
- On the Omeo Stage, Whiskey Jack will perform toe-tapping numbers with a fresh Australiana sound. Join in a unique collaboration between audience and performer with The Big Polynesian Singer Jacob Phiema during his soulful and emotive set
- Focus on ‘Today’s Tomorrow’ shining a spotlight on the community’s talented youth and emerging artists such as James Abberley who recently released new single ‘Go My Way’, Tom Fisher & The Layabouts winners of WAM’s Song of the Year (Blues & Roots) for ‘Old man of the blues’, and guitarist and singer Ari Davis who plays a mix of originals and a unique take on popular cover songs
- Youth talent performing on the Community Stage include energetic blues rock trio Terminal 3 and sibling duo Twelve Parsecs performing electrifying renditions of rock classics
- Entertaining a younger crowd is Fliptease with their 30-minute show Mermaid Tales and Pirate Sails that includes sing-a-longs, dance, and stories. Meet the pirate and the mermaid after the show and get a selfie alongside the giant clam
- Feel the high energy beats of the Wasamba Rio-style carnival drummers who’ve performed to crowds across Australia, England, Scotland and New Zealand
- Experience the joy of childhood nostalgia at MetamorphiScape Ball-o-rama, a fenced wonderland of beach balls where every step brings a new splash of colour waiting to dance in the wind. Walk through Ribbons in the Wind, a poignant reminder that hope transcends borders and cultures as individual colourful threads combine to represent a vibrant and resilient tapestry of human aspiration
- Help find butterflies with Fliptease’s Butterfly Catchers, two tall exuberant entomologists roving the Community Hub entertaining the curious with enthusiastic charm, exuding truths that curiosity is a catalyst for discovery and change
- Full of fun and hot air is an aviator and his crew on a roving Fliptease adventure known as the Balloonatics
- Keeping the art of serenading alive, Mr Accordion Man will create joyful moments as people dance and sing along
- The City of Cockburn will provide free health checks, the vibrant Cockburn Makers Market returns with stalls by talented craftspeople, and learn how to use Gan Jin World, a clean digital platform of family-friendly entertainment
- Critters Up Close aims to create a positive impact through interactive education and understanding about our incredible animals and of our fragile ecosystem
- Enter the Petals of Peace space, learn to fold a paper lotus flower, a symbol of peace, or try the spiritual and ancient practice of qigong guided by Falun Dafa
- Submerge into a new world with Perth Scuba during a free scuba and snorkel lesson. All equipment is provided, just bring a towel and bathers and be mesmerised by the fascinating underwater world
- Tackle the inflatable obstacle course at the Xtreme Bounce Agility Zone for a laughter and adrenaline-filled challenge that will push boundaries testing both agility and fitness.
Connect, collaborate, create and join the City of Cockburn community at Coogee Live, a weekend festival of free activities and entertainment on 9-10 March.
For more information, visit
www.coogeelive.com and follow Coogee Live on
Facebook for updates.