The Wilds

See Sidney Myer Music Bowl reimagined as a supernatural winter forest, complete with huge sculptures, mirrored illusions and an ice-skating rink.
Libby Curran
Published on May 06, 2021

Overview

It has played host to a staggering array of gigs and been the backdrop for countless different live music memories, but we reckon you've never seen the Sidney Myer Music Bowl quite like this.

From May 26 to June 6, the inaugural Rising festival will see the iconic precinct transformed into a multi-sensory supernatural forest, inviting punters to immerse themselves in a captivating fusion of ice, art, sound and light.

Held nightly throughout the festival's duration, The Wilds is set to deliver an interactive feast for all the senses. Traipse through its bamboo forest, marvel at large-scale sculptures and video works, and trip yourself out through mazes of mirrored illusions. In a nod to winter's past, the stage itself will once again become a working ice-skating rink (yes, that really was a thing), where visitors can glide around beneath the giant glowing orb that is Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon installation. And when the appetite's piqued, you'll find both a fine dining offering in the atrium and a menu of snacks to enjoy fireside, under the stars. A pop-up restaurant and once-off culinary collaborations will also be set against The Wilds.

Museum of the Moon (2017) by Luke Jerram, courtesy University of Bristol

Yep, it's quite the lineup — organisers are recommending you set aside at least 90 minutes in order to properly experience the whole thing. General entry to The Wilds will set you back $15, or you can grab a $35 ticket to include a session on the ice at Rinky Dink.

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