Telethon 2025: Thousands flock to Telethon Family Festival for day of fun

It was a hive of excitement and activity at this year’s Telethon Family Festival where thousands gathered to enjoy the fun while supporting WA’s sick and vulnerable children.

There were big cheers from the crowd when the festival officially kicked off celebrations for the second day of the iconic fundraising weekend.

A bunch of Australia’s favourite television stars officially opened the festivities, including Dr Chris Brown, Sally Bowrey and, of course, Fat Cat.

Other familiar faces at the festival — presented by Coles — included The Morning Show’s Kylie Ledbury and Home and Away star Kyle Shilling were on the drums to kick off the huge event.

“We are having fun and this is the hub of fun,” Bowrey said.

Darth Vader, Wonder Woman and plenty of other roaming entertainers also joined them for the opening and were later spotted walking among the rides and showbags.

Among the families who flocked to the festival on Wellington Street and Yagan Square included Hanna Zuvela, who was decked out in her Telethon pyjamas, bucket hat and had not one, but two Fat Cat teddies.

“I love how Telethon is on the whole day and night and how everyone is raising so much money for sick kids,” she said.

Hanna and her family were also looking forward to watching the closing show.

Her mother, Amalia Zuvela, said she had grown up watching Telethon and wanted her own children to know the importance of the charity.

“We come here every single year as a family day out so we are permanently in our Telethon PJs,” she said.

“My mum and dad got us into it when we were kids so I want to make sure that my kids are aware of what’s going on at every beneficiary stall at the festival.

“We make them ask about what every stall means as I want them to be award about how blessed they are.”

Telethon is a charity close to the heart for mum Fiona Chapman, whose son Logan, 5, spent time in Perth Children’s Hospital when he burnt both his hands.

“This year he understands more of what Telethon is all about and he spent two hours searching for Fat Cat and we finally found him,” she said.

“Logan, at 10 months old, burnt both his hands so Telethon means a lot.

“He had three degree burns on both hands and has recovered well thanks to the help of the hospital.”

The festival footprint stretches from RAC Arena to Yagan Square with families enjoying carnival rides, fairy floss, face painting, popcorn, animal encounters and more.

Emma Memma was among the favourites of the day with a line out the door to meet her at the festival.

Back for another year, the children’s entertainer said she had made plenty of new friendships with the kids including the Little Telethon Stars.

“As soon as I came in the room Jordan was yelling ‘Emma’ and all of the Little Telethon Stars were just so nice so we instantly made a friendship,” she said.

“I’m just very grateful to be back and there’s nothing like it.

“People don’t know what it’s like unless they’re here and I think that’s what keeps everybody coming year after year.”

The Chase Australia host Larry Edmur was down at the festival to put chasers The Goliath and The Supernerd to the test on everything Telethon.

Everything was on the line for the pair with the loser getting slimed.

It was all over for the Goliath when he guessed the wrong age for Fat Cat, who is only seven years old.

He copped a faceful of green slime but it was all for a good cause with Pharmacy 777 donating $10,000 to Telethon for his efforts.

The All Abilities football team were also near RAC Arena to show some of AFL’s greatest players how to play the game while in a wheelchair.

The All Abilities Football Association, a Telethon beneficiary, give kids no matter what disability a chance to play the game.

The team took on footy greats Ben Cousins, Mark LeCras, Kane Cornes, Matty Richardson, and Campbell Brown with Shane Crawford commentating the game.

The challenge between footy teams got so intense that Campbell Brown fell out of his wheelchair after a clash.

The All Abilities team came out on top by whizzing around the AFL stars and getting goal after goal.

As one of the major public events tied to the Telethon broadcast, the Family Festival continues to be a place where people of all ages come together to support the health of sick children across the State.

The festival runs until 4pm.