![\"Punters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/d511b0d23bb5ca8f880138e7626fe9f04e1dabfb.jpg\")
Camera IconPunters were treated to unlimited free rides, live performances, showbags, food trucks and festival activations.\u00a0 Credit: Iain Gillespie\/The West Australian<\/p>\nThe spirit of Telethon has officially spilled out onto the streets of Perth\u2019s CBD, with thousands flocking to the 2026 Telethon Family Festival for a day of carnival colour.<\/p>\n
The entertainment extravaganza \u2014 presented by Coles \u2014 kicked off on Wellington Street on Sunday morning stretching hundreds of metres, with thousands of delighted punters treated to unlimited free rides, live performances, showbags, food trucks and festival activations.<\/p>\n
The Lotterywest Kids Carnival featured nearly a dozen rides, including the iconic teacups, Dream Swinger and Runaway Train, with swarms of giddy festivalgoers forming long queues.<\/p>\n
Children could be heard cheering and squealing in delight as they won huge plush toys from a vast range of classic sideshow games.<\/p>\n
Loren Karpinczyk said she had been coming to the festival with her kids Lyla, 7, and Ry, 4, for the last three years, and said they had spent the morning playing nearly every game the carnival had on offer.<\/p>\n
Camera IconPunters were treated to unlimited free rides, live performances, showbags, food trucks and festival activations.\u00a0 Credit: Iain Gillespie\/The West Australian<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always look forward to it, and it\u2019s nice knowing that the money is going towards something important, so we don\u2019t mind doing all the games and all the rides,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve done the clowns, we\u2019ve done the fishing pool … we\u2019ve done pretty much everything and we\u2019ve got heaps of little bits and pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said her kids had directly benefited from Telethon and that she was thrilled she could finally give back.<\/p>\n
\u201cRy did speech through Telethon speech and hearing as well, and Lyla was a premmie baby, so there was a lot of stuff in the NICU that we did for Telethon, so it\u2019s important for us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just breaks my heart to think all of these sick children, and I think it\u2019s such a nice way to come together and fundraise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dozens of vibrant activations and Telethon beneficiary stalls lined Wellington Street street, whilst roving street performers and guest celebrities \u2014 including Fat Cat and Batman \u2014 milled about greeting fans.<\/p>\n
Among the stars was Channel 7 icon Rob Palmer, who was drenched in a bucket of cold spaghetti after unveiling a $10,000 cheque from Pharmacy 777.<\/p>\n
Activations included a face painting station, sensory station, petting zoo and Radio Lollipop\u2019s live karaoke.<\/p>\n
Sisters Ellie Murphy, 14, and Gracie Murphy, 8, put their nerves to the side and performed in the karaoke, singing an impromptu rendition of Olivia Rodrigo\u2019s 2026 hit Drop Dead.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur favourite artist is Olivia Rodrigo and we love her new album, and we always sing her songs together and she\u2019s our favourite singer,\u201d Ellie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favourite bit about Telethon is definitely just the community coming together, it\u2019s great and it\u2019s actually the best weekend of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile inside the arena, dozens of dedicated West Aussies were continuing their mammoth 24-hour community fundraisers, including Boogie Bounce\u2019s bounce-a-thon and Aviation Rescue Firefighting Services\u2019 treadmill walk.<\/p>\n
![\"Jennie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/977f5add52c726b74fc3a0be7e40cd1456f92ae3.jpg\")
Camera IconJennie Friesen and Emy B. Credit: Iain Gillespie\/The West Australian<\/p>\n
Liya Angeles, 9, said her mum was jumping in the 24-hour bounce-a-thon, and vowed to join her on the trampoline next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year me and my mum might do 24-hours on the trampoline,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Die-hard Hawthorn fan Tanya Greaves visited the festival with her six-year-old granddaughter, Bambi-Rose, and said the highlight of Telethon was seeing ex-Hawks star Shane Crawford on the big screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe live in the city, so we\u2019ve been watching it all happen. The kids have been excited watching them set-up overnight, so that\u2019s been great … the kids woke up this morning and were like, \u2018Oh my God,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our first year here and it\u2019s amazing. I cannot believe Telethon and Channel 7 and what they\u2019ve put on, it\u2019s so good, the organisers have done an amazing job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bambi-Rose donned a stunning flower-themed face-paint and said the best part of the day was having sweet treats and going on the rides.<\/p>\n
Tori Templeman visited the festival with her family and friends, and said Telethon was about teaching her kids to be grateful about their own health.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur children are fortunate enough to be happy and healthy right now, and it\u2019s about what they can do to help other children … it\u2019s about kids getting behind other kids,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe encourage our kids to donate, we went into the arena and they were able to donate to the people who were walking around, and when we go home we normally make a donation as well via the TV.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Templeman\u2019s son, Jordan Zahradka, 11, said he was thrilled to be spending the morning checking out all of the rides, but said the highlight of his weekend was helping sick kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best part is how much money they raise each year for all of those sick kids in hospital that have cancer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Shelley Lee said this was her first year bringing her family to Telethon, and said they were enjoying a delicious serving of fairy-floss before heading inside the arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids got their prizes and they\u2019re having fun … I\u2019m a nurse myself and I\u2019m studying to be a midwife, so it\u2019s very important for my kids to understand how lucky they are and I think it\u2019s nice to expose them to everything,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n