You’re invited to the ‘Biggest Wiggly Birthday Party’ to celebrate 30 years of The Wiggles
Get ready to wiggle!
That Big Red Car would’ve certainly clocked up some kilometres over the years, as The Wiggles prepare to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
Founding member and Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field formed the group in 1991 with bandmates, Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, and Greg Page.
“I got the idea of The Wiggles from (studying) education. It was part of being a good teacher,” he says.
The group quickly grew in popularity and Anthony says their success came as a surprise. “It blew us all away!”
In the years following, The Wiggles sold out shows in Australia before heading to the States where they scored a spot on The Disney Channel. They then went on to sell-out Madison Square Garden where celebrities in the audience included Robert De Niro, Jerry Seinfeld, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
In 2012, Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt, and Greg Page were ready to hang up their colourful skivvies but not Anthony!
“I just loved it as I still do now. I’ve always known that the sum of the parts was more important than the individual. The ethos behind it was right for the children. Good music and good messages and it will still resonate.”
It has been nine years since Anthony welcomed Emma Watkins (Yellow Wiggle), Lachlan Gillespie (Purple Wiggle) and Simon Pryce (Red Wiggle) into the Wiggly family.
Earlier this year, the line-up was shaken up once again to include four new members from a mix of cultural backgrounds.
“It was playing on my mind. I wanted to reflect our audience. Of course you get people who don’t like change, but I just knew we had to do it.”
Wishing The Wiggles a very wiggly 30th birthday!
On Friday, 1 October, Aussie families are invited to tune in to the ‘Biggest Wiggly Birthday Party’, a virtual concert hosted by BIG W for all kids who have missed out on celebrating their special birthdays with family and friends this year. To register your interest, please visit BIG W’s event page.
In preparation for partying with The Wiggles, customers can visit BIG W’s Big Days at Home hub for downloadable activities such creating your own party hat, making birthday cards and pinning the tail on Wags the Dog.
Following the virtual birthday party, Woolworths will launch limited-edition Wiggles 30 year celebration collector coins into registers from 6 October in partnership with the Royal Australian Mint.
Four exclusive and unique $2 coins will be available, with a coin released each week. A total of eight million coins will be released for customers to collect at Woolworths stores across Australia. The coins represent the iconic characters that have supported The Wiggles over the years – Captain Feathersword, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and Dorothy the Dinosaur.
Limited-edition coin collectors’ albums can also be purchased for $15 in store or online, containing all four $2 coins and two commemorative $1 coins featuring the original and current Wiggles band.
On October 6, Woolworths will launch limited-edition Wiggles 30 year celebration collector coins.
Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field has a fondness for Woolies as he reflects on his pre-Wiggly days working at the supermarket giant.
“We’re thrilled to have partnered with Woolworths and BIG W to celebrate three decades of children’s entertainment, and for me personally it brings back memories of when I worked in the Woolworths fresh produce department back in 1981,” he says.
“The Wiggles virtual concert and collector coins are a great opportunity for our fans to reminisce about their memories over the past 30 years, and make new memories with our new Wiggly family,” Anthony continues.
“The band, the songs, and even the experiences have changed over the years, but our focus has always been the same – educating children through inspirational music and creativity.”
