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Your Australian World Expositions Connection
- Celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 and Australia at World Expositions -
Entertainment
World Expo '88 over it's short span of
184 days brought some of the best talent and
entertainment the world could find to Australia's
shores. A complex and varied Entertainment program was
developed - that encompassed not only street
performances on the Expo's boulevards and avenues, but
also rock, pop, opera, theatre, circus, lasers,
fireworks, waterskis and water shows, dance,
weightlifing, wood chopping, lumber jacking, marching
bands, daytime and night parades, magic shows, the 'Expo
Oz' Show and more.
Whilst the Entertainment Division of the Expo Authority was responsible for co-ordinating the entertainment at the several on-site venues - from the large performance 10,000 seater River Stage, jutting out on the Brisbane River with the Brisbane City skyline as the background; to the intimate Warana Amphitheatre - with seating for 300 - under the gentle shade of one of the Expo sun-sails; to the circus and European plaza fun of the Piazza - with it's colourful emblazoned sun motif design; it also had a much larger portfolio - at the nearby and newly opened Queensland Performing Arts Complex - where the 'World Expo on Stage' program - the largest arts and entertainment program in Australia's history - took centre stage.
And, there was also the thrills and turns of World Expo Park - a hi-tech amusement park adjoining the Exposition site - where one could party on far beyond the Expo's nightly closing time of 10.00p.m. - and - (free entrance with Expo admission) on a pay-per-ride system one could experience the high-G's of the semi-obscured whirlwind ride of the 'Supernova'; the tight double-barrelled loop of the iconic 'Titan' roller-coaster; the more traditional bumper-to-bumper car rides; as well as a 24-hour professional recording studio where one could - karaoke-style - record by oneself or with friends - renditions of your favourite pop songs and so on.
Originally designed to become a permanent fixture after the Exposition's conclusion - World Expo Park later gave way to the development of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre - which now stands on the former Park site.
Information collated on this page is courtesy of Ric Birch - Head of the Entertainment Division, World Expo 88; the official photograph-essay commemorative publication of the Entertainment Division - 'That's Entertainment' - by Official Photographer for the Division, Brett Cochrane Productions; as well as the daily entertainment pages of the 'Expo Today' columns and feature stories of the official World Expo '88 Newspapers - Brisbane's 'The Courier Mail' and 'The Sunday Mail'.
Whilst the Entertainment Division of the Expo Authority was responsible for co-ordinating the entertainment at the several on-site venues - from the large performance 10,000 seater River Stage, jutting out on the Brisbane River with the Brisbane City skyline as the background; to the intimate Warana Amphitheatre - with seating for 300 - under the gentle shade of one of the Expo sun-sails; to the circus and European plaza fun of the Piazza - with it's colourful emblazoned sun motif design; it also had a much larger portfolio - at the nearby and newly opened Queensland Performing Arts Complex - where the 'World Expo on Stage' program - the largest arts and entertainment program in Australia's history - took centre stage.
And, there was also the thrills and turns of World Expo Park - a hi-tech amusement park adjoining the Exposition site - where one could party on far beyond the Expo's nightly closing time of 10.00p.m. - and - (free entrance with Expo admission) on a pay-per-ride system one could experience the high-G's of the semi-obscured whirlwind ride of the 'Supernova'; the tight double-barrelled loop of the iconic 'Titan' roller-coaster; the more traditional bumper-to-bumper car rides; as well as a 24-hour professional recording studio where one could - karaoke-style - record by oneself or with friends - renditions of your favourite pop songs and so on.
Originally designed to become a permanent fixture after the Exposition's conclusion - World Expo Park later gave way to the development of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre - which now stands on the former Park site.
Information collated on this page is courtesy of Ric Birch - Head of the Entertainment Division, World Expo 88; the official photograph-essay commemorative publication of the Entertainment Division - 'That's Entertainment' - by Official Photographer for the Division, Brett Cochrane Productions; as well as the daily entertainment pages of the 'Expo Today' columns and feature stories of the official World Expo '88 Newspapers - Brisbane's 'The Courier Mail' and 'The Sunday Mail'.
Opening Day
'Food!'
- The Expo '88 Day Parade
'Hermaphro - Queen of the Night' - QANTAS Light Fantastic Night Parade
The Space
Young at Heart
'Hermaphro - Queen of the Night' - QANTAS Light Fantastic Night Parade
The Space
Young at Heart
World
Expo on Stage
Closing Day
'The Best of the Best'
Celebrity Speakers Forum
A Daily Guide to the Entertainment and Attendance Figures at World Expo '88 - from 'Expo Today'
Closing Day
'The Best of the Best'
Celebrity Speakers Forum
A Daily Guide to the Entertainment and Attendance Figures at World Expo '88 - from 'Expo Today'
Further Details - Entertainment at
World Expo '88
"That's Entertainment", by
Photographer Brett Cochrane
Release Date 1988 - Publisher Brett
Cochrane Productions
Limited to 5,000 editions. A
photographic journey into the Entertainment World of
World Expo 88, by official staff photographer,
Brett Cochrane. Also includes in depth vignettes by
key entertainment-related official staff.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
Not in publication - Occasional copies
can be found for sale on eBay, or through second-hand book dealers.
Alternately read the work at the State Library of
Queensland (Dewey Number GSB
790.209943 1988), or order it through participating
Australian Inter-Library Loan Request.
"Master of the Ceremonies : An
Eventful Life"
by Ric Birch
by Ric Birch
[Autobiography]
Release date September 2004 - Publisher 'Allen & Unwin'
Release date September 2004 - Publisher 'Allen & Unwin'
A stellar introduction into the life
and career of internationally-renowned events
entrepreneur Australian Ric Birch. Features
chapters of his work as Head of the Entertainment
Division of World Expo '88, and the joys and
surprises of his work co-ordinating the Opening
and Closing Ceremonies of the Brisbane 1982 XIIth
Commonwealth Games, as well as the 1984
Los Angeles Olympic Games; the 1992 Barcelona
Olympic Games; and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
A must-read for anyone interested in mega-events and event management.
A must-read for anyone interested in mega-events and event management.