FOOTBALL and froths will have Ballarat buzzing this weekend.<\/p>\n
In one of the city\u2019s biggest event-filled weekends since COVID-19 restrictions eased, Western United will play the Macarthur Bulls at MARS Stadium, while 4000 beer lovers enjoy brews and soak up the sun at the Ballarat Beer Festival.<\/p>\n
Western United player Aaron Calver said the team hopes they can \u201cmake a fortress of our own in Ballarat.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a huge footballing region down here. We\u2019ve brought local talent into Western United, like Alex Baker, so to get the crowd behind us here is massive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been playing some really good footy, so it\u2019s just a matter of time before things click for us. The league\u2019s really tight this year. The boys are upbeat, and we\u2019ll be rearing to go on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we have our first win in Ballarat… it gives us an advantage to play here when other teams have to travel down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballarat Beer Festival director Rick Dexter said attendance at his event is set to be up 20 per cent on previous years, although the planned Sunday FunkNFest event had to be cancelled due to COVID restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a huge, full-on weekend. There\u2019s so much on. Ballarat rocks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Beer Festival should be a sell-out, the way things are going…for our 10th birthday. We now have a comedian as our MC, Hung Le.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo-one can go interstate with the boarder closures, so everyone\u2019s travelling to the regions. Ballarat\u2019s going to have a bumper year.\u201d<\/p>\n
New local brewpub, Aunty Jacks will have a stall at the Festival. Owner Brian Taylor is looking forward to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvents are coming back to Ballarat and this weekend is a great opportunity to show the contrasting things we offer, with sports and the Beer Festival,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the new kid on the block, but we\u2019re excited. The craft beer industry is very resilient, everyone aligns and works together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cr Tracey Hargreaves said it\u2019s great to see the community come back together.<\/p>\n
\u201cBallarat people love their sport and festivals, so it\u2019s a win-win for everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a really good sign that we\u2019re on the road to recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOOTBALL and froths will have Ballarat buzzing this weekend. In one of the city\u2019s biggest event-filled weekends since COVID-19 restrictions eased, Western United will play the Macarthur Bulls at MARS Stadium, while 4000 beer lovers enjoy brews and soak up the sun at the Ballarat Beer Festival. Western United player Aaron Calver said the team […]<\/p>\n