Kardinia Park to host Festival of Sport

KARDINIA Park will be the number one destination for all keen and aspiring sportspeople later this year, with the precinct to host the inaugural Festival of Sport.

The free event will take place on October 6-7 and feature more than 30 sports clinics, stadium tours, and come and try events, including a kick-to-kick session on GMHBA Stadium.

It will include appearances by the stars of Australia’s biggest sports including AFL, soccer, rugby league and union, cricket, netball and more.

To close out the festival on Sunday, the feature event will be a rugby union match between Melbourne Rising and Western Force – part of round 6 of the National Rugby Championship.

The community can try their hand at a range of clinics, activation sites and competitions staged across Kardinia Park, including virtual sailing, stand up paddle boarding at the Kardinia Aquatic Centre, tennis and roller derby.

There will also be an opportunity to be photographed with some of the nation’s most prized trophies, including the Australian Open Men’s and Women’s cups, the Hyundai A-League championship trophy, the NRL premiership trophy and the ICC World T20 men’s and women’s trophies, as well as tours of the Charles Brownlow Stand.

The Festival of Sport – a partnership between the state government, the City of Greater Geelong and the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust – will promote physical activity, health and wellbeing, showcase the diversity of sport in the Geelong region, celebrate the local community’s strong connection with the Kardinia Park precinct, and promote Geelong and the Greater Barwon region as a major events and tourism centre.

Minister for Sport John Eren launched the festival at GMHBA Stadium on Monday alongside AFL Cats captain Joel Selwood, AFLW Cats Player Richelle “Rocky” Cranston, Melbourne Vixens coach Simone McKinnis and player Tegan Philip, and a number of young sportspeople from clubs across Geelong.

“We invested in Kardina Park so it can host the best events and bring the community together,” Mr Eren said.

“This event will do both while encouraging people of all ages to get out and get active.”

Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said the range of sports on offer at the festival reflected the diversity of the region.

“It’s great for the economy but it’s also great for our community to come together to celebrate their sports and promote them.”