Regional Victoria will take centre stage at the home of footy, when the Essendon and Geelong Football Clubs meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the AFL Country Festival.
The Andrews Labor Government is proudly sponsoring the celebration of regional communities, farmers and volunteer organisations as part of the AFL’s Country Festival.
The match between Essendon and Geelong will be dedicated to country football and netball clubs, and to the people behind the clubs – so often the lifeblood of regional communities.
Outside the ground, the Country Festival will also recognise the significant contribution that Victoria’s regional communities make to our way of life and to the game of AFL.
Prior to the bounce, regional volunteers will be honoured with the CFA forming a guard of honour for each team’s entry to the field.
Yarra Park will come alive with the huge country festival, ute muster and regional farmers’ market with over 50 vendors – finishing with a twilight concert featuring Australian music stars.
The Labor Government’s ‘Ready When You Are’ campaign, which promotes regional Victoria as an ideal place to live, will be promoted to the thousands of fans and visitors on the day.
Essendon and Geelong, in partnership with the AFL and the MCC, will provide more than 5,000 free tickets to regional communities across Victoria to attend the match.
While the ‘Country Game’ is played in Melbourne, the Labor Government is bringing AFL to regional Victoria.
The Western bulldogs will play at Mars stadium for a second time this year, providing a major economic boost to Ballarat and surrounds.
Geelong also hosts nine games at GMHBA Stadium, which provides a significant boost to the local economy.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“Our local sporting clubs simply bring regional communities together. They are the heart and soul of our towns across Victoria and today is about celebrating and recognising them.”
“It’s great to see a game that pays tribute to our farmers and regional communities and join ANZAC Day and Dreamtime as a major blockbuster on the AFL calendar.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020