2024 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong coming up next month
A boating event that has been the cornerstone of the Geelong community for many years.
If you love all things boats and are around the Melbourne/Geelong area on the weekend of 9–11 March (Labor Day long weekend), check out the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong. Hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, the bi-annual event holds a unique place in the culture of Geelong, celebrating Australia’s maritime heritage and local history through the wonderful world of wooden boats.
There will be the largest ever exhibition of wooden boats — including historic tall ships — along the Geelong waterfront and on Corio Bay. There will also be incredible local live entertainment and heaps of demonstrations — something for each member of the family to enjoy.
The 2024 Wooden Boat Festival will include boat races, a vintage car show, cultural displays, free family activities, food stalls and much more. There will also be the ‘Rough and Ready’ boat-building competition where participants design and build a ‘rough’ wooden boat with a carbon neutral propulsion system before testing them in a race around the marina. It’s a super-fun activity for participants and onlookers alike.
Pirate hat competition for the kids
Your kids will no doubt be excited about the prospect of winning a trip on a real pirate ship! How can they win? Simply by making a pirate hat at home and bringing it along to participate in the official pirate hat fashion parade at the Wooden Boat Festival.
The pirate hat fashion parade will be held at 11am on Sunday 10 March. Children are encouraged to be as creative as possible in five different age categories, all for the chance to win a family ticket to sail on one of the tall ships visiting for the Wooden Boat Festival at 2pm on the same day.
Further competition details can be found here.
Royal Geelong Yacht Club
Nestled on the captivating waterfront of Corio Bay, the Royal Geelong Yacht Club has been a pillar in the world of sailing sine its inception in 1859. The long-established institution holds a special place in the heart of the Geelong community, with 1200 current members and a rich spirit reflecting more than a century of sailing and boating.
For more event information visit the Wooden Boat Festival website here or email admin@woodenboatfestivalgeelong.com.au or phone 03 5229 3705.