The nation’s ultimate sailing celebration is back for its 182nd year as the Festival of Sails kicks off at the Geelong waterfront this weekend.
Attracting more than 3000 sailors and 100,000 visitors to the centre of Geelong every January, the 2025 edition of the festival is shaping up to be one of the biggest and best yet.
The free three-day festival, running from Saturday, January 25 to Monday, January 27, is home to the iconic Passage Race, first held in 1844 and the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest sporting event.
In addition to all the sailing action, the festival features everything from live music to fireworks, opportunities to try sailing for the first time, scenic cruises, the STS Young Endeavour II and an aerial display by the RAAF Roulettes.
Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) general manager Steve Harper said the event was what club members looked forward to every year.
“It’s really important; it’s a rich tradition,” Mr Harper said.
“The event is definitely an integral part of the club. It’s really important for us as a club that we get to celebrate sailing with the broader community.
“In terms of the economic impact, this event is equal to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. We bring in sailors from all around the country and the festival attracts 100,000 people across the three days, so there’s a fairly significant impact for Geelong.”
Mr Harper, who is coordinating his second Festival of Sails since taking on his current role at RGYC, said the club strove to deliver “a whole range of experiences for different people”.
“People that want to just perhaps chill out by the water and soak up the festival vibe can come down to our Tipi on the Bay where there’s some light music there and really great food,” he said.
“But on the other end of the scale if you want to come down and really enjoy the evenings in particular, we’ve got our headline bands on Saturday and Sunday night at the main stage.
“That’s really party time. A couple of thousand people out in front of the stage there on the water, just a really great evening there.
“And we’ve got all sorts of activities elsewhere; Discover Sailing, a live broadcast of the sailing, kids entertainment. We pride ourselves on having good quality entertainment, especially for a free event, and we think there’s some fun and enjoyment for everybody.”
Visit festivalofsails.com.au for the full program of events.
