How to do something different with your Australia Day event

Australia Day is on the horizon, and it’s time to lock down what your venue is going to do for the big day. Just like New Year’s Eve and other major holidays, Australia Day is an ideal time to attract new customers to your venue and throw a party they’ll never forget!

Whether you keep it casual with first come first served, or set up a ticketed event, it’s important to push your plans out via social media in the weeks leading up to January 26. If you’re struggling with ideas, want to do something a little different, or haven’t even started making plans yet, don’t worry – we’ve saved some ideas for you!

Throw Some Snags on the Barbie

The smell of barbecues being fired up wafts over the country on Australia Day, and it’s the perfect excuse to put some easy grub on the menu at your venue’s event.

Throw some sausages on there and charge a flat fee for a sausage in a bun, Bunnings style. Want to branch out a little and include some of the awesome multicultural aspects of Australian culture?

Cook up some satays and a big vat of peanut sauce, chuck some kangaroo on there to turn into tasty burgers, throw on some spicy chicken wings, and of course make sure you have some vegetarian and vegan options. Your menu is a great way to entice punters in the lead-up to your event – include a sausage in a bun or a kebab in your ticket price, promise a diverse menu, or boast about the awesome local produce you’re using.

 

A photo posted by Milo and Taco (@miloandtaco) on Jan 15, 2017 at 5:35pm PST

Crank the Hottest 100

For many people, Australia Day is less about the message of the day, and more about Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown. The country’s favorite youth broadcaster holds a 100-1 countdown throughout the day, and hundreds of thousands of Australians tune in every year.

If you’re having an Australia Day event at your venue, why not save money on a band or DJ and crank the Hottest 100 instead? For multi-room venues, set up a dedicated room for Hottest 100 listeners to one-up your competitors.

Or, throw the Australia Day idea out the window and embrace the Hottest 100 Party; the station encourages them in the lead-up to the day, and if you’re trying to get punters in the 18-35 age bracket, this will bring them to your doors. Encourage your customers to dress up as one of their favorite musicians from the year, set up blow pools if you have a safe outdoor space, and make sure you turn the radio up loud.

Alternative Australia Day

 

A photo posted by Craig Dingle Photography (@craigdinglephoto) on Sep 28, 2016 at 7:05pm PDT

There has been a lot of debate surrounding the meaning behind Australia Day, with Indigenous Australians and allies arguing that it doesn’t symbolise a day of joy or hope for them. Some Australian local councils and areas have even discussed changing the date and promoting a more inclusive message. If you are conscious of the social and political debate, why not hold an Alternative Australia Day party?

Whether you celebrate by holding an event on the weekend after Australia Day, or hold an all-inclusive Alternative Australia Day party on January 26, you are bound to draw in a socially focused clientele and promote a sense of inclusivity. You could include a Welcome to the Country at the beginning of your event, and even consider serving traditional Indigenous food. There don’t need to be sombre tones or even major political discussions – small gestures can go a long way.

Game On, Mates

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the whole country can get a little bit rowdy on Australia Day, and free-flowing beer can lead to a crowd full of ratbags.

So to keep them occupied, why not incorporate a few games and activities into the day or night? This works best if your venue has an outdoor section or big open space that can take a scuffing.

Got a big stretch of lawn? Roll out the lawn bowls and keep your customers entertained throughout the day. If you’re game, set up a thong throwing competition – whoever can throw theirs furthest gets a bar card.

If you don’t have an outdoor area or want to keep things a little more low-key, why not hold a quiz sometime during the day? Or, set up a space where you can project an utterly Australian film – or even just a loop of Steve Irwin Youtube clips! 

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