Footy festivities are in full swing in Rundle Mall as the city braces for one of its busiest weeks of the year, with AFL’s Gather Round bringing in throngs of fans from across the nation.
Activations, interactive experiences, and extended shopping hours will mark the occasion, providing a great atmosphere.
Anticipating a surge of more than 40,000 interstate visitors and a considerable turnout of locals, Rundle Mall will keep its doors open until 7pm on Saturday, April 7th, offering ample opportunities for shopping, dining, and soaking in the Gather atmosphere. Participating stores include rebel, JD Sports, Apple, Cotton On, and others.
Last year’s Gather Round saw a remarkable 16% increase in foot traffic in Rundle Mall, as reported by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), with expectations running high for an even more significant turnout this year.
“Hosting AFL’s Gather Round is a boon for South Australia, and AEDA has worked hard to maximise the benefits for businesses across the city and Rundle Mall and to create a memorable experience for visitors,” Adelaide Economic Development Agency’s Executive Manager, Rundle Mall, Andrew White, said.
The premier shopping precinct will be transformed into a lively Gather Round Live Site from April 3rd to April 7th, located near the Gawler Place Canopy.
The Live Site promises a host of activities including a digital footy quiz, personalised souvenir footy cards, player appearances, and interactive games to test one’s footy skills against the pros.
Additional attractions at Rundle Mall during the five-day festival include a towering inflatable Sherrin football, a pop-up AFL Store, the Footy Bar serving beverages by Mollydooker MollyVan and Pirate Life Brewing, live-streamed Gather Round games, a ‘reboot your boots to win’ activation by rebel, and an MG car activation featuring an interactive handball challenge.
“The city’s the place to be for footy fans who couldn’t secure tickets to the games or those who want to
extend the festivities to before or after the footy,” Andrew said.
“Hundreds of thousands of South Australians and interstate visitors will visit the Mall from Wednesday through Sunday, and no matter their age, there’s something to enjoy. Kids will love the souvenir footy cards, featuring a photo of themselves in their favourite team’s colours, while mum and dad will appreciate a cool and comfortable place to watch the action with a drink in hand.”
Beyond Rundle Mall, Gather Round festivities extend across the city with events like Home Base in Gilbert Place, Footy Flashbacks at Festival Plaza, Game Day at Home Ground on the Adelaide Riverbank Promenade, Ruck & Roll featuring live music in various city locales, and the Macca’s Footy Festival at Elder Park.
“It’s going to be a cracker of a week as footy fever descends on the city,” Andrew said.
Gather Round activations in Rundle Mall
Where: Rundle Mall, Gawler Place Canopy
When: April 3rd – 7th
Wednesday 3 April 10am – 5:30pm
Thursday 4 April 10am – 7pm
Friday 5 April 10am – 9pm
Saturday 6 April 10am – 7pm
Sunday 7 April 10am – 5pm
For more details about Rundle Mall’s Gather Round Live Site, head here.
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