Adelaide’s esteemed status as a sporting hub receives another boost as the city’s LGBTQIA+ Feast Festival officially vies to host the lucrative 2030 Gay Games – with the endorsement of Adelaide United player, Josh Cavallo, a prominent figure in the world of sports.
Feast Festival, in collaboration with the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) and the SA Government, has submitted Adelaide as a candidate city in the selection process to host the prestigious event.
Josh, a celebrated midfielder and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, emphasised Adelaide’s reputation as a world-class sporting destination and a beacon of inclusivity. He believes that if successful, hosting the 2030 Gay Games would further elevate Adelaide’s stature on the global stage.
“This is a sporting city and it’s an inclusive city and the idea of having such a huge event, that throws Adelaide onto the world’s stage, is incredibly exciting,” he said.
“Hosting the Gay Games in Adelaide wouldn’t just be a win for the LGBTQIA+ community – it would also be a win for everyone, because sport is for everyone – regardless of gender, sexuality, race or religion.”
According to Feast Festival CEO Tish Naughton, hosting the Gay Games, previously held in cities like Paris, Hong Kong, and Sydney, would yield substantial economic gains for the South Australian economy. Additionally, it would enhance Adelaide’s standing as a destination that embraces diversity and inclusivity.
“Hosting the Gay games would put Adelaide on the map as one of the world’s leading cities of inclusion and bring in over 10,000 participants across a range of sports – not to mention the huge numbers of tourists with spectators jetting in from across the nation and the world,” she said.
“The Gay games are for everyone – you don’t have to be queer to participate – and that really signifies that at the heart of this phenomenal, week-long event, is a deep sense of inclusion for all.
“Feast is incredibly excited to have entered the selection process to host the 2030 Gay Games in Adelaide, with the cooperation of the South Australian Tourism Commission and the SA Government and , if successful, there are huge drawcards from this, both from a social perspective and an economic one.”
Adelaide is among ten cities worldwide participating in the selection process to host the 2030 Gay Games. This phase grants potential host cities access to comprehensive bid documents and host city criteria for the first time, enabling them to thoroughly evaluate whether to pursue a bid.
Arts Minister Andrea Michaels welcomed the bid on behalf of the South Australian Government.
“It would be fantastic to host the Gay Games here in Adelaide. I congratulate Feast Festival on their work to bring this exciting event to South Australia,” she said.
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