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What do you get when you combine the two things Melbourne does best – footy and a party? That’d be the Footy Fest. Returning to Yarra Park from September 23 to 26, the festival will transform Yarra Park and the MCG precinct into a mega four-day celebration for footy fans, families and event-goers.
Spread across three hubs, there will be live entertainment, player appearances and some of the city's best food trucks and bars. Plus, entry is completely free, so there’s no better place to be during the most important weekend of the year.
Some of our favourite parts:
- Score autographs from your favourite AFL and AFLW stars at the Telstra Player Hub
- Refuel at Taste of Finals area on the Main Stage Lawn or grab a drink to watch the footy on the big screen at the BWS Garden Bar
- Enter the immersive Our House, Our Rules experience – a blacked-out space starring colourful UV lightscapes and a graffiti wall, where you can test your skills against glowing targets and illuminated reaction tests
- There will be a new Bunnings Family Lawn main stage, featuring headliner The Mik Maks
- More interactive experiences like VR umpiring, designing your own footy shirt or just having a kick inside the all-ages AFL PLAY Clubhouse
- Exclusive Club and AFL merchandise available at the AFL Superstore
- Plus so many more fun and free activations across site
All of this sets the stage for the annual 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade on the public holiday on Friday September 25 – aka the best day of the year.
Rock up early to catch the pre-parade entertainment from 9:30am before the procession sets off from Melbourne Park Oval at 10:30am, winding its way through Birrarung Marr and finishing right in the heart of Footy Fest around midday.
Here are the full fest details so you don't miss any of the fun.
Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 September - 10am-5pm
Friday 25 September – 9am-5pm (2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade from 10:30am)
Saturday 26 September – 9am-7pm
Footy Fest runs from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 from 9am to 7pm for 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final match-day, with the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade on Friday 25. For more information, visit the official AFL website.