Australia Day falls on Saturday 26th of January. The day usually sees Aussies celebrate with family and friends, be it with a BBQ and beers, backyard cricket, an afternoon at the pub or a day at the beach. For many, it also marks the end of the holiday period, with schools going back into term the following day. Many may choose to take Monday off work and have an extended long weekend.

Other notable events that happen around Australia on Australia Day include:

• Australia Day Address – distinguished members of the community are invited to express their unique perspective on the nation’s identity.
  
• Awards – Announcement of the Australian of the year, Australian Honours and NSW Citizen of the Year Awards. State & Regional (local councils)
  
• GIO 10km Wheelchair Race (Sydney)
  
• Fireworks – (various locations)
  
• Australia Day CARnival – Vintage car show (Sydney)
  
• Ferrython & Tall Ships Race – (Sydney Harbour)
  Be aware of your local area’s activities.

For some venues the date presents an opportunity to create an event that will:

• Increase foot traffic to your venue
  
• Increase length of stay

Consider activities that are synonymous with Australia Day, that have more value to your customers than the alternative of them celebrating at home.

Please note: For some venues, you may identify only marginal gain out of an investment into Australia Day activities. If this is the case, you may consider simply trading as normal, or show some support for your nation through a small spend on theming only.

Below is a list of suggested activity. To view details and costs associated with the activity, please click on the links under the activity heading.

THEMING:
DETAILS: Themeing and staff in costumes can be a great way to build atmosphere and customer interaction in your venue.
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COMPLIMENTARY BBQ:
DETAILS: For non-food venues, consider offering a complimentary BBQ or sausage sizzle which is an intrinsic Australia Day activity.
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FAMILY FUN DAY ACTIVITIES:
DETAILS: For family venues, it may be appropriate to offer some additional activities skewed towards children, to keep the kids busy and parents happy.
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AUSTRALIA DAY GAMES & ENTERTAINMENT:
DETAILS: For some venues, it may be worthwhile holding a number of low cost games suited for the ‘big kids’, which will ensure to build the Aussie spirit within your venue and ensure a great atmosphere to keep your regulars in your venue.
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BEVERAGE SPECIALS:
DETAILS: If you already have increased trade on Australia Day, it may not be wise to offer discounts on products that will see decent sales. If you need to incentivise your customers to come to your venue as opposed to a competitor look to create a beverage special that is not only attractively priced but also unique and commensurate with the Australia Day concept.
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Suggested marketing initiatives are outlined above and again below. Not all will be appropriate to your venue, however please suggest as many options as you feel appropriate in you promotion proposal:

• INTERNAL POS
• STAFF VIRL
• NIGHLIFE
• SMS
• LOCAL SPORTING SPONSORS
• WEBSITE
• SOCIAL MEDIA
• EFLYER
• LOCAL MEDIA RELEASE
• PRINT ADVERTISING IN LOCAL ‘WHAT’S ON’ GUIDES

Allocated activity should be mentioned in your A&M Proposals; in your proposals, please include:

• Each individual activity you wish to run including the day you will be running this, times and cost to A&M. You will also be able to provide any additional comments around the activity in the A&M Proposal sheet.
  
• Proposed Marketing Activity
  
• Any additional activity you may wish to include outside of the suggested mechanics.

USEFUL TIPS:

• Before submitting your proposal, speak to your locals and find out what their plans are. It will also be wise to see what your competitors and local council may be planning.
  
  
• Be well planned with your activities – better planning will ensure better execution.
  
  
• Ensure all staff are actively selling the weekend to the target market
  
  
• For Family Fun Day activities, ensure you are engaging all local community groups to assist with viral marketing; this may include, local schools, child care centers, mums groups, sporting sponsors etc. Please speak to Bianca Vlasic if you feel your event is a PR opportunity.
  
  
• Gain the support of your sponsored sporting teams to jump on board. Consider offering the proceeds of meat raffles to their clubs for their support on the day.