2020 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong announced - Enter now!

Geelong Wooden Boat Festival © Tom Smeaton

The Royal Geelong Yacht Club has announced the 2020 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong, presented by the Wooden Boatshop and Yanmar, as the place to be during the Labour Day Weekend in 2020.

Running from 6 to 9 of March, 2020, the 9th edition of the biennial Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong will celebrate Australia's maritime heritage and local history. The event will give insight into the craftmanship of wooden boat building and maintenance and host a range of boating races and displays along the Geelong Waterfront.

Event organisers anticipate that up to 6 historic tall ships will attend the event, making for a spectacular display on the Geelong Waterfront. The tall ships program will also offer the public the opportunity to experience sailing on these magnificent vessels, on either day trips or longer voyages. The visit of the HMB Endeavour will also coincide with the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong.

The festival is set to attract over 45,000 visitors, who will be able to enjoy the many activities of the festival including; boat, art, and cultural displays; demonstrations of boat building and associated maritime skills; on-shore entertainment; yacht and rowing racing on Corio Bay, and a Vintage Car display.

Festival Chairman, Stuart Dickson, said the 2020 festival will appeal to all ages and be bigger and better than ever, with the full entertainment and activity schedule to be released in the coming months.

"We will have a full family entertainment program offering kids activities, face painting and live entertainment," he said.

"There is something for everyone at the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong in 2020."

Following the success from previous festivals, Member for Geelong, Christine Couzens, will continue her support as the ambassador for the event.

"I am proud to support the Royal Geelong Yacht Club's Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong once again in 2020," Christine said.

"It is great to see the community come together to spectate the boat racing and displays, and interact with maritime heritage, multiculturalism and history, and wooden boat craftsmanship."

Born and raised in Geelong, Christine is proudly committed to our community and is not only a long-time supporter of the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong, but also engaged in championing the St Ayles Skiff Community Project - a Diversatat initiative supported by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, involving local migrants building wooden boats.

To enter your wooden boat to race or display, please click here.

For more information on the 2020 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong, please see www.woodenboatfestival.com.au.