2004 Australian Festival Moves to Centennial Park

The 2004 Australian Festival will be held at Centennial Park on September 11 & 12, 2004. Centennial Park is Nashville's most prestigious park which is symbolized and recognized by the Parthenon. The Parthenon, which was built originally for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition, is an exact size replication of the Parthenon in Athens. Centennial Park is located 5 miles west of Nashville's Central Business District.

"Having our festival move to Centennial Park is a most exciting piece of news," stated Peter Beare, director of the 2004 Australian Festival. "Centennial Park is a Nashville treasure and of course having the Parthenon as part of the festival landscape is simply amazing. Being at Centennial Park allows people from all over Nashville to come and join in our great Aussie Celebration, while providing the Festival with a facility that will allow future growth over the next few years. The park includes amenities such as the Centennial Art Center, which could play host to an Aboriginal Art Exhibition in the future. We have no doubt this move will help make the Australian Festival one of Nashville's premier events each year."

The 2004 Australian Festival will feature:

• Kids Down Under, a fully enclosed area with Aussie animals, a learning theatre, and many games and rides.

• Sports Down Under, featuring Australian Rules Football (Australia's national sport), Rugby and Cricket.

• Aussie Exhibitors, including Australian Travel & Leisure as well as diverse Australian products and organizations.

• Aussie Food Court, which will introduce food from Australia mixed with great offerings from local Nashville restaurants.

• Music Down Under, which will showcase a blend of both locally and nationally-known music acts from Down Under. 

• The Australian Pavilion, a private place to meet your mates that will feature great Australian food and drink.

New features and additional events:

• "The Gathering"....... an Australian Home Coming Concert, will be held on Saturday evening on the front lawn of the Parthenon. "The Gathering" is slated to attract Australians from all over the United States coming together to celebrate their heritage. The concert will showcase some great local Australian musicians, with a national name for our headliner.

• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF - Middle Tennessee Chapter) will be hosting their annual fundraising Walkathon at Centennial Park on September 11 (early Saturday morning). The walkathon will include a 5 mile walk, music, games, food, and fun, and will culminate with a September 11 memorial that will also be the official opening of the 2004 Australian Festival. Festival patrons will be encouraged to enter teams into this event and assist in raising money for this very worthy cause.

• Vandy Aussie Rules Club will be hosting the First Annual National Collegiate Invitational Australian Rules Football Tournament, which will be played at Vanderbilt University on September 10, 11 & 12.. The tournament is expected to draw up to 16 University Clubs from all over the United States. The Australian Festival will be showcasing several of the tournament's matches. 

• G'Day Mates Schools Program - an Australian Recreational and Educational Experience - will be held on Friday, September 10, at Centennial Park. Schools from Nashville will be invited to participate in this event, which has seen more than 3000 children over the last 3 years. Parents are also welcome to join the fun, which features storytelling, sports clinics, and various cultural and educational demonstrations from the Land of the Southern Cross. 
  

The 2004 Australian Festival remains a free admission event to the general public, with applicable charges in the Kids Down Under area, Australian Pavilion, Aussie Exhibitors, and Aussie Food Court.

For our out of town mates - the Holiday Inn Select at Vanderbilt is the official Festival Hotel. The Holiday Inn Select is located across the street from Centennial Park and allows patrons coming in from out of town (flying or driving) to be at the festival's doorstep all weekend, while being in the heart of the fabulous West End district in Nashville.

A big thank you to David Eubank at Metro Parks and Party Place (Carlton Baker and Howard Becak) for their tremendous work in directing us to Centennial Park and assisting us with the many logistics involved in setting up this event. Also a big cheers to the West End Outback Steakhouse and Proprietor Dennis Clanney who has provided major support for the Festival over the last 4 years! Thanks and recognition to Friends of Elmington Park and Kentucky Down Under for their tremendous support of the Festival over the last 7 years. 

The Australian Festival is run annually by the Nashville Kangaroos, Inc. - a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting Australian/American relations. For more details on this event please contact (615) 460-1401 or e-mail director@gdaynashville.com or visit the Official Australian Festival Website at www.gdaynashville.com. 

Come Say G'Day!

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Contact:
Peter Beare - Festival Director
Nashville Kangaroos/Australian Festival
P.O. Box 128156
Nashville TN 37212

The Nashville Kangaroos are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1998. The Nashville Kangaroos are dedicated to promoting Australian/American relations.