AFL Footy Fest 2026 Guide to the Free Grand Final Week Event
If you’re looking for a FREE activity with kids in Melbourne these school holidays, AFL Footy Fest is absolutely worth adding to your list – even if your family isn’t completely footy obsessed.
We went along to Yarra Park outside the MCG and I genuinely couldn’t believe how much there was to do without paying an entry fee.
There are interactive footy challenges, kids shows, AFL and AFLW player appearances, VR, crafts, Auskick activities, giveaways, photo opportunities, food trucks, bars and SO much free merch.
And then there’s the VIBES!
You’re literally standing outside the MCG during Toyota AFL Grand Final week, so there’s footy happening everywhere you look.
After spending the day there with our boys, I’ve worked out exactly how I’d tackle AFL Footy Fest with kids – including where I’d go first and why I’d actually leave some of the biggest activations until later in the afternoon.
AFL Footy Fest 2026 at a glance
📍 Yarra Park, outside the MCG
📅 Wednesday 23 – Saturday 26 September 2026
🎟️ FREE ENTRY
👨👩👧👦 All ages
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 5pm
Friday: 9am – 5pm
Saturday: 9am – 7pm
🏉 Interactive footy activities
⭐ AFL + AFLW player appearances
🥽 VR umpiring
🎨 Free kids crafts
🪄 Magicians, bubbles + kids shows
🏃 Footy drills + skills
📸 Free photo opportunities
🏆 Hold the 2026 Premiership Cup
🎁 Giveaways, prizes + FREE merch
🌭 $3.50 Bunnings sausage sizzle
🍔 Food trucks + bars
💎 AFL x Team Kylie Collection + pop-up
My BIG tip before you go
There is PLENTY happening at AFL Footy Fest, but some of the popular activations can have long queues.
My tip? Don’t immediately join the biggest queue you see.
I’d head to the Bunnings Family Lawn first.
This ended up being one of our favourite areas because it has beanbags, space to sit down, kids activities, the Bunnings Family Stage and the $3.50 sausage sizzle.
Depending on the day, the stage has kids discos, magicians, bubble shows and live performances. The Mik Maks are performing at 12pm on Thursday too.
Do some crafts, watch a show, grab a snag and let the kids settle in.
Then wander the grounds.
We spotted heaps of players just by walking around – including Darcy Moore at the AAMI activation – which was such a cool surprise.
Grab some lunch, kick the footy, explore some of the smaller activations and stop at the BWS Garden Bar if the adults need a little reset.
When we were there, by around 2pm a lot of the queues had died down, which made it MUCH easier to go back and tackle the bigger activities.
Obviously crowds will vary each day – especially Grand Final Friday and Saturday – but I wouldn’t feel like you need to race into every activation first thing.
AFL PLAY Clubhouse
This is one of the main areas for families.
The AFL PLAY Clubhouse is designed for kids and families to discover different ways to get involved with footy, and you don’t need to know anything about AFL to have a go.
There are interactive games, footy activities and even VR umpiring, where you can step into the shoes of an umpire.
Kids can also design their own footy T-shirt and have a kick.
It’s completely free and open throughout Footy Fest, but expect this area to be popular.
AFLW Immersive Zone – one of our favourites!
You step inside a darkened AFLW zone with four completely different immersive activities.
There’s neon graffiti art, a movement-reactive colour heatwave, a Korean-inspired brick-breaker game and a reaction test wall.
Add pumping music and AFLW highlights playing around you and it feels completely different from the rest of Footy Fest.
Make your own Macca’s Captain’s Card
Another really fun FREE souvenir!
At the Macca’s Captain’s Cards Photobooth, you pose for your own footy photo and turn it into a personalised captain’s card to take home (plus you get to keep the mini footy as well!)
There are giveaways here too.
This is one I’d definitely do because you actually walk away with something from the day.
And if you’re hunting for something with a shorter wait, Macca’s Swings had one of the shortest queues when we visited.
Don’t miss these Footy Fest photo ops
There are also some VERY cool photo opportunities around Footy Fest this year.
💎 AFL x Team Kylie: Get a photo with the giant iridescent, holographic Sherrin footy at the Team Kylie pop-up. You can’t miss this thing!
🏆 Hold the 2026 Premiership Cup: Yep, you can actually get your photo holding the 2026 AFL Premiership Cup. Definitely one to do while you’re there!
📸 Macca’s Captain’s Cards: Strike your best on-field pose and turn it into your own captain’s card to take home + you get a personalised video as well!
📸 OH WHAT A FEELING letters: Another easy photo stop while you’re wandering through the grounds.
There are activities EVERYWHERE
As you wander around you’ll find:
🏉 AAMI Lucky Kick
✈️ Virgin Australia Goal Square Giveaway
⚡ EnergyAustralia Power Move
🥗 Coles Healthy Kicks obstacle course
👨🍳 Coles Curtis Stone cooking demonstrations
🎨 AFLW Immersive Zone
🏉 AFL PLAY Clubhouse
🟠 Toyota Baaaalllllll Pit
📸 Macca’s Captain’s Cards Photobooth
🎠 Macca’s Swings
📸 OH WHAT A FEELING letters
⭐ Telstra Player Hub
🏃 NAB AFL Auskick + Superkick clinics
Plus Chemist Warehouse, SEN, 3AW, ABC and more dotted throughout the precinct.
There are challenges, games, prizes and surprises everywhere!
SO many freebies – here’s exactly what we got
We walked away with SO much free stuff, and this was just what we managed to collect during our visit.
A lot of the freebies are tied to the different brand activations, so the kids can complete a challenge, play a game or visit an experience and pick up something along the way.
Here’s exactly what we got for FREE and where we got it:
📸 Macca’s Captain’s Cards Photobooth: Personalised Captain Card + Mini AFL Macca’s footy
👒 Bunnings: Straw hat (giveaway)
🧢 Toyota: Bucket hat
✈️ Virgin Australia: Tiny footy keychain
☀️ La Roche-Posay: Tester-size sunscreen
🛒 Coles: Samples bag
👕 Coles: T-shirts + hats
🎁 Chemist Warehouse: Goodie bags
And there are even more giveaways, prizes and surprises happening across Footy Fest, so what you walk away with could be completely different from us.
Obviously freebies are subject to availability and can run out, so I wouldn’t promise the kids a particular item before you arrive.
But my biggest tip: bring a backpack!
Meet AFL and AFLW players
There are scheduled player appearances at the Telstra Signing Hub, but we also spotted players simply while exploring the festival.
On Wednesday alone the scheduled appearances include names such as Patrick Cripps, Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Smith, Sam Walsh, Tom Liberatore, Scott Pendlebury, Toby Greene, Steele Sidebottom and Harry Sheezel, alongside AFLW players.
Thursday’s program includes Charlie Curnow, Tom Green, Kate Hore, Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos, Bonnie Toogood, Darcy Cameron, Jordan Dawson and Jack Steele, among others.
Friday also has more player appearances throughout the afternoon.
The lineup changes throughout the day, so if there’s someone your kids desperately want to meet, check the official AFL Footy Fest schedule before you go.
You can also pre-book selected NAB AFL Auskick and Superkick clinics, with opportunities to participate alongside AFL stars and legends including players such as Steele Sidebottom.
Grand Final Parade + The Wiggles on Friday
If you’re deciding which day to visit, Friday 25 September is a BIG one.
The 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade travels through Melbourne Park and finishes at Footy Fest in Yarra Park.
The Wiggles are also part of the Grand Final Parade celebrations, so Friday will have even more happening around the precinct.
The Parade is due to arrive at Footy Fest around midday, with the Grand Final teams, Premiership Cup and plenty of entertainment around the precinct.
There will also be live music and a Kids Disco Party throughout the afternoon.
Expect Friday to be BUSY, though!
Bunnings Family Lawn – start here
This would be my first stop with kids.
It’s a much easier way to ease into the day than immediately lining up for a major activation.
The Bunnings Family Stage program changes each day but includes:
🪄 Tim Credible
🫧 Dr Hubbles Bubbles
🪄 Max the Magician
🎶 The Mik Maks
🕺 Kids Disco Parties
😂 Mr Snotbottom
There are beanbags (and umbrellas!) and space to chill out nearby, plus free DIY craft sessions, which include making your own footy badges and buttons featuring AFL and EFNL club logos + a sausage sizzle and picnic tables.
🌭 The Bunnings snags are $3.50
Easy lunch win!
There’s a dedicated sensory space too
There is a dedicated sensory space near the Bunnings Family Stage, behind The Carlton Draught Pub.
The First Aid area is nearby too.
With the crowds, music, screens and constant activity, Footy Fest can be VERY stimulating, so it’s good to know there’s somewhere to retreat if someone needs a break.
AFL x Team Kylie Collection
Okay, this is one for the fans 💎
There’s an exclusive AFL x Team Kylie Collection celebrating Kylie Minogue’s 2026 Grand Final appearance, with limited-edition clothing and merchandise available at Footy Fest.
And don’t miss the AFL x Team Kylie pop-up photo opportunity featuring a GIANT iridescent, holographic Sherrin footy. It’s definitely one of the coolest photo spots around Footy Fest!
The onsite Team Kylie store can get LONG queues, so if you’re mainly interested in the merch rather than the experience of shopping there, you can also pre-order selected pieces online.
The collection is limited edition, so once pieces sell out, they’re gone.
Even the GELATO is Kylie themed
Pidapipó has created three limited-edition Team Kylie gelato flavours specifically for Footy Fest.
🍓 La La Lamington – coconut gelato, raspberry + chocolate
🍫 The Choco-Motion – crema gelato + chocolate swirl
🍊 Padam Padam – strawberry + mandarin cream gelato inspired by the album artwork
Food at AFL Footy Fest
There are plenty of options if you’re staying for a few hours.
You’ll find food vendors including:
Hello Good
Sunnyside
Tortas & Tacos
Wingster
The Carlton Draught Pub Food Truck
There’s also a Taste of the Finals area with options including McCafé, soft serve, bao buns, potato twisters, hot dogs, calamari and meatball subs.
Or keep things simple with the $3.50 Bunnings sausage sizzle.
Somewhere for the grown-ups to sit down
Footy Fest isn’t JUST designed around the kids.
You’ll also find:
🍻 BWS Garden Bar
🍷 Grant Burge Bar
🍺 The Carlton Draught Pub
🍹 Tank Bar
We really liked the BWS Garden Bar as somewhere to slow things down after we’d spent a few hours walking around with the boys.
On Grand Final Day, The Carlton Draught Pub also hosts a watch party with the game shown live.
Can you watch the Grand Final at Footy Fest?
Yes!
On Saturday 26 September, the Grand Final broadcast will be shown live on the Bunnings Family Stage from 1pm.
Footy Fest itself runs until 7pm on Saturday, while The Carlton Draught Pub continues its Grand Final Day Watch Party into the evening.
So even if you don’t have tickets inside the MCG, you can still be right beside it soaking up the atmosphere.
How to get to AFL Footy Fest
Honestly, public transport is probably the easiest option during Grand Final week.
Yarra Park sits right outside the MCG, with both Jolimont and Richmond stations within walking distance, plus tram and bus options nearby.
Kids go FREE on PT with a Youth myki and adults fares are half price until 31 Dec 2026 too!
Driving + parking
We drove and pre-booked parking at Eastern Plaza for $7.50, which worked really well for us.
There is no general public parking inside the Footy Fest site itself, so if you want to drive, I’d pre-book somewhere nearby rather than turning up and hoping to find something around the MCG.
My tips after visiting AFL Footy Fest with kids
Start at the Bunnings Family Lawn. Do the crafts, watch a stage show, grab a $3.50 snag and ease into the day.
Don’t immediately join the longest queues. Explore the grounds first. When we visited, several queues were much shorter by around 1-2pm.
Check the player schedule. If there’s someone you REALLY want to meet, work your day around their appearance.
Pre-book Auskick or Superkick clinics. Don’t assume you’ll be able to walk straight into the popular sessions.
Bring a backpack. There are a LOT of freebies, giveaways and bits of merch to carry.
Slip, slop, slap. You’re spending a lot of the day outside in Yarra Park and there isn’t shade everywhere.
Bring water. There are free water fountains around the site.
Use the sensory space if you need it. This is a busy, noisy event and taking a break can completely reset the day for younger kids.
Wear comfortable shoes. The precinct is BIG and you’ll do plenty of walking.
Don’t forget the MCG AFL Store. The AFL shop inside the MCG was open when we visited too.
And most importantly – don’t rush it.
There’s so much happening that I actually think you’ll enjoy Footy Fest more if you wander around and see what you stumble across rather than trying to tick off every activation.
That’s how we randomly spotted Collingwood’s captain Darcy Moore and Western Bulldogs spearhead Aaron Naughton!
The deets
Yarra Park, outside the MCG, Melbourne
Wednesday 23 – Saturday 26 September 2026
Entry: FREE
All ages
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm Thursday: 10am – 5pm Friday: 9am – 5pm Saturday: 9am – 7pm
Is AFL Footy Fest worth visiting with kids?
YES – especially because it’s completely free.
You absolutely don’t need to be a die-hard footy family to enjoy this one.
The queues were probably the biggest downside, but once we stopped trying to do the popular activations and came back later, the day became much easier.
My ideal plan?
Bunnings Family Lawn first → wander, kick a footy + look for players → lunch → BWS Garden Bar → activities + activations around 2pm when the crowds hopefully ease.
And bring that backpack. You’re going to need it for all the freebies
Event schedules, player appearances, activations and giveaways can change or reach capacity. Check the official AFL Footy Fest program before visiting for the latest information
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