The revamped event, will bring Melbourne CBD and the Yarra Park Precinct to life this AFL Grand Final eve public holiday.

AFL players will travel by boat down the Yarra River from Southbank to Birrarung Marr followed by a motorcade across William Barak Bridge to Yarra Park. Footy fans will be encouraged to come along and line the banks of the Yarra River to cheer their AFL heroes and enjoy the family celebrations.

They can also soak up the finals action at the Yarra Park Precinct with a four-day AFL Festival from 21 - 24 September, reinforcing Melbourne as the home of the AFL Grand Final.

The AFL Festival will include Auskick clinics for the kids, food trucks, a packed entertainment line-up including the highly anticipated Grand Final Eve concert, a regional farmer’s market, food from the biggest names in Melbourne’s world-class restaurant scene and a great range of fun activities.

The AFL has also fixtured four AFLW games in the Yarra Park Precinct during the festival, including an AFLW game played at Punt Road on the morning of the AFL Grand Final for the first time ever.

The Victorian Government is proud to partner with the AFL on delivering these grand final celebrations highlighted by the inaugural Yarra River Parade and the four AFLW matches during the festival.

We’re also getting on with protecting the integrity of the AFL finals under the Major Events Act 2009, ensuring die-hard fans get a fair price to the big games by cracking down on ticket scalpers.

The AFL finals are integral to the success of our state’s economy – that’s why the Government has secured an agreement that locks in the most celebrated Australian sporting event at the MCG until 2059.