Collaroy Tennis Club is holding a major community open event as part of the inaugural Australian Pride in Sport Festival this Saturday, March 22 from 4pm.
The Festival is a nationwide calendar of events to promote inclusion, celebrate diversity and encourage LGBTQ+ participation in sports across Australia. The Club has been selected to host its own twilight event and is creating a real carnival atmosphere with lots of fun activities for all. Attendees are being asked to wear bright and colourful clothing to celebrate the day.
The event will also help raise funds for the Club’s community partner, Lifeline Northern Beaches. Attendees can bid to play a set of doubles with Seven Time World Surfing Champion, Layne Beachley, to be umpired by Founding Member of INXS, Kirk Pengilly, with all funds going to Lifeline NB. The three highest bidders will have the honour of playing with Layne (who CAN play!).
The Little Gelato Cart will be selling ‘the best Gelato in Sydney’, Bunnings will provide a traditional BBQ plus face painting for kids, and a big raffle will take place – again, all income from these activities will be going directly to Lifeline NB.
Collaroy Tennis Club was selected to participate after previously holding two successful AO Pride Nights and a community event to celebrate Sydney WorldPride 2023.
Club President, Vito Cincinnato said: “At Collaroy, we honestly embrace diversity. We make every effort to make our club a welcoming, safe and inclusive place for all, as we believe everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the great sport we all love. So we’re thrilled to have been selected by Pride in Sport to host this community event.”
The Club is organising this Australian Pride in Sport Festival event in conjunction with event partners Fusion Pride Northern Beaches and Evolve Tennis Academy.
The event will commence at 4pm with a musical Acknowledgement of Country performed by indigenous artist, Aleta Wassell. Activities during the evening will include organised social tennis, cardio tennis and pickleball, while music and a special performance will be supplied by DJ Drag King, Sexy Galexy. The celebrity match featuring Layne and Kirk will take place at 5:30pm.
Dignitaries attending include Federal Member for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps and State Member for Wakehurst, Michael Regan. Deputy Mayor of Northern Beaches Council, Ruth Robins and former Davis Cup representative and World No. 16, Bob Giltinan OAM, now a Councillor for Narrabeen Ward, will also be dropping in after attending Council’s strategic planning meeting also scheduled this weekend.
Entry is free, but to assist with catering, the community is being asked to register to attend and to let organisers know if they’re bringing friends or family.
