Welcome Day – Our New Festival with the Newtown Jets this June!

Cocktails from top Sydney’s distilleries, food by Rolling Penny and Baba’s Place, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir, and footy — it’s all going down at Welcome Day.

The Inner west is home to a vibrant mix of nationalities, cultures, genders, and orientations. For the last 115 years the Newtown Jets have been part of the fabric that make up this diverse, culturally significant area, calling Henson Park and Marrickville their home.  The Jets have proudly welcomed all walks of life through its gates and into the club over the years, as they were welcomed to the area way back in 1908. 

In recognition of this accepting nature, the club will literally be rolling out the welcome mat this season with the launch of their inaugural Welcome Day. Bringing in long time collaborators, The Music and Booze Company (who have worked with the Jets to present the hugely popular Beer Footy and Food Festival) and LGBTQI+ vibe creator Kat Dopper from Heaps Gay, the club promises a full-day celebration of the creativity and diversity the Inner West Community embraces and thrives on that will make everyone feel welcome.  

“Everyone is welcome at Henson Park and everyone is equal, no matter their background, heritage, orientation, gender or ability,” Newtown Jets’ Stu McCarthy says. “Welcome Day is a celebration of the rich diversity of our fabulous local community and reaffirms the Jets long history of inclusion of players and fans from all walks of life. It will be unique in the context of cross code collaboration, but more importantly a fun day out for all. We can’t wait…”

“Like the Jets, MBC is an entrenched Inner West business and we love the diverse and accepting nature of the area,” Matt Rule adds. “If we can reflect even a fraction of those welcoming vibes at Henson Park on June 24 we are in for something special.”

As the Beer Footy and Food Festival has done for the local breweries over the years, Welcome Day is inviting a host of amazing local distiller, Seltzer brewers, Wine Co’s and local food operators to keep the drinks flowing and bellies full! Distillers on the day will include Poor Toms, Archie Rose, Young Henrys Gin & Ginger Beer, Lilyfields Gin, Este Spirits, Brix Distillery, Mobius Distillery, Kraken Spiced Rum and DNA Distillery will there be on the day supplying their Australian first double distilled Rakija and Tonic. Seltzers on the day will be supplied by Margarita Seltzer Legends Ok Seltzer! and Fellr, wine by P&V and Doom Juice and the House of Music and Booze will be collaborating with Curatif Cocktails to set up the House of Cocktails!

Food on the day will be supplied by Rolling Penny, Pepitos, Babas Place, Titos Tacos, Over Embers, Slick Ricks Pizza, Sparky’s Jerk BBQ and Condimental.

To keep the welcome vibes flowing and in the ultimate show of acceptance, for the first time the Jets will host both the Petersham Rugby Clubs men and women’s teams to play the curtain raisers on the day against Briars Rugby Club (mens + womens game), whilst the Jets will play against Parramatta Eels. Yep, you read it right, the greatest rivalry in sport will be put to bed on this day and Rugby and Rugby league will forget their differences and come together on the same day displaying true inclusiveness and respect! 

To keep the good vibes flowing throughout the day, FBi radio will be bringing along a host of their own DJ’s down to keep the tunes poppin and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir will be hosting the world’s biggest sing-along.

Welcome Day 2023 will be a family affair with plenty of activities to keep little legends busy whilst you enjoy the unique atmosphere of a Jets Home game!

You can nab tickets to Welcome Day for $20, $10 for kids over 12 or free for kids under 12 via Oztix.

WELCOME DAY 2023
DATE: Saturday 24th June 2023
TIMINGS: 11.00am AEST – 6.00pm AEST
LOCATION: Henson Park, Marrickville, NSW
TICKETS: Tickets prices are  Adults $20.00 / Kids over 12 yrs old $10 / Kids  12 yrs and under free. Family passes also available and tickets will be available at the gate: online HERE
DETAILS: Welcome Day 2023 is a ticketed, all ages, licensed event