{"id":10720,"date":"2021-03-18T02:19:13","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T02:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=10720"},"modified":"2021-03-18T02:19:13","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T02:19:13","slug":"bumper-weekend-of-events-paves-the-way-for-action-packed-april","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2021\/03\/18\/bumper-weekend-of-events-paves-the-way-for-action-packed-april\/","title":{"rendered":"Bumper weekend of events paves the way for action-packed April"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thousands of sports fans will descend on Newcastle this weekend as the city plays host to two major national events, offering a taste of what is to come during an action-packed April.
\nThe harbour will become a hive of activity from Saturday when the Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific brings its qualifying regatta to Newcastle for the first time, with some of the country\u2019s best sailors battling it out over two days of fast-paced action on the water.
\n\"Newcastle
\nFootball fans in their thousands will converge on Newcastle when McDonald Jones Stadium hosts a historic A-league double-header on Sunday, with Wellington Phoenix clashing with Brisbane Roar before hometown heroes the Newcastle Jets take to the pitch against heavyweights Adelaide United.
\nNewcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the bumper weekend was just the beginning of what was to come over the next month, providing the city with world class events and generating a welcome economic boost for the city\u2019s tourism and hospitality sectors.
\n\u201cNewcastle has well and truly become your events city with an action-packed schedule, supported by the City of Newcastle, set to create a buzz across the region throughout the next month,\u201d Cr Nelmes said.
\n\u201cFrom all the action of the historic A-League double-header, to the excitement of welcoming the world\u2019s best surfers back to Newcastle for the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup, there will be plenty to keep sports fans entertained, while a host of food festivals are sure to entice and provide a range of diverse culinary options.
\n\u201cEvents and festivals are providing a welcome economic boost for businesses still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19, while also creating an invaluable opportunity to showcase our city\u2019s broader attractions to the visitors on the ground and those watching the televised events across Australia and around the world.\u201d
\nThe schedule kicks off this weekend with elite-level sailing and football, with both events delivered with the support of City of Newcastle\u2019s event sponsorship programs. The Sailing Champions League will return in April for a finals series as part of SailFest on April 10 -11, adding another world class event to the schedule of the Newcastle Regatta.
\nSporting stamina will be put to the test for a good cause when the Tour De Cure charity ride for cancer research powers out of Newcastle on 26 March for the 800km journey to Coffs Harbour.
\nThe action-packed April begins with the world\u2019s highest ranked surfers taking to the waves at Merewether Beach to kick off the Australian leg of the World Surf League\u2019s Championship Tour, across an 11-day period from 1 April.
\nNewcastle Food Month will be cooking up a storm from 1 April, with local chefs, eateries and producers dishing up more than 30 feature lunches, tastings and masterclasses, three festivals and a world-renowned dining experience, Le D\u00eener en Blanc, during the month-long menu of culinary celebrations.
\nSailFest, Woman\u2019s University Rugby 7s and Newcastle\u2019s annual running festival, NewRun, will pick up the pace from the middle of April with more sporting spectacles to enjoy from the sidelines or as part of the action. Later that month the next generation of sports stars will put their skills to the test in the second half of the month at the Hunter Academy of Sport Your Local Club Academy Games.
\nTo keep up to date with what\u2019s on every month across the city, visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au\/whatson
\nUpcoming City of Newcastle sponsored events<\/strong><\/p>\n