After Victoria’s May 2021 lockdown caused the huge weekend of technology and gaming to be postponed, Council is delighted to announce that the events are back on – Friday 30 July to Sunday 1 August 2021.
The fun kicks off on Friday at the DISA Festival DigiHub, when the free Digital Education and Innovation Hub takes over The Hub, 1-7pm. AEL will run workshops for high school students in shout-casting/commentating, alongside a range of hands-on workshops by One Day Studios creative makerspace. Attendees can also play with drones, virtual reality, 3D printers, robots, animation, gadgets and games, all while exploring pathways, careers and opportunities in the booming tech industry.
This leads into two back-to-back days of free gaming competitions, when Hamilton hosts the inaugural Greater Hamilton Esports Cup; a full weekend of free, competitive gaming for all ages.
Over the two days, the video game tournament will feature some of the most popular Esports games including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rocket League, Just Dance 2021 and Mario Kart 8 plus there will be a drop-in Free Play Zone open to everyone who wants to get involved in some gaming. This will be the first time Sydney’s Australian Esports League have held an event in Western Victoria, and the team is looking forward to bringing this global phenomenon to Hamilton.
AEL Executive Producer and CEO, Darren Kwan, said; “We are beyond excited to bring this event back to life and finally bring our crew to be part of an awesome weekend in the Southern Grampians.
We’re really looking forward to seeing the best of the best gamers in Western Victoria coming along to compete, meet like-minded people and celebrate their passion for gaming culture.”
“Though many gamers play from home, it’s more important than ever to bring people together again and reconnect the community through shared experiences like esports,” Mr Kwan said.
On Saturday, High School students will compete in Super Smash Bro’s Ultimate (SSBU) and Rocket League, with the beginning of the SSBU Opens event and the Just Dance 2021 competition taking place in the afternoon.
Sunday is for the drivers, with the Mario Kart 8 tournament kicking off in the morning and the top-16 players in the SSBU Open’s event finishing off the day. Players will be able to try out all the latest gaming gear and spectators can also get in on the action with shout casters commentating the games. The total prize pool on offer is valued at $1,225 and includes cash prizes as well as gaming accessories.
The Esports Cup weekend includes a host of other fun gaming, cosplay and tech-themed activities, including free BeatSaber virtual reality gaming sessions at the Greater Hamilton Library, Black Widow movie screenings at the Hamilton Cinema, superhero mask-making and a pop-up exhibition by the Hamilton Gallery. This is alongside a meet and greet with a well-known cosplayer, plus a ‘DoNut Disturb’ chill-out zone by TAC’s Vanessa team, where free donuts will be on offer alongside games and giveaways.
The Esports Cup comes to the region as part of Southern Grampians Shire Council’s Event Attraction Program and will be live streamed from The Hub in Hamilton’s CBD and broadcast online to an audience of up to 20,000.
Southern Grampians Shire Mayor Bruach Colliton said Council were thrilled to be bringing the Esports tournament to Greater Hamilton.
“Young people in our region, my own kids included, have told us these are the kind of events they want more of. The huge numbers attending the Hamilton Library’s first ever online gaming event in the April School holidays just goes to show how popular Esports and gaming are with young people,” Cr Colliton said.
“Council are committed to doing more to support youth and provide access to events outside of traditional sports for young people in our community, so we hope to see heaps of people getting involved with this event,” Cr Colliton concluded.
Find the Greater Hamilton Esports Cup event on Facebook to stay in the loop, and register your free spot via the AEL website; www.ael.org.au/hamilton. See the full DISA Festival program at disafestival.com.au/whats-on.