What do you get if an England captain, a former England captain and the current England Test team head coach put their heads together to create an event? The Festival of Cricket.
Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum have joined forces to create an event to celebrate cricket, inspire a new generation of cricketers and enable fans to experience the best aspects of the sport.
With the help of other friends and cricketers including Johnny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, as well as prominent cricketing broadcasters, fans young and old will be able to experience a taste of the action.
The festival will take place in London’s Gunnersbury Park from July 14-16 and will feature various activations. Adults and children will be able to learn from some of the sport’s best players and develop their batting a bowling skills. Not only this, but attendees will also be able to have a go on the microphone in the commentary box – and can even try out as an umpire.
Meet your heroes
There will also be the chance for guests to hear stories from past and present cricketers, as well as grab a selfie or autograph with their favourite player.
Attendees can also go for glory by topping the festival leaderboard in challenges. Visitors who participate will be ranked for the hardest hit, fastest ball and the highest catch.
‘The Cage’ – an enclosed space that will allow amateurs and professionals to bat and bowl an over, with runs scored for hitting certain areas – will be a particularly focal point.
The Festival of Cricket would appear to present an ideal opportunity for existing cricket fans to inspire their children and get them involved in activities like skills challenges, coaching zones and mini matches.
Not only will the festival feature two of its figureheads offering tips and mingling with attendees, but Morgan and Buttler will also proudly show off the ICC Cricket World Cup trophy that was won by England’s One Day International side in 2019, and the recent ICC T20 World Cup trophy that was scooped last year in Australia.
Shopping, eating and dancing
Alongside the main focus on cricket, the organisers have ensured there will be an opportunity to shop at the Cricket Retail Village.
Attendees will be able to browse well-known cricket brands and retailers and explore the bat-making process in a demonstration area. There will also be a food and drink court to replenish and re-energise throughout the fun-filled event.
Rounding off the experience for cricket fans will be The End of the Day show, where attendees will be able to capture DJs, live bands and family entertainment, as well as the action from the amateur and professional players in The Cage on the main stage.
Image credit: Alessandro Bogliari on Unsplash
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