Melbourne Park, Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia, 13 October 2015 | Tennis Australia

Australian Open 2016 will feature the world’s biggest Grand Slam footprint with the introduction of the first Australian Open Festival at Birrarung Marr.

In a move designed to further strengthen the event’s links with the city, the Australian Open Festival will cover all three terraces (lower, middle and upper) of Birrarung Marr with a host of free, family-friendly activities including:

• An authentic Australian Open experience playing at the TAC People’s Court
• Free tennis for kids at the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots courts
• The Woolworths Kid Zone with a fresh fruit frozen yoghurt and try fun ballkid challenges
• Nickelodeon interactive playground
• Tennis action and entertainment on the big screen
• World-class dining from some of Melbourne’s best restaurants
• Canadian Club’s CC Racquet Club, perched high above the Yarra River serving up cool tunes and good times
• Some of Melbourne’s best bars and cafes
• Free wifi.

Federation Square will begin the fan journey from Flinders Street Station, with the Australian Open Festival creating a natural pathway to the tennis. It will also highlight the new pedestrian footbridge currently under construction, linking Birrarung Marr to Melbourne Park and set for completion by January 2017.

“The Australian Open is known globally as the ‘Happy Slam’ and we want to celebrate that sentiment and make it even more accessible,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said.

“The vision we have is to take the entertainment we already have and expand it by showcasing the best Melbourne has to offer, such as top sporting action and the world-class food and wine which is part of Melbourne’s DNA. Add in fun activities for families and there’s something for everyone, whether you are a die-hard tennis fan or just love the atmosphere of a big event.”

Further stretching the boundaries of Melbourne Park, the Australian Open will take over the Glasshouse at Olympic Park to create even more dining and hospitality options for discerning fans.

The Australian Open precinct will now stretch from Federation Square, along the banks of the Yarra, through Melbourne Park and finish up at the clay courts on Olympic Boulevard, making it by far the world’s largest Grand Slam footprint.