PRESS RELEASE: One month to go! The Festival of Golf returns to the Gold Coast!

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 19 February 2026
For immediate release

One month to go! The Festival of Golf returns
to the Gold Coast!

Four days of fun, food, entertainment and world-class golf
at Sanctuary Cove, March 19-22, 2026

From Thursday 19 March – Sunday 22 March, 2026, Sanctuary Cove comes alive with a unique event, packed with unmissable things to see and do. From interactive experiences, to live entertainment, pop-up bars, food, kids’ zones, lifestyle displays, and the very best shopping Sanctuary Cove has to offer, it’s one to mark in the calendar.

At the heart of the Festival is the 2026 Australian WPGA Championship, where leading Australian and international women golfers will compete for the Karrie Webb Cup and $600,000 in prize money. Come and watch the action up close while enjoying the festival atmosphere all around the course.

Packed with entertainment, the festival is open to everyone of all ages, and it’s free to attend.

Whether you’re a golfer, or a golf enthusiast, or just keen for a day out in the glorious setting of Sanctuary Cove, it will be a memorable experience to immerse yourself in.

A festival highlight will be the ticketed experiences, some of which are already sold out, with some tickets left for the Players Party, on Friday March 20, where the Lagoon Beach Club at Sanctuary Cove will come alive in ultimate style at this exclusive event. Enjoy live entertainment, premium drinks, and a ‘Beach BBQ’ with interactive cooking stations by celebrity chef Darren Robertson of Three Blue Ducks, with the support of the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.

Robertson has curated a gourmet menu which includes: smoked eggplant bruschetta; BBQ chicken wings with nduja butter, flat iron steak; and charred cauliflower. There will also be an array of gourmet salads and desserts on offer. Premium drinks will also be included, featuring amazing wines from Bimbadgen, cocktails and mocktails from Mr Consistent, and beer from Burleigh Brewing and Peretie.

Whether you’re here for the festival buzz, the golf action, or just an epic summer party, the Players Party is where the Festival of Golf truly comes alive. This limited-access, ticketed event is set to be one of the festival’s marquee moments. Magdalena Roze will host the evening as MC, and guests will have the opportunity to truly immerse themselves in the vibe of the Festival, and rub shoulders with the stars of the 2026 Australian WPGA Championship.

And as an exciting bonus: all Players Party ticket holders have the opportunity to choose a complimentary golf shirt from women’s apparel brand Soneven. They will have the opportunity to pick a free Soneven women’s golf top in their size while enjoying the event!

Festival of Golf is a family friendly event, with lots of fun activities on offer for kids.

Crafty Kids
Get creative with hands-on workshops where kids can design and take home fun keepsakes, including decorating their own laser-cut golf buddy or design a custom golf ball, choosing from a range of vibrant colours.

Festival of Golf Interactive Zone
Swing into fun in our active, play-based area, encouraging movement, friendly competition, and social interaction featuring golf pitching boards, Connect 4, cornhole and Xs and Os games.

Festival-goers will also be able to win daily prizes across the four days including a trip to Vietnam thanks to Luxury Escapes. By subscribing to the Festival of Golf at www.festivalofgolf.com.au you’ll receive your Scan-to-Win link to download your free pass; bring it along on any Festival event day you attend, and scan it at a Scan-To-Win ‘pod’ to enter into the daily draw. Each day you scan, there is a new chance to win – so the more you participate, the more prizes you could win.

More than five daily prizes are up for grabs, including the ultimate ‘Tee Off In Vietnam’ getaway: a 5-day, 4-night accommodation and golf package at the stunning Banyan Tree Lăng Cô in Da Nang, Vietnam for two adults, return airport transfers, two rounds of golf at the Nick Faldo-designed Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Course, buggy and caddy (exclusive of caddy tips) and a 60-minute spa treatment per person, thanks to Luxury Escapes.

Paul Gorman, Luxury Escapes General Manager of Business Distribution and Golf, said:

“We’re seeing strong growth in demand for Australian and international golfing escapes. From Vietnam to the Hunter Valley, Luxury Escapes golf packages combine bucket-list golf courses with luxury accommodation and cultural experiences that cater for all levels of golfers. We are excited to partner with the Festival of Golf to celebrate and showcase both the sport and our tailored golfing packages.”

With the 2026 Australian WPGA Championship at the heart of the Festival, some exciting player announcements have just been confirmed.

Australia’s major champion Hannah Green will be one of the star attractions of the 2026 summer of women’s golf, confirming her return home to compete in both the women’s Australian Open and the Australian WPGA Championship.

Green will be in Adelaide to tee it up at the women’s Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club from March 12-15, before heading north to the Gold Coast for the Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club from March 19–22.

One of Australia’s most successful players on the world stage, Green’s commitment further strengthens an already outstanding field for the women’s Australian Open, joining world No.3 Minjee Lee and major champion Grace Kim in a field featuring the best of the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour.

WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn said Green would be a huge attraction for both tournaments.

“Hannah’s commitment to compete in both the Australian Open and the Australian WPGA Championship is incredibly significant and will provide Australian golf fans with the rare opportunity to see one of our country’s greatest players perform up close. Hannah is not only an exceptional player; she is also an outstanding role model who is always keen to give back to the game.

“By competing in both of our flagship Australian events, Hannah will continue to inspire the next generation of Australian golfers, as she does year-round in her role as ambassador for the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program. Hannah’s presence at both events is important on many fronts as we continue to grow women’s golf in Australia.”

LPGA star Steph Kyriacou has also confirmed she will play in Australia’s back-to-back women’s golf majors.

Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said Kyriacou’s commitment was another significant boost for the women’s Australian Open as it continues to attract Australia’s top players back to home soil.

“Steph is one of Australia’s most exciting female golfers,” Sutherland said. “Having our leading Aussie players like Steph, Hannah, Minjee Lee and Grace Kim compete at Kooyonga provides a fantastic opportunity for Australian fans to see the best of women’s golf on home soil and on one of the country’s best courses.”

Mark Festival of Golf on your calendar! www.festivalofgolf.com.au

The Festival of Golf is delivered by Mulpha Events with the support of Experience Gold Coast, Tourism & Events Queensland, the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club.

ABOUT

Event Basics:
Dates: 19-22 March, 2026
Venue: Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast
Times:
Thursday 19 March to Saturday 21 March: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday 22 March: 11:00am – 5:00pm

Website https://www.festivalofgolf.com.au/
Ticket Link: https://www.festivalofgolf.com.au/tickets

Social Handles
Facebook: @goldcoastfestivalofgolf
Instagram: @goldcoastfestivalofgolf

Hashtags:
#FestivalOfGolf #WPGA2026 #GolfReimagined #SanctuaryCove #GoldCoastEvents

Media Assets:
Link to authorised images for media use HERE: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NQtnCjNCG_mg7KQJo8WR5h9Ef70i6e65?usp=drive_link

Media Contact
Josie Gagliano
[email protected]
0411 234 022

ABOUT FESTIVAL OF GOLF:
The 2026 Festival of Golf runs 19-22 March at Sanctuary Cove. The Festival features the Australian WPGA Championship, where leading Australian and international women golfers compete for the Karrie Webb Cup and $600,000 in prize money, alongside live music, pop-up bars, food and beverage options, family-friendly activities, and golf and lifestyle displays.

The 2026 Championship marks the first occasion that the event will be played as a standalone tournament, with the 2025 event unfortunately cancelled due to Cyclone Alfred; the 2026 Festival of Golf also promises a high-energy, feel-good, inclusive celebration, where golf meets food, fun, fashion, and community spirit.

ABOUT MULPHA EVENTS
With a focus on engagement and quality, Mulpha Events has a reputation for producing and delivering some of Australia’s most loved events. From Australia’s largest boating showcase – the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show – to the Festival of Golf, Australian Adventure Expo, food and wine festivals, live music festivals, outdoor, lifestyle exhibitions, product launches and corporate conferences, the Mulpha Events team provides experience and creativity in bringing to life the commercial and strategic event objectives of the events it owns and manages. mulphaevents.com.au

Mulpha Events is part of the Mulpha Group (‘Mulpha’) which offers over 30 years of investment experience in Australia. The Group has an extensive portfolio of real estate, property development, hospitality, retirement, private equity and debt assets, and invests in some of the fastest growing and most vibrant economies in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and the UK. In Australia, Mulpha’s investment portfolio includes Sanctuary Cove, Norwest Business and Residential Park in Sydney; flagship InterContinental Hotels in Sydney, Sanctuary Cove and Hayman Island; Swing City, and Bimbadgen, The Lane Retreat & Emma’s Cottage in the Hunter Valley. mulpha.com.au