- Opening test of the summer between Australia and India starts this Friday, 22 November at Perth Stadium
- Tens of thousands expected to turn out each day to The West Test, including thousands of travelling fans from interstate and overseas
- Test match will be supported by West Test Summer Fest - a free three-day festival celebrating Indian cultures
- Forms part of huge weekend of events in Perth with the rescheduled WA Day Festival, World Supercross Championship and PrideFEST 2024 also taking place
All eyes will be on Perth this weekend, with The West Test between Australia and India set to mark the official start of the summer of cricket in Australia.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to pack out Perth Stadium for the opening ball of the summer on Friday, 22 November with thousands travelling from interstate and overseas to be part of the excitement.
The fun will continue outside Perth Stadium, with a free festival celebrating India's vibrant cultures scheduled for the first three days of the test match.
The new festival is designed to enhance the fan experience and features live music, entertainment performances, an array of local Indian vendors, food experiences, cricket skills tests, art installations, and more.
Fans attending Day 2 on Saturday, 23 November will also be able to cross Matagarup Bridge after play concludes and head to the WACA Ground, where they can show their West Test ticket to redeem six complimentary tickets to the Women's Big Bash League|10 Celebration Match, between the Perth Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes.
The West Test and the supporting festival form part of a huge weekend of events in Perth, with the rescheduled WA Day Festival taking place at Burswood Park, as well as the World Supercross Championship at HBF Park and PrideFEST 2024 in Northbridge.
The event forms part of the WA Government's events strategy which seeks to add further value to major events, with surrounding activities to drive higher out-of-state visitor attendance, increase economic impact, enhance the visitor experience, foster community vibrancy and create a diverse calendar of events that is always on, year round.
Major regional and mass participation events injected $286 million into the WA economy in 2023-24.
The West Test Summer Fest is supported by the WA Government, in partnership with Cricket Australia and WA Cricket.
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
"This weekend is yet another example of our event strategy at work, delivering a year-round calendar of diverse events for locals and visitors to experience.
"Of course, a big focus for us is building an amazing atmosphere of periphery events and activations to further add to the vibrancy and give visitors, in particular, an unforgettable experience.
"It's a really exciting weekend to be in Perth, with the WA Day Festival on Sunday, 24 November just a bit further down the peninsula at Burswood Park, plus the World Supercross Championship at HBF Park and PrideFEST 2024 in Northbridge."
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
"It's the most wonderful time of the year, with cricket season officially starting on Friday, and we're thrilled that the nation's summer of test cricket is launching right here in Perth.
"With our Australian men's team taking on cricketing giant India, The West Test Summer Fest offering a vibrant atmosphere, and the Women's Big Bash League celebrating 10 years, this weekend is a fantastic time for cricket fans to get out and about to watch some world-class sport."
