Anaheim spirit arrives in Sydney for Father’s Day
Visit Anaheim kicked off a busy week in Australia with a Father’s Day celebration in Sydney, bringing Southern California’s spirit to the destination’s partners. The group hosted travel trade and media partners at Chuck & Son’s Brewing Co. in St Peters, swapping the traditional industry function for an afternoon of food, drinks, and games. Guests were encouraged to bring their dads, families, friends, and dogs to the event.
Australian Hops Meet Anaheim Brewing
Chuck & Son’s produced co-branded cans of its Two-World Pale Ale for the occasion. The beer was brewed with hops from Australia and the US, a collaboration created especially for the event. Guests could also try the Meihana cocktail, an Anaheim favourite with a twist: the name is Anaheim spelt backwards. The beverage, along with the custom beer, offered a taste of the destination’s local influence.
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Visit Anaheim also revealed its new Made to Play destination brand to Australian partners. Launched in July, the campaign showcases the different sides of Anaheim, bringing together the destination’s attractions, sport, entertainment, neighbourhoods, dining, and creative culture. This brand refresh arrives as the city faces a period of significant growth. New experiences are coming to Disneyland Resort, the Downtown Disney District is evolving, and the first major OCVIBE openings are expected from early 2027.
Connecting with Partners
Australia remains a key international market for Anaheim, and the destination has an opportunity to build on its existing popularity with local travellers. “Australian travellers already have a strong connection with Anaheim, and our opportunity is to keep building on that familiarity by showing just how much choice the destination now offers,” said Visit Anaheim director of tourism development Michael Young. He noted that being in Australia allows the organization to share those developments directly and help partners turn new attractions into bookable holidays.
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Michael Cassis, Visit Anaheim’s Australian representative, said the event was designed to reflect the destination’s roots. “We spend so much of our working lives together as an industry, so it felt right to create an event where the people — and pets — who are part of our lives could join us too,” Cassis said. “Anaheim was founded for families, and the Sunday Sesh let us bring that idea to life in a way that was warm, relaxed and genuinely fun.”
Even the dogs were welcome to the event, which kicked off a week of Australian trade and media activity. Young and international communications manager Bre Flores are taking part in the Visit California mission. They are joined by Visit Anaheim’s Australian representatives and partners, including Karmel Connect and Disney Destinations. The program runs across Sydney and Melbourne from 7 to 11 September, including trade events, business appointments, and media sessions.
