More visitors pour in for CBD’s sidewalk sales day

ABOUT one in seven shoppers in Geelong’s CBD for the annual Melbourne Cup Day sidewalk sales were visiting from outside the city, according to a survey.

Central Geelong Marketing surveying showed 14 per cent of Tuesday’s shoppers in central Geelong lived outside the municipality — up from 11 per cent last year.

Despite heavy morning rain, more than 28,000 shoppers were estimated to have turned out for the shopping tradition, with both Market Square and Westfield Geelong carparks reaching capacity a number of times throughout the day.

The event, co-ordinated by Central Geelong Marketing, involved more than 220 participating businesses.

Other attractions included the Sweethearts band playing in the Event Hub in Little Malop St and the Pamper Marquee providing mini manicures and hair touch-ups for shoppers.

Fashions from Own. Kind, Thule Trading and Off Ya Tree were on display in an on-street fashion parade.

“We are very pleased with the turnout to this year’s event given the heavy rain throughout the morning impacting on-street activities,” Central Geelong Marketing executive officer Jodie Reyntjes said.

“The sidewalk sales are a tradition in Central Geelong and with so many participating businesses and shoppers, it truly is Central Geelong’s shopping festival.”

TRADITION: More than 28,000 people attended the Central Geelong’s Shopping Festival which included entertainment such as popular girls swing band Sweethearts, above and right.