Ready: Ashley, Jordann and Mikey. Picture: Rob Carew
A BATTLE of the Bands and an Amazing Race contest will be highlights lighting up the new youth precinct at next month's Maroondah Festival.
A committee of young people has come together to direct the planning of activities for people aged between 16 and 25 — and they've come up with a cracker of a day.
Alongside the battle and race, sumo wrestling suits, skits on stage and temporary tattoos are all on the agenda.
Jordann, one of the youth organisers, says she joined the committee because of the Amazing Race component, which will have young people taking part in a competition inspired by the TV reality show.
"It happened this year with my school; we all did it," she said.
Mikey, 18, plays the bass guitar and the ukulele. He also has a glam rock band and heard about the Battle of the Bands competition through Beat magazine.
"It sounded really interesting so I thought I'd give it a go," he says.
Jordann and Mikey want to make the event "awesome" and have managed to secure a megaphone for the day so they can call crowds down to the different events.
Ashley, 16, says they want to make it a good environment for young people.
"We also have some mascots to represent the five values we want as part of the youth event," he says.
The crew wants all budding musicians in the Maroondah area to enter the Battle of the Bands.
The winner will be asked to play in front of crowds at a FReeZA youth event.
The Maroondah Festival is on Sunday, November 11, at the Town Park, Norton Road, Croydon.