The Disc Golf Festival

The Disc Golf Festival

One of the newest aspects of the Ledgestone Insurance Open presented by Discraft is the addition of one of disc golf’s newest pro tours, the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT). The DGPT is the brainchild of Steve Dodge and one of the most exciting things that the DGPT will be bringing to the Ledgestone Insurance Open is the Disc Golf Festival. Having a festival type atmosphere at disc golf tournaments is not a new concept. In fact, fellow DGPT tournament The Green Mountain Championships (also presented by Discraft) is more of a festival than a disc golf tournament. The Green Mountain Championships feature live bands amongst the rest of their activities. While the DGPT festival won’t feature live bands in 2016, there will be awesome music playing during the festival. The environment at most World Championships also has a festival feeling because of the large FlyMart and disc golf competition games available to play. The DGPT wants to expand on what other tournaments have done to grow the sport of disc golf.

LIS Open Crowd 2015

According to Steve Dodge, DGPT Director, the concept of the festival in his mind has grown from his experiences running the Vibram Open/Maple Hill Open. “The big tournaments we have held in Leicester have been about having fun outside the ultra-competitive disc golf tournament. Over time, the fun has become slightly more focused and geared towards the spectators,” said Dodge.

So what can one expect to see when they visit the festival? According to Dodge, people can expect to see discs, fun and people being social. At the end of the day, the DGPT envisions the festival bringing people together to celebrate how great disc golf and disc sports can be and what they represent. Festival games and activities will include radar guns, accuracy shots, speed putting, Polish horseshoes, face painting, inflatables, disc dying, disc golf art and much more. Visitors to the festival will also be able to enjoy pie eating and will be able to get signatures from top disc golfers. “We are working with each of our partners to craft fun and engaging games,” stated Dodge. This could also mean that festivals at each of the five tournaments could look a little different based on local vendors and tastes.

One of the goals of the festival is to open up disc golf to a much larger audience. There will be activates for kids and adults alike. According to Dodge he will actually gear the festival toward families. Kids will be able to enjoy festival foods, inflatables, kid versions of each of the games, prizes and more. Kids will be able to get the “Sockibomb” or “McBest” face paint as well.

The goal of the festival is to be easily affordable for families and will also allow prizes to be won. The festival will take place Thursday through Sunday at the Ledgestone Insurance Open. The details on the location will be forthcoming, as will more details in regards to other games and festival activities that will be featured. If you would like to volunteer to work at the festival during the event please contact Nate Heinold at [email protected]

Leave a comment