On Saturday 9 May, YO Bendigo turned up the fun with its annual Fruit Punch Pool Party & Dive-In Movie at Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre!
With more than 60 young people, families, friends and allies in attendance, the night was all about connection, celebration and feeling proud to be yourself. Designed by young people, for young people thanks to the YO Events team, the event created a safe, welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ young people and their friends to relax, have fun and be themselves.
The free event had everything you’d want for a perfect night out:
- Swimming in the heated indoor pool
- A dive-in screening of The LEGO Batman Movie
- A cosy chill-out zone with giant bean bags, card games and quiet crafts
- Fish & Chip dinner
- A LEGO Batman themed photo booth 📸
- LEGO swap & sell station facilitated with Bendigo Golden Brick
- Activities and stalls with Trans & Gender Diverse Bendigo & Beyond, Thorne Harbour Country and headspace Bendigo
- A gender affirming swimwear swap
- A binder try-on station
- And of course… plenty of snacks (fruit punch included!)
Whether people were floating in the pool, talking to stallholders or engaging in the activities, the vibe was relaxed, inclusive and full of energy.
Fruit Punch is about more than fun, it’s about breaking down barriers and building confidence. For some attendees, it was their first time accessing a public pool in a safe and supportive environment. The event promoted body positivity, self-expression, identity, community connection and belonging, and provided opportunities for young people to connect with each other and local services.
Fruit Punch wouldn’t happen without the passionate YO Events volunteer team, who worked hard behind the scenes to bring everything to life.
This year’s LEGO Batman theme was a huge hit with bright LEGO inspired decorations, custom signage and props and a themed photo booth. The props and decorations were created during Crafter-noon sessions, held by a member of our YO Events team who signed up to be a Youth Facilitator through the YO Level-Up project. Alyssa was provided guidance and mentorship, and was supported with the bookings, promotions and materials of her crafter-noons to deliver these sessions. She was paid through the Youth Facilitator program, which offers young people paid opportunities to deliver workshops, activities and training in areas of their interests to other young people. Find out more about YO Level-Up and the Youth Facilitator Program here.
Thank you to everyone who got involved and made Fruit Punch 2026 happen, including the YO Events team, Alyssa, Trans & Gender Diverse Bendigo & Beyond, Thorne Harbour Country, Nik Knighton, Bendigo Golden Brick, Sock Drawer Heroes, Gurri Wanyarra and Headspace Bendigo.
And of course, a big thank you to everyone who came along, brought the vibes and enjoyed the night with us! We can’t wait to see you all at Fruit Punch 2027! ✨
This event was delivered by the YO Events team, a team of young passionate volunteers interested in the events industry. To find out more and get involved, visit the YO Events webpage.
This event was funded by the Victorian Government's Amplify program.
