Cold Night, Hot Moves: What Really Happened at Riverstone’s Food Market Parkour Takeover
On Saturday, June 7, 2025, we rolled into Riverstone Food Market with one goal: turn an ordinary winter evening into a youth-powered movement arena. Our team at Playkour partnered with Blacktown City Council to bring our signature mobile parkour experience to Bambridge Lane, a tucked-away strip of laneway just waiting to be ignited.
It was 5 PM. One big floodlight lit the lane in moody yellow. Our fingers were stiff, breath visible, and attendance uncertain. But that’s where the magic usually starts.
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Behind the Scenes at the Riverstone Food Market Activation
This wasn’t just another after-school workshop. This was the STARTER 40 setup; engineered for high rotation, high energy, and maximum hands-on coaching.
The Setup:
We came in with two stations, 15-minute rotations, and room for up to 160 kids across four hours. The layout was simple but intentional: low barriers to entry, high excitement per square metre. Bambridge Lane framed the course beautifully, lined with food trucks and music, but lighting was… artistic at best. One half glowed like a movie set; the other sat in a shadowy haze. Note to future selves: pack a backup light.
The Challenge:
It was cold. Cold enough that most parents clutched hot chocolates like lifelines. It was also a long weekend. Translation? Lower foot traffic. We served 23 kids over four hours, just 15% of our max capacity. But what those numbers don’t show is that nearly every kid who walked past joined in. Actually… one didn’t, he had crutches. I still asked though. Had to.
The Wins:
- ✅ 100% Conversion Rate: Every able-bodied kid we invited got involved. That’s rare. That’s strategy meeting coaching.
- ✅ Parents Were Into It: Conversations, movement tips, encouragement—this wasn’t just babysitting. This was community building.
- ✅ Extended Delivery: We added a bonus hour ‘for free’ because vibes were up, and we wanted to leave a strong first impression with the council.
- ✅ Circle Warm-Ups: Before each block, we ran warm-ups in circles. It broke the ice, pumped the energy, and helped every kid feel like part of a crew.
Want a peek behind the curtain? Check the photo album here
What We Learned (And What You Can Steal)
This wasn’t just about parkour. This was live prototyping a community activation with real-time feedback. We’re in the business of engagement and every event teaches us something new.
From an entrepreneur’s lens, here’s what worked:
✅ Face-to-Face Conversions: We didn’t wait around. Our crew approached families personally, invited them in, and walked them through.
✅ Two-Station Format: Perfect for attention spans and crowd flow. It let us give each participant real coaching time.
✅ Emotional Momentum: When the energy’s right, extending the event isn’t a cost, it’s an investment. The council felt that.
✅ Full Family Buy-In: We weren’t just a “kid’s activity.” Parents stayed, engaged, asked questions. That’s brand impact.
Here’s what we’d do differently next time:
❌ No Pre-Event Opt-In = Lost Funnel: We missed a chance to capture emails ahead of time. Even a lightweight interest form could have boosted attendance and let us remarket.
❌ Low Visibility: Most people didn’t know it was free. Branded banners, A-frames, and entrance-side staff would’ve changed that in 10 minutes.
❌ Lighting Shortfall: One big floodlight looked cinematic… but didn’t cut it. Two sources minimum next time.
❌ Wrong Weekend: Cold weather + public holiday = a tough combo. If you’re running winter events, make sure your timing and warm-up strategy are tight.
Pro Tip for Event Founders:
If you treat your activation like a startup, pre-registration is your MVP. It builds anticipation, lets you test messaging, and gives you a pipeline to follow up with after the event.
Enjoying the entrepreneurial breakdown? Connect with me on LinkedIn here
Why This Was More Than Just a Workshop
Riverstone Food Market isn’t Luna Park. It’s intimate. Local. Grounded. And that’s why Playkour fit in so well. Because when you activate a space like that with energy, movement, and storytelling; it sticks.
We weren’t just “running an activity.” We were warming up cold fingers, coaching confidence, and reminding families that movement doesn’t need four walls or a gym membership. It just needs a spark.
This event didn’t break TikTok. It didn’t “go viral.” But it hit something better: it went personal. And personal scales way better than any algorithm.
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Running Your Own Event? Let’s Talk
Whether you’re a council ready to engage youth, a brand planning a high-energy moment, or an entrepreneur trying to turn ideas into experiences; Playkour is here to help you make it unforgettable.
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Ready for the next one? We are.
