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Kiama and Gerringong are the places to be at the end of the month as three festivals come together to put on a bloody good time, with sounds, surf, skating and sumptuous food - and much of it is free.
The fun begins on Friday with the first night of the Gerringong Surf Life Festival, with Tex Perkins and Matt Walker taking to the stage for a ticketed show at Gerringong Town Hall.
The music will continue over Saturday and Sunday with more free and ticketed events, plus classic cars, a surfboard swap meet, market stalls, food trucks, sandcastle competition plus a surf expo which will feature shark attack survivor Brett Connellan and Jason Rice from Apnea Survival.
Surf royalty Layne Beachley will be making the trek south for the Her Wave Classic event starting Friday night, along with Australian Champion Laura Enever, Hawaiian longboard guru Marissa Millerr and a teenager with the Olympics in her reach, Sierra Kerr.
The awesome foursome will be at Stacks Eatery in Kiama Downs from 6pm to 8pm, chatting all about women's surfing.
Enjoy brekky tunes while you select from some of the epic food trucks on offer, watch the competition unfold or simply take part in some of the free workshops like 'learn to surf' or craft with SurfPaints.
The female surf Classic is a unique competition designed for females of all ages and surfing abilities, with over 200 competitors, using short and longboards.
Sunday April 2 will bring about more free workshops with the Sun Up Surf and Skate festival at Kiama Downs Surf Life Saving Club. You can try your hands at free drumming to yoga, tie dye stations, strength training, skate workshops and a pop-up festival skate park at Jones Beach carpark.
The full program of events incorporates the following:
- . Friday 31 March at Kiama High School: Career pathways and mental health workshop
- . Saturday 1 April North Jones Beach: Surfing NSW, Her Wave Teams Classic Day 1
- . Sunday 2 April Jones Beach: Surfing NSW, Her Wave Teams Classic Day 2
- . Sunday 2 April 145 North Kiama Drive & Kiama Downs Surf Club Surrounds: Sun Up Surf and Skate Festival
FRIDAY MARCH 31
'Whisky and Blues' night, Gerringong Town Hall, 4pm - 11.30pm (over 18s).
- MUSICIANS: Tex Perkins & Matt Walker, El Grande, Salt & Steel, Frank Sultana, The Sunbears, Denim On Her. Tickets: $55 Friday only or $90 for Friday/Saturday combo ticket
Junior Girls Performance Surf Coaching
- Run by Surfing NSW with local coach Talina Wilson and exercise physiologist Candice Land. It's open to all girls competing in the Her Waves Team Flassic. Meet at Jones Beach SOUTH, 3.30-4pm.
Her Wave Meet and Greet
- Welcome to Her Wave! Join Sierra Kerr, aura Enever and Marissa Miller at Stacks Eatery in Kiama Downs, 6pm to 8pm.
SATURDAY APRIL 1
Her Wave Surf Event
- Surf classic runs from 7am to 2pm (first heat 8am)
- DPI SharkSmart Trailer (all weekend)
- 9am Longboard technical session (with Belen Kimble)*
- 9am Surfers Rescue*
- 10am The Female Surfer workshop with Candice Land*
- 11am Surfers Rescue*
- 11am to 3pm soft tissue massage and surf related fitness advice available from Candice Land
- 1pm Shortboard technical coach with Laura Enever
Live Music Gerringong Bowlo FREE
- 12pm Jack Rose
- 1pm Double Barrel
- 2pm The Appointments
- 3pm Tommy Gun
Live Music Gerringong Town Hall TICKETED
- Pacific Avenue
- Dos Enos
- Bronte Alva
- Dead Witch
- Mac Tango
- Calcite
- Noon Shift
- Coast Phonik and Azza-D
- Polly Hazelton
Bar and Food trucks, 3pm - 11.30pm. Tickets: $55 Saturday only or $90 for a Friday/Saturday combo ticket (over 18s only).
Surf Expo FREE
Location: Sth Werri Reserve, Pacific Ave Werri Beach.
- 8am: Yoga for Surfers : Kurt Ogilvie from Kurt Ogilvie health specialises in mobility and surf yoga.
- 9am: Live music - Stan Jarrett
- 9am Classic Surf Mobile show beings (cost is free, arrival between 9am and 10am)
- 9am-2pm Surfboard Swap Meet
- 9.30am: Welcome to country by Aunty Gwenda Jarrett and smoking ceremony.
- 10am: Grant Treblico: ONE WAVE - OneWave is a non-profit surf community raising awareness of mental health through a simple recipe...saltwater therapy, surfing and fluro.
- 10am Sand Castle Comp, Bring your bucket and spade and get creative! Prizes for the best sandcastles! Hosted by Dave Evans.
- 10.30am: Live Music - Val Ceruli
- 11am: Brett Connellan: SURFER, SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR - Nothing is more powerful than a second chance at life. Every surfer's worst nightmare became Brett's reality when he was attacked by a Great White Shark.
- 12pm: Live Music - Tayah Larsen
- 12.30pm: Interview - Surfers Rescue
- 1pm: Live Music - Jack Rose
- 1.30pm: Interview - Surfers For Climate
- 2pm: Live Music - Ren Steele
SUNDAY APRIL 2
Live Music Gerringong Bowlo FREE
- 1pm Traffic Control
- 2pm Negative Space
- 3pm SCR DJ
- 4pm Electriv Ginger
Sun Up / Her Wave Kiama Downs Surf Club and surrounds
- 7.45am to 3pm Her Wave surfing heats
- 8.00 Festival begins: surf simulator, tie dye workshops, face painting, food stalls, giveaways
- 8.00 Yoga and Skate Workshop*
- 8am-2pm Skate lessons
- 9.00 Drumming Workshop*
- 9am Learn to Surf Lesson**
- Surf Breathwork and Confidence**
- 9am-12pm SurfPaints Drop-in craft
- 9am-1pm Smooth Star drop in sessions
- 9.30 Live music & Skate workshop*
- 10.00 Drumming workshop*
- 10.00 Learn to Surf Lesson **
- 10.00 Ocean photography with Amber Cree**
- 11.00 Skate & Drumming Workshops*
- 11.00 Learn to Surf Lesson**
- Surf Breathwork and Confidence**
- 12.00 Drumming Workshop*
- Ocean photography with Amber Cree**
- 12.30 Live music & Skate workshops*
- 2.00 Festival Close
* Reserve a spot for the workshops via Eventbrite.com.au
** Reserve a spot for the workshops via Surfingnsw.com.au/her-wave/ or HERE
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Desiree Savage
At the helm of Australia's premier publication for people aged over 55, covering hard hitting issues, travel, lifestyle and entertainment. Got a hot tip? Email me - edit@TheSenior.com.au
At the helm of Australia's premier publication for people aged over 55, covering hard hitting issues, travel, lifestyle and entertainment. Got a hot tip? Email me - edit@TheSenior.com.au
