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Town beach will come alive this June for Ride the Wave, with a festival-like atmosphere where there’s something on offer for everyone, whether you come to compete or explore in your hometown. Founder and director of M.A.D. Erin Denham has been busy behind the scenes preparing the festivities for everyone to enjoy.
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i Erin. This JUNE, thanks to M.A.D., Port will see the newest Surf Skate and Sun festival hit its shores – Ride the Wave festival. Tell us about the
community event and its aim. Ride the Wave has been in the ‘pipeline’ for
a couple of years. It aims to be the premier surfing and skateboarding event held in regional NSW. Port Macquarie will welcome over 150 competitors to the Ride the Wave: Surf & Skate Festival scheduled for 18th-20th June 2021. This is a charity community event which 56 GREATER PORT MACQUARIE
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will see competitors vie for major prizes in a combined surfing and skateboarding Festival. 100% of the entry fees will be donated to our “Make a Difference Mobile Food Van Service” to support people experiencing homelessness in our local area. Ride the Wave aims to raise over $20,000. The festival will involve a 3-day surfing competition as well as a skateboarding competition, and a food and music festival that includes market stalls and activities for children on Saturday 19th June. What’s on offer for the competitors? There are several exciting competitions within Ride the Wave with over $7,000 in prizes or prize money on offer with gear from
Rip Curl, Volcom, Live Sunglasses, Saltwater Wine vouchers and loads more. The Surfing competition will see riders come from all over NSW to compete in the Under 12, Under 14, Under 16 and Open Men’s and Women’s divisions. The Skateboard competition will involve skaters competing in the Under 16 and Under 12 divisions, with a Scooter exhibition section where participants can showcase their skills and best tricks. We recently shot a promotion video for RTW with local ambassadors Ollie Hudson, Kayle Enfield and Lola Styles (Surfing), Rhys Evans (Skate) and Albie Watson (Scoot). It was great to interview our local up and coming talent and hear how excited they are to take part in a competition in their home town. These kids rip and are fine ambassadors for their sport. The entries are flowing in with some big names amongst the field already, including Kash Brown, recently crowned Rip Curl Grom Search National Champion. We are also launching a ‘Live Set’ Ride the Wave Online Battle of the Bands competition leading into the event with the winning entries playing a live set at RTW and at Settlers in on Friday, 18th June. madpmq.com.au/ride-the-wave/events And the visitors? The Town Beach precinct will come alive with a festival-like atmosphere being created on Saturday, 19th June with market stalls, food vendors and fun-filled family entertainment with face painting, jumping castles and laser tag.