Shoalhaven River Festival 2013

Six of the world’s best wakeboarders will be putting on a special show this weekend as part of the fourth annual Shoalhaven River Festival.

The highly ranked Tony Lacconi, Cory Teunissen, Dean Smith, Nic Rapa, Bradley Teunissen and Parker Siegele have just returned from competition in the US and will be battling it out in the Australian Pro Wakeboarding event.

With around $12,000 in prizemoney up for grabs, the competition is set to fierce.

They will have two runs, at 3.30pm and 5.30pm, to do their most outlandish tricks to impress the judges and take home the prize.

This will be one of the highlights of what is shaping up to be the biggest and best Shoalhaven River Festival yet according to organiser Lynn Locke.

“We again have an action-packed two days of community activities,” she said.

The festival will again kick off at 11am Saturday with the popular Nowra CBD street parade showcasing local community groups and businesses.

The action then turns to the southern banks of the Shoalhaven River, where live entertainment, market stalls, river activities, kids amusements, a marine expo and arts precinct will be held.

Along with the wakeboarding stars, the Macey Splashdown Show and Splashzone acrobatics spectacular will keep spectators enthralled on the river as will a host of other waterbased activities, while there will also be a special helicopter rescue demonstration from crews at HMAS Albatross.

Legendary Aussie rockers Dragon will headline a packed entertainment schedule which along with a number of local performers also includes Big T from The Voice.

The always spectacular fireworks on the river wraps up the opening day’s activities.

Sunday will see the marine expo and the popular Colour Me Fun Run.

“I can’t believe it has been four years since we launched this event,” Mrs Locke said.

“It is now one of the Shoalhaven’s signature events.

“It’s been a long journey and a great journey. We’ve got a fantastic band of volunteers and it wouldn’t happen without them.

“It’s just fantastic. The community love it and it’s free.

“This year will be spectacular.”

Anyone travelling south over the Shoalhaven River would have seen the marina area for the marine expo taking shape over the past few days.

Thirteen pontoons, each 11.5m long and 2.5m wide, have been put in place on the river.

Following the festival they will remain in the river providing the area with its first fulltime marina.

“We can’t thank Shoalhaven City Council enough for its support in purchasing the pontoons and at the completion of the festival they will be permanently in the river,” Mrs Locke said.

“We bought this opportunity and the suggestion of installing permanent power to the area on the western side of the bridge to council and to their credit they jumped at it.

“Both facilities will not only be there for the river festival but also for the community to use.

“The pontoons will eventually be available or anyone who wants to hold an event.”