Young surfers have taken to the waves at Lighthouse Beach as Port Macquarie's Ride the Wave Festival gets underway for 2024.
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The family-friendly festival is now in its fourth year and raises money for local charity Make a Difference Port Macquarie.
The 2024 event got underway with the high school Pro Surf comp on Tuesday, April 2 at Lighthouse Beach.
Ben Creighton from Make a Difference said it's been a positive start for the surf comp.
"We have a bunch of different school teams from around the local area competing against each other," he said.
"It's been really positive so far. A lot of big grins. They are living the dream."
The high school surf comp will be held over two days before the pro surf comp gets underway on Thursday.
"The comp will culminate with the Ride the Sound Wave music festival on Saturday," Mr Creighton said.
The surf comp was initially planned to be held at Town Beach, but organisers made the call to hold the first day of competition at Lighthouse Beach.
"A call will be made on Wednesday about where the surfing will be held over the coming days," Mr Creighton said.
"We're just waiting to see where the surf will be better at the moment."
Saturday is shaping up to be a jam-packed day of entertainment. The surfing and skating part of the festival will be held at Town Beach, with the Ride the Sound Wave starting at 2pm.
Xavier Rudd is headlining the Ride the Sound Wave lineup that also includes The Dreggs, Emily Wurramara, Mama Kin Spender and Round Mountain Girls.
Founder of Make a Difference and Ride the Wave organiser Erin Denham said there are still tickets available for Saturday.
"We hope our local community gets behind us to support Make a Difference. Every single ticket sale makes a difference," she said.
Whilst the music festival is a ticketed event, free access to market stalls and food vendors will be made available to the general public in and around the skate park and Breakwall HQ cafe on Saturday.
For the first time the Ride The Sound Wave event will also include a new children's concert that will feature a separate line up of ARIA Award-winning children's music group the Teeny Tiny Stevies and a range of fun kids' activities including face painting, pony rides and a jumping castle.
Gates will open to Ride The Sound Wave Kids from 10.15am on Saturday.
More information can be found on the Ride the Wave festival website.
