This year’s edition of the Noosa Festival of Surfing is shaping up to be one of the best in years, with more participants and excellent waves.
The nine-day event was curtailed last year, due to the impacts of COVID but it’s set to return in a big way.
More than 350 competitors and up to 25,000 people were expected to converge at Noosa Heads from March 5-13, for the 31st running of the festival.
The event, presented by the Noosa Malibu Club and World Surfaris, could generate $6-7 million for the local economy.
Organiser Josh Allen said surfing enthusiasts were itching for action.
“Last year was a huge challenge because of COVID, but now we are out of restrictions and lockdowns the hesitation has gone,” he said.
“We have more than 100 extra competitors this year, a swag of special guests, movie screenings and all kinds of epic events.
“There is a real buzz in the air, and we haven’t even started yet.”
The festival has become renowned because of the venue, its surrounds and the culture.
“The location is second to none, with world-class surf breaks,” Mr Allen said.
“There’s Hastings Street and there’s plenty around Noosa, like breweries and distilleries.
“And I think the culture we have created with all of the events around town … it’s something that keeps people coming back for more every year.
“There are also new participants who want to be part of the surf culture and surf industry that Australia is known for.”
Promising weather conditions are also set to boost this year’s event.
Popular weather forecasting website Widguru predicted a swell of 2.2m for the start of the event and remaining more than 1.3m for the next week, before an increase up to 2.8m on March 11 and March 12.
“We’re looking good, with the long-range forecast,” Mr Allen said.
“A lot can change but the swell direction could have more east in it, which wraps around and into Noosa a lot better.
“And if this year’s consistent swell is anything to go by, we could be in for some very good conditions for the competition.
“To tell the truth, we’re overdue for a swell to hit the surf festival.”
The dog surfing competition should be extremely popular. Thousands of people usually converge on Main Beach to watch the unique event.
The longboard divisions should be hotly contested.
There’s also plenty of hype around the Noosa SUP Challenge that has returned to the schedule.
Former world tour surfers Luke Egan and Mitch Crews should compete in the Twin Fin division and there was some hope local surfing star Julian Wilson could also take part.
There’s a beach bar, live music, art shows, shaping exhibitions and a host of other events and fundraisers, including the sold-out Board Meeting Charity Dinner with Mr Egan and Mr Wilson at Sunshine Beach Surf Club on March 10.
The Board Meeting has raised more than $2 million for Sunshine Coast kids with disabilities, through a variety of surf-related events, since 2005.
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Festival schedule
- Surfaid Opening Night Fundraiser: Beach Bar, March 4, 4pm-8pm.
- Active Escapes Beach Training Session: Noosa Main Beach, March 5-6, 6pm-7pm.
- Surfing competition: First Point, Noosa river mouth or Castaways Beach, March 5-14, from 7am. See a day-by-day breakdown of events at Noosa Festival of Surfing – Surfing Divisions.
- Noosa Beach Club & Bar: Noosa Main Beach, March 5-13, midday-8pm.
- VetShopAustralia Surfing Dog Championship: First Point, March 5, 2.30pm.
- Welcome to Country & Paddle Out: Noosa Main Beach, March 5, 4.15pm.
- Clean Up Australia Day: Noosa Woods, March 6, 4pm-5pm.
- Melanoma March: First Point to National Park, March 6, 4pm-6pm.
- Sirromet Wines International Womens Day: Beach Bar, March 8, 2pm-6pm.
- Creators & Innovators Night at the Museum presented by Vissla: Noosa Surf Museum, March 9, 6pm-9pm.
- InNoosa Magazine Fashion Awards: Noosa Beach Club & Bar, March 10, 4pm.
- Noosa World Surf Reserve presents The Surf Film Archive: Noosa Surf Museum, March 10, 6pm-9pm.
- Board Meeting Charity Dinner with Julian Wilson & Luke Egan: Sunshine Beach Surf Club, March 10, 6.30pm-10pm.
- Facing Monsters by Kerry Brown: Event Cinemas Noosa, March 10, 6.30pm.
- The Morning of the Earth 50th Anniversary: The J Noosa, March 11, 6pm-8pm.
- Mark Mathews – Life Beyond Fear: The J Theatre, March 11, 8pm.
- Active Escapes Beach Yoga: Noosa Main Beach, March 12, 6am-7am.
- Performance Breathing with Rich Burrows: Noosa Main Beach March 12, 7am-9am.
- Noosa SUP Challenge: Noosa Main Beach, March 12, 3pm-5pm.
- Deus Surf Swap & Film Night: The J Theatre, March 12, 5pm-9pm.
- The Finz Rock N Roll Night: The Reef Hotel, March 12, 8pm-late.
For more information on any of the above events, including ticketing, see Noosa Festival of Surfing – What’s On.
