THE Laguna Real Estate Festival of Surfing is shaping up to be as entertaining on the sand as it will be in the waves for the event’s 26th annual celebration of surf culture.
Each year, the festival buzzes well beyond sunset on the shores of Laguna Bay as competitors, visitors and the general public mingle, the sand between their toes and a cold drink in hand, while musical and cinematic entertainment wraps up each day of surfing action.
The 2017 festival will be no exception, with a quiver of excellent acts already locked in.
Returning to the festival as a headliner, rockabilly rapscallion Pat Capocci and his band will be making waves, bringing their rock-n-roll licks to the festival’s grand closing party on March 11.
Pat and crew meld blues, swing, jazz and country in a rockabilly salad that has seen them gain renown worldwide.
Hitting the major cities of the East Coast after a headlining tour of Europe, Pat joins the festival on the tail end of frenetic and greatly successful year, and we’re thrilled to have him back.
Supporting Pat is the winner of the 2015 Logger Pro, Sam Crookshanks and his band, Los Laws.
Recently winning a wildcard spot at the Airlie Beach Music Festival, the band has been ripping up and down the East Coast on an exhausting schedule of one-offs and mini tours, spreading their punk rock antics wherever they go.
Loose, loud and fun is their modus operandi, and they’ll definitely be sending the festival out with a bang.
But that’s just the last night – there’s plenty of excitement lined up for the seven prior days of pure stoke.
The Wet Fish get things off to a flying start on the festival’s opening night, and the celebrated four-piece couldn’t be a more perfect fit.
With track lists including Surfin’ USA, Bombora, and the Sandals’ iconic theme to Endless Summer, the Wet Fish come straight out of the thriving Brisbane music scene to Main Beach Noosa to set the perfect tone for the week ahead.
But it’s not all music to keep folks entertained. An encore screening of Phil Jarratt’s Men of Wood & Foam will be lighting up the screen, a homage to the forefathers of Australia’s surfing community.
The Band of Frequencies, who provided the film’s soundtrack, will perform it live in what is sure to be a truly memorable event.
Presented by Global Surf Industries and Screen Queensland, the Life is Better When You Surf film festival will feature an international collection of short films to inspire and entertain, the world premiere of Harrison Roach’s new Hawaiian film, and workshops with leading film-makers, including the legendary Jack McCoy.
Roots revellers Bearfoot will bring an island vibe to the festival, drawing on influences from reggae classics, LA punk and contemporary upbeat folk.
Infectious and sure to inspire a night of dancing, the lads have been receiving airtime on Triple J’s Unearthed, have won a Queensland Music Award, and have played numerous music festivals around the country.
With more acts and events to follow in the coming months, the festival schedule will have you coming for the surfing, but staying for the entertainment.
It’s going to be a jam-packed ‘eight days of pure stoke’.
For more information on the Laguna Real Estate Noosa Festival of Surfing visit www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com.
