Riverfest bigger and better

This is in preparation for Riverfest which this year incorporates the European and African Wakeboard Championships.

The jetty will be the start dock for over a 120 wakeboarders from across 15 countries. Practice sessions for competitors start this Friday through to Sunday. Everyone is welcome to come and watch throughout the weeks build up to the main events on Friday and Saturday, August 12-13.

The official opening of the event will begin at Somerset Park on Monday, August 8 at 3.00pm signalled by a Viking re-enactor sounding a hunting horn to highlight the significant historical value of Mountsandel just across the river.

Team captains will be transported by boat to Christie Park for a short parade to the town hall where the competitors and officials will be welcomed to the borough by the mayor. There will be a jazz band in the town centre and promotional activities going on from 3.00pm. Everyone is welcome to watch at Somerset or Christie Park or indeed any vantage points along the river between Sandelford and Coleraine Town bridges.

The main two days of Riverfest and the Wakeboard Championships will be on August 12-13 from 10am to 6.00pm. The focus of the land based exhibitions and activities is to highlight the wide range of outdoor recreation that there is to enjoy not only on and along the Lower Bann but in the general Causeway Coast and Glens area.

On these days there will be a much bigger than usual range of exhibitions and activities which are free for all the family including, bouncy castles, face painting, free paddle boarding on first come first served basis on Sat 13th, climbing wall, fly fishing displays, boat show, classic cars, 4x4s, motor homes, sports gear and artisan market stalls.

The Q FM roadshow will also be there on Saturday13th and music will be provided by Expresso Jazz on the Saturday afternoon.