Lake Mac is set for a super-charged weekend afloat, on shore and in the air as the Fast and Loud Festival kicks off for 2024.
Thursday's event launch saw a superboat skim across the lake's surface at more than 150kmh while superstar pilot Matt Hall zoomed at low altitude above – a spectacular sign of things to come.
This year's festival includes the first three races of the 2024-2025 Offshore Superboat Championships, with a course stretching from Marmong Point to Booragul, across to Speers Point and down to Warners Bay and Eleebana.
The sleek, twin-hulled Superboats set to feature this weekend have a top speed of 240kmh and can accelerate from 0-100kmh in less than two seconds.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said that for the first time through the NSW Government's Open Streets Program, lakeside streets in both Warners Bay and Belmont would be closed to traffic to create an even bigger festival for all to enjoy.
"This weekend is going to deliver speed, action and fun for all ages," he said.
"We've got livesites right around the lake offering some of the best vantage points, as well as live music, roving entertainment, food and market stalls."
Minister for Roads, Arts, Music and the Night-Time Economy, Jobs and Tourism John Graham said the NSW Government was excited to support the event.
"Too often our main streets are something we drive through, rather than drive to," he said.
"Our streets are a critical part of our public and social infrastructure. Great streets make great towns and centres and reflect the local community and culture."
"The Open Streets Program is about temporarily transforming our main streets into vibrant and welcoming public event spaces.
"The colour and diversity of these events celebrate the unique personality of each town or suburb. This is what our vibrancy agenda is all about, backing locals to create events and entertainment that works for their local community."
Among this year's Superboat pilots is Darren Nicholson, a multiple world and Australian champion.
Smaller, more manoeuvrable single-hull Powerboats will race off Rathmines throughout the weekend.
Mayor Adam Shultz said that at various times across the weekend, livesites would operate at Warners Bay Foreshore, Belmont Foreshore, Rathmines Catalina Park, Speers Point Park and Empire Marina.
"Empire Marina's pit area is like the Superboats version of a Formula One pit lane, and it will be open to people who want to get up close and personal with this amazing machinery," he said.
The festival kicks off with a free concert by Love That Hat at the Warners Bay rotunda on Friday from 6-9pm.
Saturday runs from 9am-7.30pm at Warners Bay, with a road closure in place from 3-8pm on The Esplanade between Lake Street and King Street to host the street parade.
Matt Hall Racing will perform a gravity-defying aerobatic display at 11am.
Rathmines will host a livesite from 10am-4pm, with Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix racing close to shore throughout the day.
Belmont will feature live music with country music band Darlinghurst, markets, food trucks and kids' activities from 11am-3pm, with a road closure in place from 9am-5pm on Brooks Parade from Maude Street to Sharp Street.
Matt Hall Racing will fly straight from Warners Bay to Belmont to perform another aerobatic display from 11.10am, with a meet and greet with Hall at Belmont Foreshore, from noon-1:30pm.
The action continues on Sunday with a continued livesite and more Superboat racing at Warners Bay, Powerboats and a livesite at Rathmines and a 'Show and Shine' car show at Speers Point Park from 9am-2pm.
Go to lakemac.com.au
