Fast and Loud set to bring the fun and the thrills

Thousands of people are expected to line the shores of Lake Macquarie this weekend as the Fast & Loud Festival roars to life for a second weekend.

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Held 13-22 May, the festival’s opening weekend featured the local round of the Offshore Superboat Championships, with boats reaching more than 200kmh as they navigate a circuit stretching from Warners Bay to Marmong Point.

Matt Hall Racing aerobatic displays, a Saturday night concert at the Multi-Arts Pavilion mima headlined by blues legend Russell Morris, onshore live entertainment, a licensed bar, market stalls and kids rides at Warners Bay, and farmers markets at Speers Pont Park were other highlights on the agenda over the opening weekend.

The second weekend, held 21-22 May includes the Australian Formula Grand Prix Powerboats, live entertainment, a classic car show, the Lake Macquarie Food and Wine Festival, motocross shows and Paul Bennet Airshow displays, all at Rathmines.

Saturday 21 May will also include the Belmont Beers, Blues and BBQ Festival, headlined by Ash Grunwald.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said the city had never before hosted such an intense program of events and activities over two consecutive weekends.

“This is a celebration of all things fast and loud on land, on the water and in the sky,” Cr Fraser said.

“We’ve created a program that makes the most of waterfront locations on both sides of the lake, and we’ve included things this year that will appeal to all ages.”

Superboats competing are powered by two giant engines producing a combined 1700 horsepower.

Driver Paul Gibbs said that with the right conditions, the 12m vessels would crack speeds of more than 200kmh over the 7km Lake Mac course.

“They’re very controllable, but you still have to have your wits about you,” he said.

“You’re in full concentration mode, because you’re going 135 miles an hour and you’ve got someone behind you doing the same thing, trying to overtake you.”

Action will shift mostly to the western side of the lake for Fast & Loud’s second weekend, except for the over-18s Belmont Beers Blues & BBQ festival.

That event, held in Ken Lambkin Reserve from 5-10pm, will feature Ash Grunwald, Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys, and Justin Ngariki and the Dastardly Bastards.

Fast & Loud is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s Regional Events Acceleration Fund.

For more information, event programs and tickets, go to lakemac.com.au.