THOUSANDS of children and adults will head to Ryde this weekend – for the annual Wight Wave Beach Fest.   

Once again, Appley will be the hub of competitive sports such as volleyball, football, tennis, netball and paddleboard racing.

The beach fest runs across three days, and will be enhanced by live music, locally sourced food and drink, and a family-friendly beach environment.

Expect hundreds of beach sports competitors of all ages to descend on the golden sands of Appley beach for the big occasion – one of the largest beach sporting events of its kind in the UK.

The Wight Wave team, led by Luke Kerr, will hold a series of championships across multiple age groups.

The event kickstarts this Friday and runs until around 9pm on Sunday.

The action-packed sports timetable is available online and kicks off with beach sports exhibitions from 4.30pm.

But the proper action begins on Saturday, from 9am, though early birds can pop along for a spot of Yoga beforehand - from 8.15am.  

With 217 teams across four sports, 420 medals to present, 25 trophies to be won and more than 2,000 competitors, it is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend of sports.

The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is the official charity partner for the event this year and will be running a Sonic Strike Out challenge – to see who can score the fastest goal.

The challenge will help raise vital funds for the trust, at a time when demand for its services has reached unprecedented levels.