Play on the Plains ready to return to the heart of the Riverina

Headlining the 2024 festival on Saturday, March 9, will be King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Baker Boy, Northeast Party House, Alex Lahey, The Carp Factory along with the Battle of the Bands contestants/finalists on the B Stage.

Play on the Plains' general manager Vicky Lowry welcomed the return of the festival, which was cancelled this year amid low ticket sales.

"We are thrilled to be back for 2024, adding to and growing the event with fireworks, camping on site and a Battle of the Bands," she said.

"Play on the Plains was created for a younger audience through to families, bringing them all together to experience the best of our young Australian talent."

Ms Lowry said that she organised the Play on the Plains after researching about how young people within the region really had nothing much to do in terms of entertainment.

"It's just a really chilled out great event for young ones of all ages as well to come and, and listen to some great Australian music," she said.

Sam Young from the band the Carp Factory felt it was unreal that he's given the opportunity to perform next to the major bands and a much bigger crowd.

"Three of our, three of the boys are from Deniliquin, so awesome to have a hometown gig and to be on a lineup like it is, is just unreal," Mr Young said.

He believes that the festival Play on the Plains, is a much more relaxed environment and much more organised then other events.

"I've been to every single one thus far and it's awesome, it's got the talents on the stage...I've brought a bunch of mates to every single one and everyone ends having a wow of a time."

The Battle of the Bands competition will be split into three categories - the open-aged senior band, junior band for primary school-aged musicians and open-aged solo artist - where young musicians will each play a set, including production and sound mixing, on the B stage between the main stage artists' sets.

Winners in each category will score cash prizes. The best solo artist will gain a $750 musical equipment voucher and best senior band will earn $500 (with $250 for second place and $100 for third).

Play on the Plains is supported by the NSW government.

Local bus company Dyson Group will run charter buses from Hay, Cobram, Strathmerton, Barooga, Tocumwal, Finley, Blightly, Koondrok, Barham, Wakool, Kialla, Shepparton, Mooroopna, Kyabram, Yarrawonga and Mulwala.

There will also be shuttle buses around Deniliquin.

The event will be cashless with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristbands and top-up stations on site. Attendees can retrieve their unused funds online after the festival.

Gates to the camp site open at noon and festival arena gates open at 1pm.

Tickets are on sale now from Oztix.