THE Bowen Wet Weekend Fishing Classic is the place to be this weekend if you have a love of the great outdoors.

The 25th anniversary of the event this year is shaping up to be a cracker.

More than $90,000 in prizes and give-aways are up for grabs and the entertainment line-up this weekend is first class.

Shannon Noll will head the XXXX Beach Party, with local acts Simmer Down, 1984 and the Cadillacs rounding out a stellar musical line-up.

The children won't be left out either.

Roving kids' entrainment group the Whale Tales will make their presence known at weigh-in central at the Santa Barbara Pde, Festival Park.

Event co-ordinator Russ McCabbin said the Bowen Wet Weekend Fishing Classic was a great family event and not to be missed.

"There will be bush and beach craft for the kids and a lolly drop, a kids' handball competition, and we have a cake eating competition,” he said.

"They have to eat it hands-free of course.”

The weekend kicks off at weigh-in central with the blessing of the fisherman at 12.45pm on Saturday.

Fish can be caught from all through the Whitsundays, from the O'Connal River near Bloomsbury in the south to Molongle Creek in the north.

The MC for the weekend will be former Bowen boy and Mackay breakfast radio host Barry Hamilton.

"It's just a big, fun weekend and people can come and enjoy the weekend and it's only a gold coin to get in,” Russ said.