Boardmasters Festival

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Boardmasters Festival

Boardmasters Festival.jpg
GenreRock, Indie rock, Alternative rock, Dance
DatesSecond weekend of August
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s) Newquay, Cornwall, England
Coordinates 50°26′20″N5°2′32″W / 50.43889°N 5.04222°W / 50.43889; -5.04222
Years active1981–present
Most recent9–13 August 2023
Next event7 – 11 August, 2024
ParticipantsSee lineups
Attendance53,000 (2023)
Website boardmasters.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Boardmasters Festival is an annual event held in Cornwall, United Kingdom, usually spanning five days on the second weekend of August. The event is a combination of live music and surfing/skateboarding competitions in and around the town of Newquay. The festival was founded in 1981 as a surfing competition, [1] and in 2005 it was expanded to include music acts, taking place at Watergate Bay. In 2024 the official capacity of the event was increased to 58,000. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The majority of the music performances take place to the north of Newquay near Watergate Bay. The Men's Pro 5 Star WQS surf competition takes place on Fistral Beach where a skate ramp is built for the BMX and Skateboard competitions. Other sporting events include The Women's Open, WSL Men's Longboard, WSL Women's Longboard, Boys/Girls Pro Junior and Under 12's. [5] [6] [7] It is also known to feature a well-being program, a tea-room, and a fairground. [8]

The event is owned and managed by Vision Nine Group. In 2017 the Boardmasters Foundation was started to support local causes, such as the RNLI, with c.£436,000 raised up to 2023. [5]

Music festival

The Watergate Bay site hosts the music arena and all festival camping. The festival runs from Wednesday to Monday, with music performances running from Friday to Sunday across ten stages: The Main Stage, Unleashed, The Point, The Land Of Saints, Corona Sunsets, The View, The Netloft, The Dockyard, Keg & Pasty and the VIP Bar/Stage. Past years have seen performers such as Bastille, Faithless, Chase & Status, Snoop Dogg, The Chemical Brothers, Stormzy, Ed Sheeran, Deadmau5, George Ezra, Two Door Cinema Club, Calvin Harris, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Years and Years, Dizzee Rascal and Craig David. [9]

List of music headliners

Boardmasters Festival
YearDatesHeadlinersFull Line Up
20247-11 August Chase & Status , Sam Fender , Stormzy Boardmasters Line-Up 2024
20239–13 August Lorde , Liam Gallagher , Florence + The Machine Boardmasters Line-Up 2023
202210–14 August George Ezra , Disclosure , Kings Of Leon Boardmasters Line-Up 2022
202111–15 August Foals , Gorillaz , Jorja Smith Boardmasters Line-Up 2021
20205–9 August Skepta , The 1975 , Kings Of Leon Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
20197–11 August Wu-Tang Clan , Florence and the Machine , Foals Cancelled due to poor Weather
20188–12 August Catfish and the Bottlemen , The Chemical Brothers , George Ezra Boardmasters Line-Up 2018
20179–13 August Two Door Cinema Club , Jamiroquai , Alt-J Boardmasters Line-Up 2017
201610–14 August Chase & Status , Deadmau5 , James Bay Boardmasters Line-Up 2016
20155–9 August Faithless , Rudimental , Bastille Boardmasters Line-Up 2015
20146–10 August Chase & Status , Snoop Dogg , Bastille Boardmasters Line-Up 2014
20137–11 August The Vaccines , Basement Jaxx , Ben Howard Boardmasters Line-Up 2013
20128–12 August Ed Sheeran , Dizzee Rascal Boardmasters Line-Up 2012
201110–14 August Klaxons , Fatboy Slim Boardmasters Line-Up 2011
20104–8 August Newton Faulkner , Leftfield , Seasick Steve Boardmasters Line-Up 2010
20095–9 August The Streets , Cypress Hill Boardmasters Line-Up 2009
20084–10 August Groove Armada , The Pigeon Detectives Boardmasters Line-Up 2008
20076–12 August Paolo Nutini , Ash Boardmasters Line-Up 2007
200631 July – 6 August Feeder , Starsailor Boardmasters Line-Up 2006
20051–7 August James Blunt , Razorlight Boardmasters Line-Up 2005

Cancellations

In 2014, the organisers of the festival were forced to cancel the final day at the Watergate Bay site due to the remnants of Hurricane Bertha. Artists due to perform were Bastille, George Ezra, Reel Big Fish, DJ EZ, 2manydjs and Catfish and the Bottlemen. [10] However, the surf competition at Fistral Beach continued as normal and full refunds for the cancelled day were received by customers.

The 2019 event was also cancelled hours before it was due to take place, after serious concerns of bad weather forecast to disrupt the event. [11] Boardmasters was then cancelled for a second year in a row in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [12]

Award nominations

Fistral Beach showing the beach bar setup ready for the 2010 festival BoardmastersFistralPre2010.jpg
Fistral Beach showing the beach bar setup ready for the 2010 festival

Boardmasters was nominated for ‘Best Medium Sized Festival’ at the 2014 UK Festival Awards, alongside Secret Garden Party, Camp Bestival, and winners We Are FSTVL. [13] In 2023 it was nominated again for the UK Festival Awards, this time in the ‘Best Large Festival’ category. [14]

Surf and skate

The vert ramp at the 2010 festival during the first skateboard free practice session. BoardmastersVert 1.jpg
The vert ramp at the 2010 festival during the first skateboard free practice session.

At Fistral Beach the surf, BMX and skate competitions take place along with more music during the evenings. A small mini-ramp is set up on the headland and the vert ramp is built in the beach car park. [5] A purpose built beach bar hosts more musical acts and evening beach sessions.

The Festival has received local criticism due to it's greater focus on the music performances, rather than the "extreme sports" side that the event was originally known for. [5]

Professional surf competition winners

Pro surfer at Boardmasters Festival 2014 Boardmasters Festival Surf Competitions.jpg
Pro surfer at Boardmasters Festival 2014
EventWinner [15] Second
2014 Men's OpenJock Barnes (AUS)
2014 Women's OpenKeshia Eyre (POR)
2014 Longboard ProBen Skinner (GBR)
2013 Men's OpenBilly Stairmand (NZL)
2013 Women's OpenKeshia Eyre (POR)
2012 Men's OpenCharly Martin (GLP)
2012 Women's OpenMiku Uemura (HAW)
2011 Men's OpenRomain Cloitre (REU)
2010 Men's 5 Star WQS SurfMarc LacomareJay Quinn
2010 Aerial AssaultAlan StokesOli Adams
2010 Vans Summer Sessions Skate VertSam BeckettAndy Scott
2010 Vans Summer Sessions BMX Mini RampAlex ColburnTobias Wicke
2009 Men's 5 Star WQS SurfDaniel RossTxaber Trojaola
2009 Aerial AssaultMicah LesterReuben Ash
2009 Vans Summer Sessions Skate VertAlex PerelsonSam Beckett
2009 Vans Summer Sessions BMX Mini RampBen WallaceMartin Cooper

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References

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