Boardmasters

Boardmasters 2026

Boardmasters 2026 takes place from 5-9 August at Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay in Newquay, Cornwall. This five-day festival blends world-class surfing, beach sports, and live music along the stunning Cornwall coastline.

Surfing and Beach Sports

The festival hosts exciting surf competitions at Fistral Beach and offers watersports clinics. The Surf Village features food stalls, craft markets, and chill-out areas.

Music

Watergate Bay is the main music hub, with multiple stages and beachside bars hosting a mix of live bands and DJ sets from sunrise to sunset, creating a vibrant seaside atmosphere.

Food & Drink

Visitors can enjoy Cornwall’s famous pasties, fresh seafood from food trucks, and local craft ales and cocktails from pop-up beach bars.

Activities & Atmosphere

Boardmasters offers a range of side attractions including sunrise yoga, skateboarding and BMX demos, art installations, live acoustic music, treasure hunts, and silent discos. Dedicated kids’ areas ensure a family-friendly environment.

Community

Campers create a welcoming community vibe in purpose-built campsites with tents and tipis, while late-night beach parties and after-show events keep the energy going.

Cornwall Airport Newquay is the closest airport - it literally sits at the end of the runway by Fistral Beach. You’ll find scheduled flights from several UK cities such as London, Manchester and Edinburgh (and even some seasonal charters). From there, taxis and rental cars can get you to Newquay in about 10 minutes. As an alternative, Exeter Airport (around 1.5 hours’ drive) and Bristol Airport (about 3 hours away) offer more flight options to Cornwall; from those airports you can drive or take public transport into Newquay.

Trains and coaches provide easy links too. Great Western Railway and South Western Railway both serve Cornwall: passengers typically travel from London (Paddington or Waterloo) to Par or Exeter, then change for the branch line up to Newquay. The journey from London takes roughly 4-5 hours. Newquay’s train station is in town, where you can catch local buses (such as Route 56) or taxis up to Fistral Beach or Watergate Bay. National Express coaches also run to Newquay daily from major cities, making coach travel a budget-friendly choice.

If you’re driving, the main route is via the A30 dual carriageway through Cornwall. From London or the Midlands, take the M4/M5 to Exeter and then follow the A30 west to Newquay. Set your sat-nav for Newquay (Fistral Beach or Watergate Bay) and follow the brown tourist signs for Fistral Beach to avoid local bottlenecks. Festival parking must be booked in advance (car parks at both sites fill up fast), so plan ahead. Keep in mind Cornwall’s narrow country roads can be busy, especially on festival weekends, so allow extra travel time.

Accommodation around Newquay is varied but books up quickly in summer. You can camp on-site with an official Boardmasters camping pass (included with many ticket types) for the full beach-party experience, or pitch a tent at nearby campsites. If you prefer a bed, hotels like the Watergate Bay Hotel or comfortable B&Bs and self-catering cottages are available in Newquay and nearby villages. Many visitors also stay in surf hostels or glamping pods. Wherever you stay, reserve early. Once you arrive, getting around is easy: Transport for Cornwall runs buses (e.g. Route 56) between the town center, Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach. Each festival day there are usually shuttle buses from Newquay train station to both sites (Boardmasters sells a wristband for unlimited rides). Local taxis are also available, though they can be busy on early mornings, so booking in advance is wise.