About
Boardmasters returns to the Cornish coast from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August 2026, filling five days with live music, surfing, skateboarding and wellness across two sites near Newquay. The main stages and campsites sit on the clifftops at Watergate Bay, while the surf contest, skate ramps and a public beach village run down the coast at Fistral Beach. The event now holds a capacity of around 58,000 and ranks as one of the largest surf and music gatherings in Britain, built around a shoreline that has hosted surfers since the first Boardmasters competition in 1981.
Music leads the bill from Friday to Sunday. Fatboy Slim headlines the Friday main stage, Lily Allen tops Saturday night with a performance of her West End Girl album, and Kasabian close the weekend on Sunday alongside Loyle Carner. The Kooks, Pendulum, James Arthur, Nia Archives, Ren, Dizzee Rascal and The Darkness sit high on a bill that runs past 100 acts, with Rudimental, Example, Tinie Tempah, Joy Crookes, Goldie and Hot 8 Brass Band adding to a spread that moves from indie and pop to drum and bass, garage and house across the main and late-night stages.
Down at Fistral Beach, one of the longest-running surf contests in the country brings shortboard and longboard athletes together with skate and BMX sessions, a beach bar and a shopping village open to the public. Wellness classes, food traders and art builds run through the Watergate Bay arena, and this music festival has paired the two since live acts joined the surfing in 2005. Day tickets and camping passes are sold in waves through the official site ahead of the August weekend.
Full Lineup
3 Days Of Wonder, 4AM Kru, Abbie Piper, Achilles Heel, Alessi Rose, Arthi, Asha Banks, Ashley Harding, Atrip, Beans On Toast, Bella Barbe, Ben Kidson, Brooke Combe, Bushbaby, Candar, Charlie Noordewier, Charlie Boon B2B Sarah Story, Charlotte Plank, Chartreuse, Chloe Qisha, Cliffords, Clementine Douglas, Cornwall Rock Choir, Cosm, Dermot Henry, Dizzee Rascal, DJ AG, Dubtendo Allstars, Etta Marcus, Ewan McVicar, Example, Fatboy Slim, Finn Forster, Fleetmac Wood, Florence Road, Freddie Halkon, Getdown Services, Girls Don't Sync, Goldie Live, Gothham B2B Deekz, Hamdi, Hamilton, Hannah Wants, Hot 8 Brass Band, In Parallel, Iles, Jaws The Shark, Jacob Alon, Jack Cullen, Jam & Meme, James Arthur, Jamie Yost, Jory Boy, Joshua Idehen, Joy Crookes, Kasabian, Keo, Kerr Mercer, K Motionz & IC3, La La, Lambrini Girls, Liang Lawrence, Lily Allen, Loyle Carner, Lucy Spraggan, Luvcat, M'Lover, Nia Archives, Oh My God! It's The Church, Old Mervs, Omar+, Owen Price, Pendulum Live, Radio Free Alice, REN, Rose Gray, Ronniie, Rudimental Live, Saint Ludo, Sasha Keable, Shay O'Dowd, Sota, Spooky Cash-Cash, Take A Chance On Us, TBC, The Clause, The Darkness, The Guest List, The Kooks, The Lathums, The North, The Royston Club, Tinie Tempah, Tom A. Smith, TS7, Twin Skeletons, Window Kid
FAQs
When is Boardmasters 2026 taking place?
The festival runs over five days from Wednesday, August 5 to Sunday, August 9, 2026, with the main stage music performances running from Friday through Sunday.
Where is the festival held?
The music stages and main campsites are positioned on the clifftops at Watergate Bay, while the surfing, skating, and beach activations take place at Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall.
Who are the primary main stage headliners for each music day?
The main stage is topped by global electronic legend Fatboy Slim on Friday, pop visionary Lily Allen on Saturday, and indie-rock icons Kasabian alongside hip-hop artist Loyle Carner on Sunday.
What unique athletic events run alongside the music lineup?
The festival hosts world-class professional surfing competitions at Fistral Beach, featuring elite international shortboard and longboard athletes alongside skate and BMX halfpipe demonstrations.
What alternative accommodation tiers are available for campers?
Attendees can choose between standard camping fields, pre-pitched tents, live-in vehicle areas, quiet "chilled" family zones, and premium boutique glamping structures equipped with luxury amenities.
