General Info
Boardmasters is taking place from 7 – 11 August 2024.
Boardmasters takes place across two festival sites in Newquay, Cornwall.
Watergate Bay is home to our main arena, campsites and the world’s best festival view! You’ll need a ticket to attend the festival at Watergate Bay.
Address: Trebelsue Farm, Watergate Bay, TR8 4AN
At Fistral Beach you’ll find the Boardmasters Open – our surf competition – plus our beach bar, shopping village and more. You don’t need a ticket for Fistral Beach.
Camping up at Watergate Bay? You’ll be able to get a shuttle bus down to Fistral Beach for a small fee or you can walk the coastal route which will take you roughly 1 hour 30 mins.
Address: Fistral Beach, Headland Rd, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1HY
All ages are welcome, but you must be aged 16 or over to attend without an adult.
Anyone aged 15 or under will need to be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over. One adult can look after up to 2 under 15s.
If you look under 16 we will ask you for ID before you can gain entry to the festival. Valid forms of ID are a Drivers License (provisional is ok), Passport or any other form of ID that is certified in the PASS System
We get asked every year if college ID or photocopies are ok. They’re not. We can only accept original versions of the IDs listed above.
Campsite Opening Times: Wednesday 07:30 to Monday 16:00
Main Arena Opening Times:
✔ Wednesday 9 August 2023 13:00 – 02:00
✔ Thursday 10 August 2023 09:30 – 02:00
✔ Friday 11 August 2023 09:30 – 02:00
✔ Saturday 12 August 2023 09:30 – 02:00
✔ Sunday 13 August 2023 09:30 – 02:00
Weekend Car Park Opening Times:
✔ 07:30 – 22:30 (last entry) everyday
Watergate Bay (Day) Car Park Opening Times: Fri – Sun, 08:00 – 04:30
Watergate Bay Drop-Off & Pick-Up (BLUE) Car Park: Fri – Sun, 08:00 – 04:30
Box Office Campsite Opening Times: Weds + Thurs 07:30 – 23:00, Fri + Sat 08:00 – 23:00 (closed Sunday) (Location: Weekend Car Park)
Box Office Main Arena Opening Times: Weds + Thurs 07:30 – 23:00, Fri – Sun 08:00 – 23:00
*Note: Boutique, VIP and Charger ticket holders do not need to purchase Car Parking. Day Ticket holders cannot access the campsites.
Persons’ aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 years and above. Each adult can accompany a maximum of two children. Proof of identity and age must be provided on request at the admission gates to the venue.
When will I be asked for ID? You may be asked for ID in the following situations:
What forms of ID are valid? We accept the following forms of ID:
Please note we cannot accept other forms of ID. We won’t accept photos or photocopies of ID.
✗ glass bottles
✗ no food can be brought into the main music arena
✗ illegal substances, psychoactive substances, nitrous oxide and legal highs
✗ spray paint aerosols
✗ straight spirits (alcohol)
✗ anything that could be reasonably considered for use as a weapon
✗ candles, sky lanterns
✗ portable or disposable barbeques/gas/paraffin lamps or any fire/gas related cooking equipment
✗ portable laser equipment and pointer-pens
✗ drones, quadcopters, remote controlled flying devices
✗ megaphones, air horns, compressed air
✗ fireworks, flares, smoke bombs, smoke machines
✗ large sound systems (personal speakers must be no more than 30x10x10cm)
✗ animals with the exception of assistance dogs
✗ generators, apart from those permanently built into campervans
✗ gas canisters or cylinders apart from those fitted in campervans
✗ unofficial tabards or hi-vis jackets
✗ professional camera or video recording equipment (including SLRs and anything with a detachable lens)
✗ campfires are not permitted
✗ Large sound systems are not allowed in the campsite and personal speakers must be no more than We reserve the right to ask visitors to adjust the volume of speakers in the campsite that are causing a nuisance to other members of the public.
Sustainability and an awareness of our impact on the local environment and community has been part of our ethos at Boardmasters since the very beginning. Working with industry-leading sustainability consultants, we are building on the existing work we’ve been doing and introducing new initiatives with the aim of continually making Boardmasters one of the most environmentally conscious and low-impact festivals in the market.
For an extensive look at our sustainability goals and find out how you can do your bit, click here.
Yep! But we do have some restrictions;
Alcohol is on sale at the event but you must be 18 or over to purchase. Bring ID, you will be asked each time you buy a drink. It is illegal to buy alcohol for another person who is under 18. Challenge 25 is in place at all bars. Accepted forms of ID are passport, driver’s license or anything with a PASS logo.
PREVENT – As with anywhere else in the UK, it is illegal to buy, sell or take drugs at Boardmasters. Together with Devon and Cornwall Police, we work with our security teams to prevent them from entering Boardmasters. All drugs are potentially dangerous; there are no harmless drugs. The only way to avoid risks is not to take drugs at all. This goes for new psychoactive substances (formerly known as ‘legal highs’) as well.
AMNESTY POINTS – We operate amnesty points at the festival entrance before our search areas. They are your chance to dispose of any illegal drugs or other prohibited items without getting in trouble. If you use them, we will not judge you and you will not be asked any questions.
SEARCHES – After the amnesty points you will be searched and if found in possession of drugs or other prohibited items you will be refused entry and may be arrested. Don’t ruin your festival before it gets started. Use our amnesty points – no questions asked.
PURSUE – Our security team and Devon and Cornwall Police will pursue anyone suspected of dealing or supplying illegal drugs. You will be ejected from the festival and arrested. Police patrol Boardmasters as well as sniffer dogs.
PROTECT – We acknowledge that despite the measures put in place with our security team and local police, drugs may get into the festival and could cause harm to our audience. Therefore we work with Devon and Cornwall Police, Cornwall Council, Safer Cornwall and our medical & welfare teams to protect festival goers.
Ahead of the festival we are encouraging all festival goers to read through the excellent advice shared by our friends at Festival Safe.
If you, or a friend have taken something and feel unwell, please know that we are here to help. Go to a welfare point or speak to a member of our security team. We will not judge you and you will not get into trouble.
During the event if you have lost anything please go to the Lost Property cabin whilst you are at the festival. Lost property in the campsites is located next to our Box Offices at Wristband Exchange and in the Arena it is located next to Main Stage.
If you think you may have left something on-site, please get in touch with our lost property team by email. From Mon 14 August 2023 onwards they will be sorting through all items found and making available for identification and delivery. You’ll need to email [email protected] with a description of your item and your full contact details. There will be a postal charge to receive your item.
Yes, we have multiple cash machines throughout the site. Although we cannot guarantee availability due to demand.
Please note some things like the shuttle buses will be completely cashless so please don’t rely solely on cash during your time at Boardmasters. Make sure you bring a credit or debit card.
The Boardmasters app is now available to download!
Download on the Google Play Store
Remember, turn on push-notifications to receive performance reminders, important event updates and more.