Boardmasters is back from Wednesday 11 – Sunday 15 August 2021 and it’s set to be the best yet with an epic line up including headliners Foals, Gorillaz and Jorja Smith, plus over 200 more world-class artists set to take to the stage up at Watergate Bay, which this year sees the opening of a brand-new Dockyard Arena. At Fistral Beach, there’ll be five days of adrenaline-packed, high-octane surfing, with the Boardmasters OPEN surf competitions taking place – this site is open to all. Head down to check out the surf and soak up the UK’s best sunset spot.

Having sold out back in March, Boardmasters has just released a very limited number of resale tickets - giving fans one more chance to be part of five unmissable days on the Cornish coast. Check out the Boardmasters website for more information at www.boardmasters.com.

• Boardmasters will be one of the first UK festivals to return. Organisers have been working in close collaboration with Public Health England, Cornwall Council and various local authorities for the past few months and today releases Covid-19 guidelines for fans heading to the festival next month.

• Ticket holders aged 11+ will need to use the NHS COVID Pass to provide their Covid-19 status upon arrival at the festival gates, before gaining access to the show:

  • Proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test taken within 24 hours of arrival at the festival gates

  • Proof of being vaccinated with both doses (with the second dose being received at least 14 days before the festival)

o    Proof of natural immunity following a positive PCR test taken within 180 days of the event (including 10 days self-isolation follow the result)

• Camping ticket holders will also be required to take a second Lateral Flow Test during the event on Friday 13th August and log their results in the NHS COVID Pass. Camping ticket holders must bring a Lateral Flow Test with them to take at the festival

• Face masks are not compulsory, but they are encouraged and welcomed for those who would prefer to wear them

Further details and guidance can be found at www.boardmasters.com 

The return of Boardmasters follows a tough two years for the festival and everyone involved in making the magic happen. Next month, Boardmasters makes its comeback to its home on the Cornish coast, where it brings in £42 million to the local economy every year. Boardmasters is so excited to welcome back attendees (the awesome Boardmasters family), as well as continuing its long-standing charitable work with the Boardmasters Foundation which has seen a further £53,000 donated to local charities in previous years.

Boardmasters continues its mission to be as sustainable as possible and for the first time, this year there will be a ban on single-use plastic at the festival. There will be reusable cups available across all bars, all soft drinks will be sold in cans and all food service ware will be made from compostable material. Another new addition for 2021 is Boardmasters onsite recycling centre. This will separate all waste at source, boost recycling rates and save 22 HGV journeys to and from site. Plus, 2021 marks the first year of Boardmasters 3-year plan to become a carbon-neutral festival, with new systems in place to track fuel and power usage. 

Rachel Wigglesworth, Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “We are asking all people heading to the festival to come and have a great time – but also to act responsibly and respectfully. Please take Lateral Flow Tests before you arrive and while you’re here, and make sure you get vaccinated if you can. And if you feel unwell, please let the medical teams know straight away.”

Festivalgoers can expect further information soon via the Boardmasters website, as well as on Festival Safe which has expert advice about getting back into festivals, and how attendees can take steps to have an epic, unforgettable five days. We can’t wait to see you all at the beach!

Boardmasters takes place from 11 - 15 August 2021 in Newquay, Cornwall. For more information, visit www.boardmasters.com

About Boardmasters

Inspired by the freedom, adventure and creativity of surfing and music, Boardmasters was born in 1981. Expect parties that run late into the night and a beautiful beach to recuperate on during the day. The 5-day event is situated across two stunning locations in Cornwall - the surfing mecca of the UK, Fistral Beach, where world class International Surf Competitions take place, and arguably the most stunning location in the country to watch live music, Watergate Bay.

About Boardmasters Covid-19 Measures

Organisers have been working in close collaboration with Public Health England, Cornwall Council and various local authorities.

Testing is a non-negotiable requirement for entry. Those aged 11+ will need to use the NHS COVID Pass  to provide their Covid-19 status upon arrival at the festival gates, before gaining access to the show:

• Proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test taken within 24 hours of arrival at the festival gates

• Proof of being vaccinated with both doses (with the second dose being received at least 14 days before the festival)

• Proof of natural immunity following a positive PCR test (providing it has been at least 10 days since your PCR test)

Camping ticket holders will also be required to take a second Lateral Flow Test during the event on Friday 13th August and log their results in the NHS COVID Pass. Camping ticket holders must bring a Lateral Flow Test with them to take at the festival.

Face masks are not compulsory, but they are encouraged and welcomed for those who would prefer to wear them. 

Additional measures have been taken to boost the festival’s on-site medical provision to limit the impact on local facilities.

Boardmasters has put in place enhanced cleaning and hygiene as well as queue management and appropriate spacing where possible.

These measures provide Boardmasters with a robust health and safety framework, to reduce risk and ensure health and safety is an absolute priority.

About Boardmasters Sustainability Measures 

Boardmasters continue to drive forward its sustainability efforts. 

Single use plastic is completely banned from the festival this year with reusable cups available across all bars, all soft drinks sold in cans and all food service ware made from compostable material. 

Boardmasters has doubled down on its recycling efforts, investing in an onsite recycling centre that will separate all waste at source, boost recycling rates and save 22 HGV journeys to and from site. 

2021 also marks the first year of our 3-year plan to become a carbon neutral festival. In this first year we are investing in a Smart Power Plan that will give accurate monitoring data on our fuel usage, as well as powering more of the show from renewable energy sources.