Surf events and surf festivals: Waking up in the morning to perfect breaking waves and surfing conditions, watching, participating, going surfing and going to sleep in the evening dreaming of your last surf session.
If you can never get enough of the surfing lifestyle, surf events, surf festivals and competitions are just the thing for you. Talking about the world of surfing with like-minded people, learning more about the sport or, of course, sharing the stoke in the water and surfing tons of waves – you can experience all this and much more at a surf festival. But it’s not just surfers who attend surfing events, those who are interested in the sport or simply want to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere are also welcome here. A great temptation for everyone: Surf & Turf! The dish originally comes from North America and consists of meat and seafood. A typical combination is a steak with lobster or prawns.
The exact program of a surf festival differs of course from event to event, but in general you can look forward to the following: Workshops, exhibitions (surf photography and film), surf stores, product tests, autograph sessions, music, good food, drinks, sun, beach & stoke galore. In addition to a surf fair, a surf event is often also understood to be a surf competition at which the best professional surfers compete against each other at national or international level. An event like this means pure thrills! Watching the surfers from the beach as they perform breathtaking tricks or hold themselves on the surfboard in a hollow-breaking “tube” is simply never boring. Plus good food, drinks, music and of course the surf vibe we all crave! Read on to find out more about the program of the best-known surf festivals in Germany, Europe and worldwide.
There is a colorful selection of events to explore all year round on the popular vacation island in the North Sea. They even include some world-famous surfing competitions:
At Brandenburger Strand in Westerland, the windsurfing pros compete against each other and show off their skills in the slalom and wave disciplines. The Multivan Windsurf Cup Sylt is the highest-ranking regatta in German windsurfing and the absolute highlight of the annual tour!
The famous Kitesurf World Cup on Sylt follows just under a month later, where international kitesurfing experts compete against each other with breathtaking tricks off the shores of Westerland in a mix of wave and strapless freestyle disciplines. There is also a huge selection of culinary delights and surf workshops to discover. Manufacturers of well-known kite brands will also be on site, allowing visitors to test their products.
10 days of spectacular windsurfing, culinary delights and exciting parties along Westerland’s promenade! Over 210,000 visitors from all over the world marvel at the professional surfers who compete against each other in the wave, freestyle and foil categories. With over 35 years of history, the competition provides plenty of entertainment on the shore and in the water.
The About You Pangea Festival takes place in Pütnitz by the sea and offers visitors a diverse combination of music, culture and sport. In addition to numerous concerts and courses, there are also workshops and contests in the surfing area: German Freestyle Battle in windsurfing, SUP Race, European Skimboarding Cup, Wingsurfing by Supreme and Windsurfing by Supreme are just a few of the various offers – there’s definitely no chance of getting bored here!
The Fehmarn Surf Festival proudly bears the title of Europe’s largest outdoor windsurfing trade fair. Surf action awaits you from morning to night. There are exciting competitions in windsurfing or SUP and festival visitors can also try their hand at it themselves. Of course, there is also plenty of entertainment: Live music and DJs for beach parties ensure unforgettable summer nights!
See also our blog“Fehmarn Surf-Festival 2023 – Review” about the participation of the Stoked Zone at the Fehmarn Surf Festival.
The SUP & Wingfoil Festival is Germany’s largest SUP festival and has a lot to offer: SUP, wingfoiling, German SUP Championships, wingfoil contest, beach party, SUP taster courses, beach camp, Yoga, ….
The Ocean Film Tour visits various cities in Germany and Europe every year. It is a film event with many contributions for ocean lovers, surfers, and water sports enthusiasts. Start May 29, 2024.
A competition for a relatively new surfing sport called MotoSurf or Jet Surfing takes place in the state capital. The surfboards are powered by an electric motor, which has been gaining in popularity worldwide since 2012. July 12-14, 2024.
From 20.01. – 28.01.2024, the hearts of all surfers will beat faster at the “boot Düsseldorf”. This huge trade fair is all about water, including surfing. Hall 17 is where the surfing scene meets: wingsurfing, wingfoiling, windsurfing, stand-up paddling (SUP), wakeboarding, wakesurfing or skimboarding – there is something for every type of surfer to discover here. In various pools, you can try out different sports and learn more about them. There are also impressive shows and contests with professionals and, of course, endless shopping opportunities.
This year there is an unusual documentary that shows three European surfers and their fight against social and political hurdles. The tour runs from March 4 to April 15. Tour kick-off with film crew in Cologne at Cinenova.
No sea? No problem – the main thing is water! The EFPT Surf Opening Austria takes place in Neusiedl am See in Austria every spring. EFPT stands for European Freestyle Pro Tour, where the world’s best freestylers compete against each other in windsurfing. The date for 2024 has not yet been announced, but the event is known to ring in the summer.
A “Swiss Champion” will be crowned at the end of this surfing competition at a total of 4 stops with two disciplines. Competitors either surf an artificial wave or a river wave or show off their talent in a wave pool. The competition takes place in various cities in Switzerland. The kick-off will take place from May 24-25 at the Oana in Ebikon.
This two-day surf festival in Sion features surfing from sunrise to sunset. There are longboard and shortboard sessions, yoga and Pilates lessons and even night surfing with neon lights under the surfboard. The date for 2024 is not yet known.
The Wheels & Wave Festival is not only held along the French coast, but also extends as far as Spain. As the name suggests, you travel from one place to the next, surf as many waves as possible and enjoy the motorcycle culture and great music. June 12-16, 2024
The Rip Curl Pro competition in Peniche is also part of the World Surf League World Championships. The world-famous Supertubos are surfed by professionals such as Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, Filipe Toledo, Carissa Moore and Griffin Colapinto. An exciting event with an incredible atmosphere that you should definitely see! March 16, 2024.
There is less surfing at the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Tuscany, in favor of surf music. Immerse yourself in surf culture for four days and enjoy various concerts, seminars and attractions. June 20 – 23, 2024.
The GWA Wingfoil World Cup also takes place in Tarifa, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, with a focus on freestyle and slalom. The world’s best athletes in the increasingly popular sport of surfing compete against each other. The Cup starts in Tarifa, from May 1-4.
The Blue Surf Festival is a community of several countries in Europe that are committed to accessible surfing, sustainability and inclusion. In autumn 2024, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain will organize festivals with sporting and cultural highlights as well as educational seminars.
When you think of international surfing, the World Surf League immediately comes to mind. If you have the chance to attend one of the events, you should definitely take it – it’s simply an incomparable experience! From January to September, the world’s best surfers compete against each other all over the world. 2024 is already the 47th season with the following contests & surf breaks:
– Billabong Pro Pipeline – Banzai Pipeline, Hawaii
– Hurley Pro Sunset Beach – Sunset Beach, Hawaii
– MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal – Peniche, Portugal
– Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach – Bells Beach, Australia
– Western Australia Margaret River Pro – Margaret River, Australia
– Surf Ranch Pro – Lemoore, US
– Surf City El Salvador Pro – Punta Roca, El Salvador
– VIVO Rio Pro – Saquarema, Brazil
– Corona Open J-Bay – Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
– SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro – Teahupoʻo, French Polynesia
– Rip Curl WSL Finals – Lower Trestles, San Clemente, US
Due to increasing popularity, we recommend buying tickets online in advance. On the one hand, you can be sure of being able to take part in the event and on the other hand, the tickets are usually cheaper than on site.
Within Germany, you can travel by train, which is more environmentally friendly and saves you the trouble of looking for a parking space. Within Europe, you can travel either by train or by car. Find out about the parking situation and costs beforehand. International events can of course only be visited by plane.
Most surfing events take place outdoors, which is why you must remember to wear adequate sun protection. Reef-Safe sunscreen without harmful chemicals for you and the environment as well as sun hats or caps protect you from sunburn. We also recommend that you check with the respective organizer beforehand whether you are allowed to bring your own food and drinks!
During an event, you naturally want to create memories with photos and videos! If you want to post these reminders on social media, you should read up on the legal situation beforehand. At major competitions such as the WSL, for example, it is forbidden to post your own surfing photos of the pros. Well-known brands in the photos could also lead to fines. But you shouldn’t have any problems at smaller events or movie premieres!
The Stoked Zone will regularly update this blog and add surf events and surf festivals. We will be adding the events for the Netherlands and Denmark shortly!
Feel free to write to info@stokedzone.surf if you know of a great event or festival that we should add here.
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Hamburg, 13.09.2024 – After two successful participations at surf festivals in the north of Germany (Fehmarn), we will not be neglecting the
Hamburg, 13.09.2024 – After two successful participations at surf festivals in the north of Germany (Fehmarn), we will not be neglecting the
Hamburg, 12.09.2024 – It is with great pleasure that we announce our partnership with Strizy BOARDS. Strizy stands for Pump Foiling “Made
