Surf events and surf festivals: Waking up in the morning to perfectly breaking waves and surfing conditions, watching, taking part, going surfing and going to sleep in the evening dreaming of your last surf session.
Topics
1. Surf events and lifestyle
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.
2. What can you expect at a surf event?
The detailed 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 events in Germany, Europe and worldwide.
3. Surf events in major German cities
DĂ¼sseldorf
From 17.01. – 25.01.2026 the hearts of all surfers will beat faster at “boot DĂ¼sseldorf”. 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. You can try out different types of surf sports in various pools. There are also impressive shows and contests with professionals and, of course, endless shopping opportunities.
Surf Film Night Tour 2025
Surf Film Night Open Air: From 11.02.2025 you can look forward to the European Premiere Tour of the surf and travel documentary “The Road to Patagonia” in the open air! The film is about a 50,000 km long surf odyssey and will also be shown on March 26 2025 in Berlin and on March 28 2025 in Hamburg!
4. Surfing in the north - Events & festivals at the German coast
Sylt
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:
California Windsurf Cup July 17 – 20, 2025
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!
Kitesurf World Cup Sylt August 26 – 31, 2025
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.
Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt September 22 – October 01, 2025
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.
About you Pangea Festival August 07 – 10, 2025
The About You Pangea Festival takes place in PĂ¼tnitz 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!
Fehmarn Surf Festival June 29 – 01, 2025
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 2024 – Review” about the participation of the Stoked Zone at the Fehmarn Surf Festival.
SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn August 01 – 03, 2025
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, ….
International Ocean Film Tour 2025
The Ocean Film Tour visits various cities in Germany and Europe every year. It’s a movie event with lots of content for sea lovers, surfers and water sports enthusiasts. Start February 24, 2025.
5. Surf event in Austria
No ocean? No problem – the main thing is water! In Austria, the Surf Opening takes place every spring and is known for heralding the start of summer. The event stands for 15 sports at over 40 locations with free entry throughout Austria. From April 30 to May 04, 2025.
6. Switzerland - Surfing in the mountains
Edelweiss Surf Tour
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 on May 10 at the Oana in Ebikon.
Longest Surfdays
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. March 28, 2025.
7. Well-known surf events in Europe
France
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 11 – 15, 2025.
Portugal
The Rip Curl Pro competition in Peniche is also part of the World Surf League World Championship. 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 15 – 25, 2025.
The Santa Cruz Ocean Spirit Festival is an international festival for wave sports and music that has been held annually since 2007 in Santa Cruz, Torres Vedras, Portugal. The festival includes various sports such as surfing, bodyboarding, kitesurfing, kayaksurfing, waveskiing, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. In addition to the sports competitions, the festival also offers a variety of activities on the beach, including commercial areas for surf schools, stores, catering and sponsor stands. July 18-27, 2025.
Italy
There is less surfing at the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Tuscany, but the focus is on surf music. Immerse yourself in surf culture for four days and enjoy various concerts, seminars and attractions. June 19 – 22, 2025.
Spain
The GWA Wingfoil World Cup also takes place in Tarifa, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, where the focus is on freestyle and slalom. The world’s best athletes in the increasingly popular sport of surfing compete against each other. The Cup starts in Sal, Cape Verde, from March 13 – 21, 2025.
Bilbao Surf Film Festival is an entertaining and educational event that focuses on topics related to surfing, presenting the best international surf films and promoting the cinematic universe of surfing.
The festival offers a multidisciplinary program that includes film screenings, photo contests, skateboard contests, exhibitions, live music, lectures and discussions. It takes place at various venues, including the Muxikebarri in Getxo and the Itsas Museum in Bilbao. March 2025.
United Kingdom
The Boardmasters Festival is an eclectic surf and music festival focusing on indie, rock, pop, hip hop and electronic music. It takes place annually at two locations in Newquay, Cornwall and attracts thousands of visitors. The festival is known for its stunning setting and offers visitors not only musical entertainment, but also a variety of activities and performances. August 06 – 10, 2025.
8. Discover the international world of surfing
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. 2025 is already the 48th 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 – TeahupoÊ»o, French Polynesia
– Rip Curl WSL Finals – Lower Trestles, San Clemente, US
9. Tips for visiting a surfing event
1. Tickets
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.
2. Arrival & parking
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.
3. Packing list
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!
4. Legal matters
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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