Boardmasters 2026 returns to the Cornish coast from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August 2026, with Fatboy Slim, Kasabian and Lily Allen topping a five-day bill split across two sites — the clifftop music arena at Watergate Bay and the surf competition down at Fistral Beach. It’s the only major UK festival where you can watch a world-class surf heat in the morning and a headline set that night. Here’s everything you need: the lineup, what’s ticketed and what’s free, how to get to Newquay, and where to leave your bags.
Boardmasters 2026 Dates and Location
| Dates | Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 August 2026 |
| Music site | Watergate Bay, Newquay (12 stages, ticketed) |
| Surf & skate site | Fistral Beach, Newquay (free to attend) |
| Headliners | Fatboy Slim, Kasabian, Lily Allen |
| Nearest station | Newquay (branch line from Par) |
Boardmasters 2026 Lineup
Fatboy Slim tops the bill on the opening night, Kasabian bring the indie anthems, and Lily Allen takes the Saturday headline slot performing her West End Girl album.
Across the twelve stages you’ll also find The Kooks, Pendulum (Live), The Darkness, Nia Archives, Brooke Combe, Lambrini Girls, Sasha Keable, Girls Don’t Sync, Jacob Alon, Cliffords and — in a nicely Cornish touch — the Cornwall Rock Choir. Day splits and stage times are published closer to the festival on the official site.
What’s Ticketed and What’s Free
This trips up a lot of first-timers. Boardmasters is really two events, and only one of them needs a ticket:
- Watergate Bay (ticketed) — the music arena with all twelve stages and the headline sets. Needs a day ticket or weekend ticket, with or without camping.
- Fistral Beach (free) — the surf competition, skate ramp, Boardmasters Talks, art installations and the whole Surf Village are free to attend, no ticket required.
If you’re in Cornwall that week without a festival ticket, Fistral is still very much worth your time. Buy music tickets only through the official Boardmasters site — resale scams spike in the final fortnight.
Getting to Boardmasters
By train: Newquay has its own station on a branch line from Par, which connects to the main Great Western line from London Paddington, Bristol and Exeter. Expect around 5–6 hours from London and book well ahead — services are limited and festival week fills them.
By air: Newquay Cornwall Airport is about 15 minutes from town, with summer connections from Manchester, Edinburgh, London and Dublin.
By car: the A30 is the main artery into Cornwall and it gets genuinely congested on the Wednesday and Sunday of festival week. Travel early or late, and pre-book parking.
Between the two sites: Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach are a few miles apart, linked by shuttle buses and local services. Don’t plan on walking between them with anything heavy.
Luggage Storage in Newquay for Boardmasters
Arriving on the Wednesday before campsite check-in opens, or staying in Newquay on the Sunday after you strike camp? Neither the Watergate Bay arena nor Fistral has somewhere to leave a suitcase, and dragging one across sand is nobody’s idea of a good start.
Radical Storage has verified partners in Newquay from £5 per bag per day, with no size limits and a guarantee on every bag — including a point near Newquay train station for anyone arriving by rail, and another close to the Aquarium in the town centre. Drop your case, take just your festival pack to the campsite, and collect it on your way home.
What to Pack for a Cornish Festival
- Layers, and a proper waterproof. Watergate Bay sits on an exposed clifftop — it can be blazing at 3pm and genuinely cold by midnight.
- Sun cream. Sea breeze masks how much sun you’re getting; burns are the most common first-aid complaint at coastal festivals.
- Swimwear and a towel. You’re at one of Britain’s best surf beaches. Use it.
- A refillable water bottle — free refill points are on site.
- Cash isn’t needed — the site is cashless, so bring a charged phone and a power bank.
Frequently Asked Questions
Boardmasters 2026 runs from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August 2026 in Newquay, Cornwall, across the Watergate Bay music site and Fistral Beach.
Fatboy Slim headlines the opening night, with Kasabian and Lily Allen also topping the bill. The Kooks, Pendulum, The Darkness and Nia Archives are among the wider lineup.
Partly. The Fistral Beach side, including the surf competition, skate ramp, talks and Surf Village, is free to attend. The Watergate Bay music arena with its twelve stages requires a day or weekend ticket.
Newquay has a train station on the branch line from Par, connecting to services from London Paddington, Bristol and Exeter. Newquay Cornwall Airport is around 15 minutes from town. Shuttle buses link the town, Fistral Beach and the Watergate Bay site.
The festival sites have no luggage storage. Radical Storage has partners in Newquay from £5 per bag per day, including one near Newquay train station and one in the town centre, each covered by a guarantee.
