Boardmasters 2026 runs from 5 to 9 August at Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach in Newquay, with more than 50,000 people expected this month. For anyone planning to go, the split-site layout matters now: one side is free to the public, the other is limited to ticket holders.
The festival combines music, surfing, skating and wellness activities, and the schedule is already set across the main run. That gives attendees a narrow planning window, especially if they need to work out whether they can move between the two sites or stay with the transport plan that matches their ticket.
Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach
Boardmasters will take place at Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach in Newquay, and that split creates the first practical decision for visitors. Events at Fistral are free for the public to attend, while events at Watergate Bay are restricted to Boardmasters ticket holders. For anyone arriving on the day, that means the site name on the sign matters as much as the artist name on the poster.
The arena opens from 17:00 to 02:00 on Wednesday and from 15:00 to 02:00 on Thursday. From Friday to Sunday, it runs from 11:00 to 02:00 BST, so late arrivals still have a long operating window if they are planning around transport and entry queues.
Friday 7 August lineup
Fatboy Slim, The Kooks, James Arthur, Rose Gray, Take A Chance On Us and Dizzee Rascal will perform on Friday 7 August. That is the first full music day in the run and the clearest marker for day-trip planning, because the schedule stacks well-known names into one long evening block.
Saturday 8 August brings Lily Allen, Nia Archives, REN, Alessi Rose, Kerr Mercer, Cornwall Rock Choir and Example. Sunday 9 August follows with Kasabian, Loyle Carner, Joy Crookes, Brooke Combe, Asha Banks and Tinie Tempah, which closes the live bill before the festival starts to wind down.
Big Green Coach and rail links
Big Green Coach is this year's Boardmasters travel partner, with coach tickets directly to the site available from £20. Trains will be running to Newquay via Great Western Railway, and a Festival Shuttle will be available from the station. Taxis will drop off at the Blue Gate, next to the Shuttle Bus Station, so the entry point is built around a single transfer area rather than scattered arrival points.
The Festival Shuttle wristband is available from £15, and the shuttle runs continuously on a loop between Watergate Bay, Newquay Train Station and Manor Road Bus Stop. Manor Road Bus Stop is a 20 minute walk to Fistral Beach, which gives public-site visitors a walking option if they are not using the loop.
Wednesday through Monday
The buses run Wednesday to Thursday from 07:00 to 22:00, then Friday to Sunday from 07:00 to 03:00, before dropping back to Monday from 07:00 to 14:00. Drivers can follow signs for AA and Boardmasters to the festival before following signs for Green Gate, and pick-up and drop-off is also signed from Green Gate.
Parking is available from £50, which makes the cheapest route a transport question rather than an artist question for many visitors. The cleanest plan is simple: check which site your ticket covers, choose the matching arrival route, and build your day around the hours that apply to the part of Boardmasters 2026 you can actually enter.
