World’s first ever fringe surfing festival is coming to Braunton this summer

Weird and whacky ways of riding waves will take front and centre at the world’s first ever fringe surfing festival in Braunton this June.

If you’ve never tried to surf on a breadboard, old-fashioned wooden bellyboard or other alternative surfing craft, Fringe Fest from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14 is definitely for you!

The festival, which is jointly organised by the North Devon Slide Community and the Museum of British Surfing, aims to unite people who take to the sea on wooden bellyboards, surf mats, paipos, handplanes or other unusual surfing implements.

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It is also a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in fringe surfing or just surfing in general, to go and find out more.

Above and below: Believe it or not, people do surf with breadboards and they have a cult following! 

Across the weekend will be a series of events, fairs and entertainment - both ticketed and open to all - for people to join fellow fringe riders and learn more, chat, meet new people and of course catch some waves.

Fringe Fest ’26 kicks off with a ticketed Meet the Makers event on Friday evening at Braunton Parish Hall, which will see a panel of different fringe surfing craft makers talk about what they make and how they make it.

Above: Jez Weston of North Devon-based Pierpoint Bellyboards making a traditional wooden bellyboard. Credit: Jez Weston

Each will be interviewed and the audience will get chance to ask questions as well.

Saturday morning will see an open-to-all Fringe Fair held at the Museum of British Surfing in Caen Street car park.

This will feature a wide range of stalls from fringe surfing and other related businesses or individuals. The stalls will be both inside and outside the museum, with refreshments available.

Above: Fringe Festival will feature an array of alternative surfing craft, such as hand planes. Credit: One Blue Eye 

Kick back and celebrate on Saturday evening with a ticketed party in Braunton Parish Hall. There will be plenty of tunes from the 70s, 80s and 90s by DJ Doughboy, plus a bar.

Sunday morning begins with a beach clean at Saunton Sands, organised by Surfers Against Sewage, followed by a ‘mass slide’, where everyone is encouraged to share some waves together.

The whole weekend will raise money for the Museum of British Surfing, whose volunteers work to preserve Britain’s surfing heritage and history. Profits from ticket sales, the raffle and other activities will be donated to the museum.

Mark Adams, museum trustee, said: “Surfing was never just ‘Stand Up’. The Museum of British Surfing is stoked working with the sliding community staging the Festival of Fringe Surfing.

“Not only is it a weekend of amazing fun, but the proceeds will help the museum preserve the history of these earliest ways of riding the waves.”

Above: Surfing on a traditional wooden bellyboard. Credit: Jez Weston

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The Friday and Saturday evening events are ticketed - weekend tickets are available to buy online from the museum at a price of £25 – go to https://buytickets.at/museumofbritishsurfing/2110380

Organisers are encouraging people to stay in local accommodation for the three-day, with Lobb Fields being designated as the campsite of choice.

For more information visit the North Devon Slide Community Instagram page or the Museum of British Surfing Instagram or Facebook pages.