27, 28 June & 2 July 

Bay Of Plenty Beach, Durban

Introducing DBN X FST, a core skate and surf lifestyle festival established in the birthplace of South African surfing; the Durban beachfront. Presented with the support of eThekwini Municipality, this event helps mark 50 years of surfing for Durban. DBN X FST is a collaborative effort with local brands to showcase the power of the Durban surf, skate and related industries, with events on the 27, 28 June and 2 July at the Bay of Plenty.

The festival will play host to a range of events including: Kimberley Diamond Cup Qualifiers, Vans Skateboarding for Hope, Roxy Yoga and Learn to Surf, DBN X TAG event, O’Neill and G-Force Jordy Smith Grom Invitational, Volcom Airstrike, Channel Island surfboard demos, Surf Afrika comp, Gunslinger long-board skate clinic, Fox BMX Jam, I HEART Market, music entertainment, films and more.

Partner brands include: Quiksilver, Roxy, DC, Skullcandy, Rip Curl, Holmes Brothers, Gunslinger, Vans, Fox, Volcom, O’Neill and Red Bull.

SURFING

Surfing takes centre stage at the historic Bay of Plenty beach as DBN X FST hosts a number of epic surfing events.

Saturday 27 June:

O’Neill and Gee Star Surfboards are proud to announce the Jordy Smith Super Grom Invitational event. World Surf League competitor Jordy Smith will be inviting 28 of KZN’s best up and coming surfers from 6 – 14 years of age, to compete for a once in a lifetime prize, including an air ticket to watch the J-Bay Open, O’Neill wetsuit and clothing package, as well as a G-Star Surfboard! The winner will also get a VIP Surfers Guest Pass to the J-Bay Open and will be able to rub shoulders with the best surfers in the world at Super Tubes, J-Bay, while he supports Jordy in the event. The 28 surfers have been announced and the event will take place at The Bay of Plenty on the 27 June from7:30am – 12pm as part of the DBN X FST. Jordy will be on the beach to judge the final and spend time with the surfers.

The DBN X TAG surfing event will see teams of 4, made up of professional and development surfers, who go head to head in an “old skool” tag team surf competition format. The winning team will walk away with R10 000 in prize money.

The Volcom Airstrike will invite top aerial surfers to take to the air for a chance to win R5000 in prize money.

The Quiksilver Whipped Session will see some of South Africa’s best and most innovative surfers teaming up with the Red Bull jet-ski team where man and machine meet for an explosion of aerial maneuvers and high impact surfing. Surfers will be whipped in to waves at pace by Red Bull jet-skis to see who can who can boost the highest and shred the hardest.

Sunday 28 June:

The Holmes Brothers present the Modern Retro Surf Jam where style points are everything. Surfers are invited to bring along their fish/twin-fin/single-fin/log/ bonzers/inverted rail boards and stand a chance to win a year’s supply of Holmes Brothers gear. To enter email holmesbros3@telkomsa.net

Roxy Learn 2 Surf will be holding free surf lessons for ladies on Sunday the 28th June from 9am-1pm.

Thursday 2 July:

Surf Afrika is a development surf competition that will be run by the Surfers Not Street Children organisation. This event will give up-and-coming surfers from disadvantaged backgrounds a chance to showcase their talents for all to see.

SKATEBOARDING

The main attraction in the skateboarding segment of DBN X FST is the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) grand slam qualifying rounds. On Saturday 27 June the stage will be set for a showdown of Durban’s best skateboarders to see who will take a share of R50 000 prize money for this event, and also to determine which skaters will go on to compete in the main KDC event later in the year with a chance to win a staggering US$100 000 in prize money.

Sunday 28 June will see Skateboarding for Hope presented by Vans where top local skaters will hold demos, teach skateboarding and hand out skateboards to disadvantaged youth.

Gunslinger will host long-board skate clinics daily from 10:00am – 11:00am, allowing the public a chance to get a taste of the adrenalin-fuelled action. Beachgoers are invited to test ride new boards and get tips on how to better one’s skate skills.

BMX

The Durban Beach skate park will be alive with action on Sunday the 28th June for the Fox BMX Jam brought to you by BMX Direct. SA’s best BMX athletes will be competing in a “Jam style” format from 11am to 3pm to see who can throw down the biggest, most technical and stylish tricks on their BMX bikes. The winner walks away with R2000. Freestyle BMX riding is more of an art form than a sport and the rider who creatively makes the best use of the park, whilst performing innovative tricks that are flawlessly linked together with style and finesse will be deemed the winner on the day.

YOGA

Roxy presents a free yoga session from 8am – 9am on Saturday 27th. All are welcome; interested members of the public should bring a towel or a yoga mat.

I HEART MARKET

The ever-exciting I HEART Market will be serving up some tasty treats and awesome crafts on the lawns on Saturday from 9am – 2pm.

FILM

Each day from 18:00 – 20:00 will feature a selection of local and international adventure and surf films. Films include: Now Now featuring Jordy Smith, Sampler from Dane Reynolds, On Any Sunday courtesy of Skullcandy, A selection of short surf films from local videographer Mathew Gardner, a Faces of Africadoccie about Ntando Msibi directed by Michael Cross, a preview of the film Uncharted featuring Twiggy Baker and the short film Lost4Word by Benji Brand.

MUSIC

Saturday will be capped off with local young-gun groove rock band Black Math at 8pm, followed by JHB surf-rock band The Moths at 9pm to drive it all home.

Sunday’s sounds will be made by local soul-rock group Nje from 4pm and followed by the natural grooves of the Hinds Brothers at 5pm to cool it all off.

For more information check out www.facebook.com/dbnxfst  or www.dbnxfst.co.za or mail letsbelocal@gmail.com

DBN x FST is organised by letsbelocal with the support of Ethekwini Municipality, Durban Tourism and in partnership with Ethekwini Surfriders Association, Surfers Not Street Children, Rip Curl, O’Neill, Quiksilver, Skullcandy, Holmes Brothers, Red Bull, Gunslinger, Roxy, Vans, Fox, Volcom and el Jimador.