Groundswell Festival

WA’s biggest free youth surf, skate and street event, the Drug Aware Groundswell Festival, is returning to Scarborough for its 8th instalment!

The epic festival will stretch across three massive days – October 1, 2 & 3.

Scarborough Beach and surrounds will see an action-packed weekend full of surf, skate and 3×3 basketball comps, BMX bowl comps and stunt demos, DJs and live music, street art, food trucks, markets, and loads of free workshops and activities. If that’s not enough – the sand will be packed with beach volleyball, beach soccer and even a free dodgeball arena thanks to The Lookout Scarborough. The latest and greatest additions to the festival are Groundswell LIVE; a live music showcase from some of WA’s best up and coming musicians thanks to Propel Youth Arts and West Australian Music (WAM), and Tipi Village; a wellness and sustainability hub championed by local saltwater heroes, Cold Nips, who bring with them an entire program loaded with free ice baths, workshops, talks, yoga classes, men’s circles, beach dips and everything in between to encourage a healthy lifestyle, mind, body and earth.

SURFING

Surf Boardroom’s Surf League
WA board riders clubs will converge on Scarborough Beach to compete for over $5,000 in cash and prizes thanks to Surf Boardroom and Rip Curl. The Surf Boardroom’s Surf League embodies what Australian sport is all about; mateship, team spirit, loyalty and unbelievable camaraderie.

Surf League’s unique competition format will see clubs nominate their six strongest surfers (4 x open age surfers, 1 x Over-35 master, and 1 x Under-18 junior), with each surfer’s best two scores added together for an overall team total. Surf Boardroom’s Surf League will take place on either Saturday 2 or Sunday 3 October, conditions depending.

Groundswell Amateur Surf Comp
Continuing the long running partnership with Surfing WA, the Groundswell Surf Comp is a celebration of local community talent and spirit for the sport in a friendly Mate vs. Mate format. From first comp to seasoned pro, all ages and skill-levels are welcome to join their division and
ride the Scarborough waves for the chance at winning lots of epic prizes thanks to Cordingley’s Surf.

The one day comp will take place on either Saturday 2 or Sunday 3 October, conditions depending.

SKATEBOARDING

Watch WA’s best bowl riders of all ages and skill levels shred up the Scarborough Skate Bowl Sunday 3 October, battling it out to be the 2021 Wheelbite champions. Officially sanctioned by the Australian Skateboarding Federation, winners of Wheelbite 2021 will be taking home big prize money and a stash of goodies thanks to DC Shoes plus the glory of dominating what is undoubtedly one of Perth’s best skate parks.

This comp is open to categories 12 & Under Boys, 12 & Under Girls, 16 & Under, Masters 40+, Open Women’s 13+ and Open Men’s 17+.

3×3 BASKETBALL

To kick-start the 2021/22 summer season, Basketball WA is bringing back 3×3 to the iconic Scarborough Beach Foreshore. This is straight up 3×3 Streetball and is open to both male and female juniors and winners will score themselves swag prizes, trophies and (most importantly) bragging rights! Comps will take place across Friday 1 & Saturday 2 October, with pumping DJ beats to keep adrenaline levels high thanks.

Plus, keep your eyes peeled for the Pentanet tent to grab a slew of prizes and giveaways!

ZAMBRERO BMX BOWL BATTLE

The Drug Aware Groundswell Festival is partnering with Freestyle Now to bring some epic action with the highly anticipated Zambrero BMX Bowl Battle! WA’s best BMX riders will show off their skills and compete for some epic prize money and all the glory. The stakes are high as the competition is open for Pro, Open, Intermediate or Beginner level riders – all epic spectator events. Kicking off Saturday 2 October, you’ll want to be there nice and early to snag a spot, we guarantee this one will have hearts pumping.

FREESTYLE NOW BMX STUNT DEMOS

The Freestyle Now BMX Stunt Show will bring you all the nail-biting, tail-whipping and bar-spinning adrenaline you need and expect at Groundswell Fest 2021! Watch as some of WA’s finest stunt performers attempt daredevil tricks with manoeuvres that defy the laws of gravity. Come along Sunday 3 October ready to clap, cheer and enjoy this crowd-pleaser, all-ages event.

GROUNDSWELL LIVE

A mini festival inside the festival, this is an all-killer-no-filler line-up of indie rock, surf pop, RnB disco grooves on the epic beachside Scarborough Amphitheatre stage, from 3pm-7pm Saturday 2 October. Headlined by the supa-fun, four time WAM Award nominees Supathick with their signature disco funk inspired set, this line-up is hot, hot, HOT. Joining Supathick are power players Ursula combining guitars, haunting vocal melodies and an old school garage aesthetic – the result is an exotic take on classic 90’s shoegaze, garage and slacker rock. Three piece
surf/psych garage band Hot Sand are bringing the sunshine and fuzz, and the electric Jewel Owusu brings her euphonic sounds that will have you dancing and in your feels all at the same time.

TIPI VILLAGE

In 2021, Cold Nips take over Tipi Village, bringing with them a slew of amazing free activities to promote self love, empowerment, wholesome living and sustainability. Ranging from ice baths, breath work, pottery workshops, early morning ocean dips, coastal cleanups and more – expect 3 days of total rejuvenation! The Tipi Village is THE home for wellness, mental and physical health, pollution prevention and all-round good vibes at Groundswell Festival.

THE 78 HUB

When you’re not catching all the epic action on the water, on the sand, in the bowl or under the tipi’s, the 78 Hub will be abuzz each day with free activities, games, pop-up market stalls, photo booths, live street art and Perth’s best food trucks to keep you going all weekend.

VOLLEYBALL WA BEACH VOLLEYBALL PRE-SEASON SHOWCASE

Get comfy in the amphitheatre to watch as competitors enjoy friendly games to get back into the swing of the spike, practice their skills and maybe even take home a prize at the end of the day. The Groundswell team have you sorted with a Try Net set-up so you can have a go yourself, make sure to pop over and check it out Saturday 2 October.

KICK IT. BEACH

Come Kick It. with your crew with a game of beach football Sunday 3 October, supported by Football West Beach Football. Suitable for all ages and abilities, come down to the sand to Kick It. for as long as you’d like – no need to register, just pop on over and join the fun! Once you’ve worked up a sweat, race on over to the water and cool off with a dip.

DODGY BROS DODGEBALL COMP

Thanks to local legends The Lookout, comes the most epic beach dodgeball battle, Friday 1 and Sunday 3 October. You’ll want to win this one – there will be tonnes of prizes up for grabs and all the glory that comes with being Scarborough’s elite dodgeball champion! Plus The Lookout DJs will be down there, spinning the hottest beats and getting the party pumping.

And there’s soooo much more!! Check out the full program of events here or visit the Groundswell Faceb ook page.