1st Goa Surf Festival: Workshops, competitions, flea market, food stalls, and after-parties

Learn how to surf, how to skate and skim board, how to achieve balance, and how to respect the ocean and its wildlife, at the first independent Goa Surf Festival.

The first time I went surfing, I spent much of the time in the water, getting knocked off the surfboard and swallowing sea water. It took me two hours to finally be able to stand upright for a few seconds and I savoured that feeling. That surfing lesson, unintentionally, taught me many things about life: how to celebrate small wins, how to keep getting back up when you are knocked down, and the only way to conquer some fears is to face them head-on.

Next weekend, a first-of-its-kind festival in Goa aims to teach you other lessons: how to surf, how to skate and skim board, how to achieve balance, and how to respect the ocean and its wildlife. The Goa Surf Festival from September 29 - October 1, at Morjim, will teach you all this and more.

It is the first time the state will be hosting an independent surf festival.

“Surfing in India has picked up really well. Since I started surfing ten years back, I have been to many surfing festivals across the country. India is already on the map when it comes to surfing. Why not put Goa there too?” says Edy Rodrigues, creator of the festival, and owner of Octopus Surf School. “Goa has a vast coastline. There are waves for every level of surfer. We have the facilities, and in my experience, the best lifeguard facilities.”

The festival is a collaboration with Goa Surfing Association—started by Rodrigues with the aim of introducing surfing as a sport and not just a water activity. Held over three days, the main draw are the competitions, which will see 100 Indian athletes compete for cash prizes and bragging rights. In addition, there is a flea market, some food stalls, and workshops on ‘alternative sports’; most of the workshops are free.

“The workshops are related to surfing in that skateboarding, slacklining, skimboarding, and balance boarding are all balance sports. These are exercises that surfers do to improve balance and core strength,” says Rodrigues.

In keeping with the theme of being eco-friendly, the festival has no big sound or light. The activities, including a drum circle and an open mic, will have controlled decibels and the after parties will be held away from the beach (which is a turtle nesting site). The vendors at the flea will be selling eco-friendly products, and there will be a pre- and post-event beach cleanup.

As the organizers reiterate, it is not a music festival. “We want to portray Goa as much more than a place to party. This festival is about alternative sports and ocean awareness and coastal conservation.”

At Morjim Beach. September 29 to October 1; 6am to 10pm. Visit https://www.goasurfing.com/

Balance is crucial to surfing.

Tide Pool Walk: Join marine educators and researchers from the National Institute of Oceanography to discover Goa’s tide pools and its marine residents. Meet hermit crabs and anemones and learn about the critical role tide pools play in the ecosystem and why we need to protect them.

Ocean awareness workshop (Kids): Terra Conscious 'Students For Seas' will teach kids about ocean creatures, and how to make awareness posters to be displayed at the festival.

Balance board activity: Learn how to balance boards from board shapers, pick up merchandise and join a community mixer.

Ultimate frisbee: Learn more about this team sport and match your talent against another team.