Rides of March are Almost Upon Us

SPECIAL FILM: Birth of the Endless Summer tells the back story of it all. Photo Garage Films

We have confirmed the official lineup of films, and we’re so stoked to announce the official South African premiere of Birth of the Endless Summer, which will be screening at The Galileo Open Air Cinema in Kirstenbosch Gardens on Tuesday 7 March. Remember to book tickets for Galileo at their website.

Click here for Galileo tickets

Other surfing and ocean films, such as the premieres of the much anticipated big wave documentaries Facing Monsters and skateboarding epic Humanity Stoked, will be screened in the deep south of the peninsula, at the Bertha Movie House in Khayelitsha and at the Labia Theatre, including a collaboration with the alternative Sunburnt Surf Club.

Click here for all other tickets

The underwater cleanup with Beach Co-op off Jager’s Walk in Fish Hoek will this year be followed by a chat while sitting in the ocean: “What better medium to immerse yourself in while talking about ocean respect and conservation,” says Wavescape Director Shani Judes.

EINA! Facing Monsters profiles the life changing events of West Australian madman Kerby Brown.

An unusual collection of 10 artistic surfboards will be auctioned at the Wavescape Artboard Project for ocean charities at Jack Black’s Taproom on Wednesday 22 March. The final lineup of artists is perennial supporter Brett Murray, with Amy Ayanda, Fhatuwani Mukheli, Marie-Louise Koen, Amy- Lee Tak, Dbongz, Justin Southey, Liberty Battson, Lee-Ann Heath, and Marti Lund. In keeping with the current retro trend, Craig Paul from York shaped us 10x 7'0 retro eggs with glassed in single fins.

"The last time we had glassed in fins at a Wavescape Festival was so long ago, Vladimir Putin was in power. Oh wait ..." said co-director Spike.

Eight speakers have signed up to entertain and inform the audience with snappy 10 minute talks at the prestigious Centre for the Book in Cape Town at Slide Night, the flagship ocean evening, brought to you by Save our Seas Foundation.

Parasurfing athlete Michele Macfarlane will speak on why differently abled surfers are not “inspiration porn”. Save Our Seas Foundation educators Justine Swartz, Logan Benjamin and Wade Naude speak about their kelp puppet project in False Bay. Sea Search founder Simon Elwen looks at research into why seals attack Capetonians. Nandipha Masango from Green Connection gives us tips to stop the fossil fuel juggernaut.

PangeaSeed founder Tre Packard speaks about “Artivism'' and the Sea Walls project, which Wavescape will be hosting in November 2023. Kneeboard world champion Gigs Cilliers tells the hairy tale of near-death surfing a 100 foot wave off the Wild Coast. Marine Scientist Dr Koebraa Peters uncovers an alien invasion in South African waters and environmental lawyer Cormac Cullinan speaks about how the law can save the ocean.

Wavescape will work with Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans, the global PangeaSeed Foundation programme, to bring the message of ocean conservation into Cape Town streets via murals and events that raise public awareness of critical environmental issues.

PIVOTAL MOMENT: Have you wondered about the physics of nose riding? Wander no more!

The theme of the Blue Ocean Masterclass will be aerial footage, with practical advice and networking about how and where to shoot aerial footage, touching on the rules, techniques and gear one needs. Well known marine photographer Jean Tresfon will chat about his Autogyro MTO Sport Gyrocopter, while other experts will chat about City of Cape Town regulations, the art and ever improving technology of drones, and more.

This year, the Board Meeting day event again takes place at Jack Black’s Taproom, where surfers will be able to swap or buy each other’s surfboards. There will also be other fun activities for adults and kids, from demonstrations by sustainable surf products and eco-conscious brands to children’s activities, set to the musical vibes of DJ Roastin’ Records.

In collaboration with social media influencer and podcaster Steve Shooter, Wavescape will park a branded Podcast Bus at events with a mobile podcast studio. Episodes of the series Shredding the Gnar will be hosted by Shooter, who will be in discussion with a diverse group of salty ocean souls connected to the festival.

SEA WALLS: PangeaSeed has curated 450+ murals in 18 countries. Photo Tre Packard

The Save Our Seas Foundation, a long term supporter of Wavescape, will be joining us to celebrate their 20 year anniversary with ocean activations.

The 2023 poster was designed by Buenos Aires artist Falu Carolei, whose work pays homage to skateboarding, rock, surf, tattoo, and graffiti cultures. In this iteration of the poster, Carolei takes the festival’s ocean eye (used in a long lineage of Wavescape posters) to draw on the inspiration of iconic 70s counter-culture creator Rick Griffin, who created album covers and other artwork.

Thanks to our partners: Vans, Wesgro, Save Our Seas Foundation, Petco, Jack Black Beer, Justice 4 Jaws and Lubanzi Wines.

KIRSTENBOSCH VIBES: Birth of the Endless Summer will screen here. Photo Wavescape

2023 LINEUP

Thursday 2 March
First Thursday pop up ocean exhibition and podcast Bus

Tuesday 7 March - Galileo Movie Night
Gates open 18:00, Kirstenbosch Gardens
Movies: And Yet, I Remain (8min) Birth of the Endless Summer (95min)

Thursday 9 March - Surf & Ocean Quiz Night
18:00 for 19:00, Jack Black's Tap Room

Saturday 11 March - Khayelitsha Film Night
10:00, Bertha Cinema, Isivivana Centre followed by ocean excursion with 9 Miles Project
Movies: The Black Mermaid (9min) Sonic Souvenirs #1 (20min)

Tuesday 14 February - Artboard exhibition opens
Opening hours at Jack Black’s Tap Room
Artists: Brett Murray, Amy Ayanda, Fhatuwani Mukheli, Marie-Louise Koen, Amy-Lee Tak, Dbongz, Justin Southey, Liberty Battson, Lee-Ann Heath, and Marti Lund

Wednesday 15 March - Slide Night
18:00 for 19:30, Centre for the Book
Speakers: Parasurfing athlete Michele Macfarlane; Save Our Seas Foundation educators Justine Swartz, Logan Benjamin and Wade Naude; Sea Search founder Simon Elwen; Nandipha Masango from Green Connection; PangeaSeed founder Tre Packard; Kneeboard world champion Gigs Cilliers; Bioinvasion specialist Dr Koebraa Peters; and environmental lawyer Cormac Cullinan.

Thursday 16 March - Beach Co-op Undersea Clean-up & ocean chat
09:00 to 12:00, Fish Hoek Beach

Saturday 18 March - Board Meeting
12:20 to 19:00, Jack Black's Tap Room

Sunday 19 March - Sunburnt Surf Club surf event
09:00 at a beach venue to be determined, weather dependent

Sunday 19 March - Sunburnt Surf Club Film Night & Q&A
17:30, Labia Theatre
Movies: Conduende (13min) Natural High (37min)

Monday 20 March - Blue Ocean Masterclass with Wesgro
19:00, Invest SA, One Stop Shop

Tuesday 21 March - Deep South Film Night
19:00 for 19:30, Scarborough Community Centre
Movies: Physics of Nose Riding (6min) Facing Monsters (95min)

Wednesday 22 March - ArtBoard Charity Auction
18:00 for 19:30, Jack Black’s Tap Room

Thursday 23 March - Spike’s Swell Course
18:30 for 19:00, 17 Benning Drive, Kommetjie

Saturday 25 March - Closing Film & After Party with Vans
18:00, The Labia Theatre, followed by after party nearby
Movies: Amble (5min) Humanity Stoked (93min)

SeaWalls - Public Art Mural
Sea Point Promenade by artist NARD

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