17 Days to Go: Flotsam Festival Set to Make Waves from Coolangatta to Burleigh

Gold Coast (Australia), 14 April, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The countdown is on. There’s just 17 days until the Gold Coast lights up to celebrate surf, sea and cinematic gold. Flotsam Surf Film & Photography Festival 2025 officially kicks off on May 1, rolling out a two-week froth of film, photography and surf culture from Coolangatta to Burleigh Heads.

The opening weekend is stacked with free community events for all ages to enjoy. Whether you're a grom or a grandparent, get swept up in the stoke of an affordable, jam-packed program honouring the region’s deep well of local talent. This stretch has bred some of surfing’s most influential creatives, and Flotsam’s precinct-based layout makes it easy to explore each hub’s unique flavour, from the iconic Cooly and Kirra to Tugun, Palmy, Currumbin and Burleigh Heads.

Cyclone Alfred may have wreaked havoc for some of our Flotsam partners and contributors — flooding venues and studios, destroying artworks and sending hard drives of priceless content to Davy Jones — but it also delivered a scroll-worthy swell for the ages. The aftermath has left Snapper Rocks with no sandbanks, the World Tour’s anticipated return to Snapper being rerouted to Burleigh Point.

But the region isn’t being left behind. Flotsam opens in Coolangatta and slowly peels north like the Superbank it starts from, hugging the coast’s iconic surf reserve all the way to Burleigh to join the WSL action.

Along the way, it’ll soak the coastline in surf culture, filling indoor and outdoor spaces, cultural hubs and local businesses with an unmissable mix of film, photography, music and storytelling. With a fresh swell of initiatives and a stacked lineup of groundbreaking artists, Flotsam promises an immersive celebration of surf-infused creativity, from screenings and exhibitions to live performances, discussions and hands-on workshops.

Flotsam Festival launches in true Gold Coast style with a blowout Block Party across Coolangatta’s best-loved haunts on May 1. From 5–8.30pm, the precinct will come alive with surf flicks, DJ sets, live music, workshops, exhibitions, and epic projections — all free to attend. Wade’s World dives deep with underwater photography; Bar Evelyn sets the mood with swell-soaked vinyl spins and pours of local brews, spirits and themed cocktails; and Beach House brings the soul with acoustic sets and salty visuals. Over at Rattlesnake, Lightwaves takes the party after dark with a full-sensory fusion of surf cinema and live sounds, featuring atmospheric sets from Mr Finn and Media Puzzle, plus screenings of Rage5, a no-frills, full-throttle take by filmmaker Toby Kreegan on the evolution of underground surf brand Rage, and Horse, a moody visual trip by James Kates with multi-generational Cooly kid Noa Deane. It’s surf culture on tap — loud, live and unmissable.

As part of the Flotsam Block Party on May 1, Media + Makers is back, this year at the Coolangatta Sands Hotel, for a free night of insights and LOLs. Settle in with a lineup of sharp minds and salty storytellers as they share perspectives, swap yarns and spark conversation — capped off with two live podcast sessions bringing humour, heart and rich reflections on surf culture past and present.

At 5:45pm, The Green Room, hosted by surf MC Terry “Tappa” Teece, dives behind the lens with featured Flotsam photographers. Then at 7:30pm, We Shouldn’t Be Friends hits the stage, as unlikely surf duo Nick Carroll and Hannah Anderson unpack the shifting sands of Coolangatta’s surf history in the first live episode of their new series Your Town.

From May 2–4, the Kirra Immerse Hub takes centre stage as Flotsam’s brand new beachside launchpad at Kirra’s beachside Roughton Park. This FREE weekend activation invites festival goers to experience open-air surf cinema under the stars, hands-on creative workshops, art installations and live music — all just steps from the shoreline. Saturday’s Flotsam Oceans event teams up with Surfrider Foundation for a day of environmental action and family-friendly activities, including a Found Objects photography competition and sunset screenings of ocean conservation films, including the 25 anniversary screening of seminal filmmaker Andrew Kidman’s surf film Glass Love. On Sunday, Next Wave shines a spotlight on emerging creatives — from filmmakers to musicians — celebrating the rising voices shaping the future of surf culture with free workshops, live music and more.

Flotsam Festival 2025 is just weeks away from rolling out a stacked program of events, exhibitions and experiences along the coast. Presented by not-for-profit Flotsam Arts Inc, the festival continues its mission to showcase independent artists and ocean-inspired storytellers — often in unconventional and unexpected ways. Now in its fourth year, Flotsam emerged as a recovery effort post-Covid -19 restrictions to support the Gold Coast community, and has since grown into one of the world’s most immersive explorations of surf art and culture.

“I’m thrilled to see our partnership with Flotsam strengthen year-on-year with the 2025 festival shaping as the best yet,’’ said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. “Each year, festival organisers add further elements to the program, drawing in new audiences and showcasing our famous coastal beauty. Catch the wave at Flotsam in May.’’

Flotsam Festival Director, Carolyn Emge, noted, “Flotsam Festival was created to celebrate our coastline when things were bleak, shining a light on the vibrant arts and culture of this region and Australia at large. This is a 100% genuine, grass roots not-for-profit initiative with no other directive than to support the artists that fuel our coastal lifestyle, which in turn creates ripples across the country. This year, we have also strived to ensure sponsors are Australian-owned businesses who are throwing down to ensure the next generation of creatives have a platform that have their best interests at heart as the festival continues to further the cultural fabric of their home.”

Now in its fourth year, Flotsam Festival 2025 promises to be one of the world's largest journeys into surf art and culture, raising the profile of ocean-inspired creatives both locally and globally.

To dive in and start planning your Flotsam experience, visit flotsamfestival.com.au. MORE INFORMATION

Media room: https://flotsamarts.pr.co/

Festival website: https://www.flotsamfestival.com.au

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