John D's Blog
More Flags, More Fun
As most of you know, we have relocated Skate and Surf Festival 2024 from the Plaza Green at iPlay America in Freehold, NJ to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.
I want to thank the Township of Freehold, Mayor Barbara McMorrow, Freehold Police and everyone at iPlay America for the incredible support they have shown for Skate And Surf Festival throughout the past six months.
The logistics of executing an event like Skate And Surf have changed over the past few months. With advance parking reaching near capacity, longer shuttle service experiences expected and increased requirements to secure an event like this, we decided to relocate this year's event to Six Flags in Jackson, NJ.
We chose Six Flags Great Adventure as it is the closest venue to iPlay America in Freehold, under 12 miles. This means that no hotel changes are needed, as the Freehold hotels also service Six Flags. This will also alleviate the need for any shuttle services. We will now be able to offer all Skate And Surf Festival fans on-site parking in addition to easy mass transit options to and from New York City. Ticketing will be simple, as all guests will enter through Six Flags' main entrance. We will increase the capacity so that more fans have an opportunity to share in the return of the festival.
Six Flags will offer all Skate And Surf Festival ticket holders full day admission to the park. The festival will be held in a festival area next to Kingda Ka. All production aspects remain the same as planned for Freehold. The festival will not be utilizing the Northern Star Arena (located inside the theme park). All music will be contained within the designated festival area. You can now come as early 10:30 a.m. and access the park on each festival day prior to doors for the festival itself. I have asked the bands to post times they will be going on the rides, so you all have the opportunity of a lifetime! We will begin a social network campaign to promote the Ride with the Band program.
As we move forward with GameChanger, we have a commitment to deliver a better experience to the fans. We have accomplished that with this move. No shuttle service, on-site parking, Six Flags Great Adventure theme park admission for all and we gain an hour of music on Saturday, May 18th! Doors will now open at 2 p.m. on both festival days.
Refunds are available beginning today (Monday, April 29th) and will remain available for the next two weeks, ending on Monday, May 13th.
iPlay America will host a "pre-party" on Friday, May 17th at 8 p.m. iPlay America will also host "ENCORE," the official Skate And Surf Festival After Party on Saturday, May 18th, 2024. Lastly, our friends at iPlay America will also host the GameChanger Player VIP guests, who are all going to receive special passes to hang all weekend long in a special safari location at Skate and Surf Festival!
This move will make for a special weekend... More flags, more fun!
Let's do this, Skate and Surf!
Much love.
Sorry to anyone who is inconvenienced. This was a tough decision, but I could not have the fans endure the logistical challenges executing this event.
SKATE AND SURF FESTIVAL TO BE HELD ON MAY 18-19 RELOCATES TO SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE IN JACKSON, NEW JERSEY
MAYDAY PARADE REVEALED AS "THE BOB'S SPECIAL GUEST"
April 29, 2024- New York, NY-Due to popular demand, Skate And Surf Festival has relocated to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Exceeding the festival organizers’ expectations, the decision was made to move from its original location at the Plaza Green at iPlay America in Freehold, New Jersey. The festival will remain as scheduled for May 18-19 and tickets purchased for the festival will be honored. Tickets are currently available and in addition to admission to Skate And Surf Festival, attendees will also have access to the theme park for the day they’ve purchased a ticket.
After an eight-year hiatus, it’s no wonder fans are clamoring to attend Skate And Surf Festival. The festival will mark its triumphant return with an incredible lineup featuring Saturday’s headliners, Fall Out Boy, whose new CD, Save Rock and Roll recently debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and Sunday’s headliner, A Day To Remember. Also performing on Sunday, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, the duo behind the biggest-selling single of the year, "Thrift Shop," whose new single, "Can't Hold Us," is currently #1 on the Billboard Hot R & B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and is climbing the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.
The exciting and diverse musical lineup at Skate And Surf Festival also includes Bayside, Saves The Day, Andrew W.K., Of Mice & Men, Breathe Carolina, Timeflies, Lights, and more. Skate And Surf Festival also announced Mayday Parade will join the lineup as "The Bob's Special Guest” performing on Saturday. For more information and a complete list of performers, weekend schedule and information about tickets, please visit: www.SkateAndSurfFest.com.
Skate And Surf Festival founder John D’Esposito states, "Since we announced the return of the festival, the response from fans has been overwhelming and as word began to spread about the lineup, demand grew. It became clear, in order to accommodate our guests, we had to relocate. We greatly appreciate the incredible support and efforts from iPlay America/Encore Event Center and its President and CEO Robert McDaid, Freehold’s Mayor, Barbara J. McMorrow and the township of Freehold. I look forward to working with them on future events.”
D’Esposito continues, "We are very fortunate that Six Flags Great Adventure is able to accommodate us and they are enthusiastic about the festival. Having worked with them as a co-promoter for the last ten years on other events, I believe this change in location will produce the best experience possible for all and that is exactly what our goal is.”
Skate And Surf Festival is powered by GameChanger World, an artist-powered mobile gaming platform company, led by John D’Esposito who also founded The Bamboozle, one of the East Coast’s oldest and largest music festivals. What originally began as a local gathering for skate-punks in 2024 held in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Skate And Surf Festival quickly became wildly popular and eventually evolved into The Bamboozle.
ONWARD MARCH
The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Skate and Surf Festival is quickly approaching. The Break Contest is in full swing, plus we are launching this little artist-to-fan mobile gaming platform called GameChanger World. Where to begin.
We are creatively planning our next announcement. If all goes according to plan... and production, I would expect an announcement soon after the day of the Irish. The line up will end with around 80+ artists... Some will only be appearing and not performing—but most will be doing both. There will be some unannounced performances, including The Bob's Special Guest. In typical tradition, we will also have some name reversals to add confusion and mystery. Big thank yous to Lonnie Quinn, Sam Gursky and Clay Graham for assisting with this next announcement.
Event Parking... This year's event finds us in close proximity to a wonderful neighborhood and we ask that our fans help us make this as enjoyable an experience for them as possible. On-site parking sold out. Off-site parking is close and plentiful, and our shuttle service will take you roundtrip to/from the event. Please help me encourage everyone to use the shuttle service available.
This site is going to be special! This is the first time one of our main stages will play on lawn. The layout will make this event experience more fan-friendly than ever before. Our main and side stages will play outdoors, a party stage will play inside Encore Event Center and GameChanger mobile games will be set up throughout iPlay America for fans to game their favorite bands—one on one.
The GameChanger World platform is going to be more dynamic than I could have ever imagined. The delays will be worth it. We were hoping to have the games available by now, but due to "technical difficulties" we are going to be saving it all for Skate and Surf. At Skate and Surf, GameChanger will present Trailin' Travis, Forever the Sickest Kid's Master Blaster Runner 3000, Mayday Parade's Face Off, Bayside's Blitz and games from Chunk! No Captain, Chunk!, My Ticket Home, Senses Fail, We Came As Romans, Miss May I, Mod Sun, Crown the Empire, Andrew W.K. and many more! You will have a chance to be the first to game the artists, check out the latest in mobile gaming and win exclusive GameChanger World merchandise. These games will be available for play on both Saturday and Sunday inside iPlay America.
Thanks for the continued support. I am looking forward to a great weekend in May. More to come. Be sure to "like" Skate and Surf Festival on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for future updates!
WE HAVE A WINNER!
It is with absolute pleasure that GameChanger World and Skate and Surf Festival may welcome LONNIE QUINN, CBS New York's Chief Weathercaster, as our OFFICIAL WEATHERMAN FOR SKATE AND SURF FESTIVAL WEEKEND! Lonnie is an inspiration to our team and our go-to representative for all things weather-related. We trust in Lonnie to bring us the sunshine on May 18th and 19th!
All the thanks in the world are due to all of the loyal festival fans who have reached out to Lonnie (and CBS) on our behalf. Our most special thanks go out to COURTNEY BOYD of Harrisburg, PA for connecting us with our very own weather idol! Courtney is the lucky recipient of two GameChanger Player VIP Packages, festival lunch backstage at artist catering and a private shuttle to/from her local hotel for both festival dates. As a thanks for her efforts, Courtney and her guest will be our team's personal VIP guests!
SKATE AND SURF FESTIVAL ISSUES BOUNTY FOR WEATHERMAN
GameChangers, we need to help our friends at Skate and Surf Festival secure the best possible weather for Skate and Surf weekend! It appears we will need some assistance, so we are officially enlisting YOU (the festival fans) in a quest to connect with Lonnie Quinn, lead weather anchor of CBS.
The individual who connects Lonnie Quinn with Skate and Surf Festival in an official manner (television, video, Facebook and/or Twitter post--from Lonnie himself--tagging the festival) will be rewarded with the following: GameChanger Player VIP Packages for two (2), on-site festival lunch backstage at artist catering, on-site festival parking AND MORE! In hopes that Skate and Surf Festival may have an official weatherman, we need someone to connect us with the Weather God, Lonnie Quinn.
We plan to turn to the fans to assist with necessary resources throughout the planning of the festival. Anybody up for a game?
2.11.13
Greetings from Freehold, NJ.
At this time last year, something so special for so many years was being run into the ground by an egotistical executive who cared more about numbers than the traditions of a community. Friends of many years turned their backs and allowed success to become a failure - all for the sake of a paycheck. A developer chose lies and paper over truth and honor, forcing a devastating set back to a historic music city that will be felt for years to come.
Out of the ashes, rises Skate and Surf Festival.
Eleven years ago, Skate and Surf Festival was created to be a platform through which artists could gain invaluable exposure by performing in front of larger audiences, surrounded by other talented acts, all looking for their breakout performance. Some of today's brightest stars rose at Skate and Surf. My Chemical Romance, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Coheed And Cambria and this year's headliner, Fall Out Boy.
For the festival to survive, it must look to the future.
Welcome GameChanger World, a new artist-to-fan mobile gaming platform launching this Spring. GameChanger World has powered the return of Skate and Surf Festival and will ensure its presence for many years to come. In the next few months, artists like T. Mills, Bayside, Mayday Parade, Miss May I, Circa Survive, My Ticket Home, Forever the Sickest Kids and more will begin releasing mobile games through the GameChanger World platform. Most of these games and more will be on-site for this year's Skate and Surf Festival. Fans will be able to download "free" mobile games, battle the artists themselves in the GameChanger Arena, and earn exclusive platform rewards from the artists themselves. From artist trading cards to special meet and greet opportunities, gamers will be rewarded for their engagement on the artists' mobile platform.
GameChanger World games will be available on iOS and Android mobile devices, allowing fans to engage their favorite artists 365 days per year, 24 hours per day.
Skate and Surf Festival is back. The future begins today.
See you all in May.