Shepton Mallet, Somerset, UK
Open-air
XL – 20k – 50k
Hip-hop
$$$
Alternative, Casual, International
+3 Days
NASS (National Adventure Sports Show) festival is the UK’s only professional action sport and music festival.
Established in 2008, the four-day festival has kept its fans coming back for more every July.
NASS Festival takes over The Royal Bath & West Showground – a rural outdoor venue – at Shepton Mallet, a town in Bristol‘s south.
At NASS, some of the biggest names in the music industry – such as Giggs and Stormzy -rocked the festival with their live performances. Loyal to no music genre, the festival’s lineups blur the lines between bass, house, hip-hop, garage, and grime.
A combination of music and sports, NASS puts numerous sports skate and BMX competitions and music performances under the same roof.
Here’s everything you need to know about NASS festival.
Whether you are moshing at the main stage or seeking indie acts, NASS masters the art of lineup curation. From hosting major league names like Tinie Tempah and Arcane Roots to serving as a promotion platform for British rap, NASS does a little bit of everything.
But it’s safe to say most of its music repertoire revolves around upbeat sounds. Grime, hip-hop and bass are all part of the picture, with artists like R&B icon Raye and rapping legend Loyle Carner taking to the stage.
Fond of the UK’s music, NASS Festival focuses on British-born music genres, such as grime.
With so many stages and venues, bored is one thing you won’t be at the British festival. Each features a different vibe, decor, and music genre, ensuring that all festival-goers find what they are looking for.
The Mainstage is at the centre of it all, bringing internationally-known acts to perform at the festival’s most coveted stage.
But the other stages are equally exciting. While Hangar hosts full-on raves, the Southbank stage caters to night owls with its extended music schedule. There is more, as BackWoods is known for its daytime woods rave concept.
The festival is home to one of the highest vert ramps in Europe. Rumour has it that the ramp was tailored for the internationally renowned American skateboarder Tony Hawk.
Famous American BMX rider Mat Hoffman has also given the ramp his stamp of approval.
NASS Festival is not only for the music-loving community. Some of the world’s best in skateboarding, BMX, rollerblading, and FMX, go head to head for cash prizes of up to £60,000.
Don’t let professionals intimidate you, as amateurs are welcome to take part in the competitions at a public skatepark.
Called the Truck & Bearing Pub, the taproom is located on-site and offers a place to relax with a pint of beer in hand. Festival-goers can chill at the beer garden and watch – or participate – in skate and BMX activities from a mini-ramp.
Adding to the festival’s music, the beer joint has hosted many alternative performers in the later hours of the day. Some of the acts who have previously headlined at the venue include the likes of Benji Webbe and Shikari Soundsystem.
The festival collaborates with Upfest, Europe’s largest street art and graffiti festival. Artists use the festival grounds as their canvas, creating art on ramps, rails, vehicles, and walls.
In 2018, NASS collaborated with Gums&Tongue, who, besides showcasing their art at the festival, hosted an art-making activity at the Truck & Bearing Pub. Festival-goers who attended the activity were able to enjoy a beer and leave with their very own copy of Gum&Tongue’s ‘NASS special’ zine.
Established in 2017, NASS Foundation is a charitable foundation that focuses on giving back and supporting the culture in music, sport, street art, and local communities.
In 2019, the foundation raised £12,000 that was put into local street art projects, skate, BMX and music.
You can find carnival rides and ferris wheels at NASS, but there’s more than that here. Festival-goers can show off their dance moves in breakdancing tournaments and their art skills in graffiti battles.