The Vans Duct Tape Festival Is Coming To Spain This Month

Today, Vans announced the official lineup for the Duct Tape Festival as well as Joel Tudor’s hand-selected invitee list for the 14th Annual Duct Tape Invitational, May 18-20th, in the Basque Country’s beloved Zarautz, for decades now the beating heart of European surf culture, and one of the finest places we can imagine to enjoy a cold glass of sangria and a few pintxos while watching some of the world’s best loggers duke it out. 

But of course there’s more to the whole Duct Tape story than the prestigious invitation-only competition Joel Tudor and Vans launched nearly a decade ago. With the overwhelming success of the fledgling logging tour, the Duct Tape has evolved into something bigger, broader, and more inclusive—to “bring together an international collective of people inspired by surfing, and to celebrate progression and creativity in surf culture by engaging special communities around the world.”

Like their much-talked about Haleiwa event last December, the Duct Tape Festival Zarautz will feature an opportunity for surfers to geek out on and ride a library of boards handshaped by Dane Reynolds, Alex Knost, Tanner Gudang, and Lee-Ann Curren, who will be hanging the whole weekend. 

For this year’s poster, Vans and Joel tapped renowned graphic artist Geoff McFetridge, which has previously been designed by Rich Jacobs, Thomas Campbell, etc. 

There will be a kick-off party at 2pm on the 18th, followed by two days of competition and surfboard geekery, as well as a skate jam at the Zarautz park, in front of Karlos Arguiñano iconic castle. Bravo to Vans the Joel on their choice of venue. The Basque Country in May is an embarrassment of riches, fun-sized swell, gorgeous women, beach front adult libations not only allowed but basically encouraged, some of the world’s finest food, etc.

Which is to say: the chance to visit Zarautz during the event shouldn’t be passed up. Stab will be hopping across the pond for the festival, and hope to see you there. 

Without further ado, here’s your 2018 Duct Tape invitees, carefully selected by Joel Tudor:

Zach Flores
Ryan Burch
Andy Nieblas
Harrison Roach
Saxon Wilson
Tyler Warren
Justin Quintal
Alex Knost
Levi Prairie
Jordan Spree
Kai Takayama
Robin Falxa
James Parry
Adrian Lopez
Nathan Sadoun
Nico Garcia.