Getting here

Getting to Sumner from Christchurch city takes about 20 minutes by car. An Uber / Taxi will sting you at least $60 but you can easily jump on one of the Purple line buses that runs all the way from Christchurch Airport, through the city and out to Sumner. Be mindful that the last bus from Sumner heading back to the city leaves by 11pm.

Accessibility

Wheelchair access to the Mingle contest site is found at the corner of The Esplanade and Burgess st, Sumner. Hollywood cinema, LeStrange Gallery, Sumner Surf Life Saving Club, Sumner Community Centre all have wheelchair access.  

Accommodation

There are a handful of bed and breakfasts (click here to explore) and numerous Air BnB’s in walking distance to Sumner village. Once these have booked up you’ll find Air BnBs a few minutes drive away in the Sumner hills and neighboring suburbs - Redcliffs and Lyttelton.

Another cheap and popular option for Mingler is to rent a campervan for your trip. Freedom camping is not technically permitted in Sumner - however many Minglers stay nearby and have no worries.

Our favourite van rental company and supporter of The Mingle is https://www.biglittlecampers.com/

They have an awesome range of comfortable and cosy camper vans that will ensure you have an awesome stay.

Visa

International travellers must complete an NZ electronic visa. It takes about 10 minutes to complete and be issued and cost $58 NZD.

https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz

Log Travel

Yes, we know — travelling with logs really blows! Getting your beloved board to Sumner can be tricky, and we can’t promise smooth sailing. Please do your own research with airlines before flying, but the info below should help.

Flying Within NZ

• Air New Zealand and Jetstar have a maximum board length of 2.5m (8.2 ft) for domestic flights.

• This means if you’re flying domestically, you’ll need to send your board as freight prior to your flight.

Useful link: Air New Zealand Cargo Contacts

Alternative: Over the past few years, many North Island Minglers have road-tripped down and couriered boards for a reasonable fee. A service that facilitates this is Roofspace.

Flying Internationally

• Destination: Christchurch Airport — about 30 mins from Sumner Village / Mingle HQ.

• Smaller airports (e.g., Gold Coast) can cause issues; larger international airports like Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne are usually smoother.

Qantas

• Most reliable airline for bringing logs from Australia.

• Important: leave from a major airport (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). Smaller ports often use Jetstar or smaller aircraft that may not carry boards.

Policy:

• Boards must be in a surfboard bag not exceeding 70lb (32kg) and 109in (277cm) in length.

More info: Qantas Sporting Equipment

Emirates

• Emirates Baggage Rules

• Maximum total dimensions (length + width + height) of sporting equipment: 300cm (118in).

• Boards over ~9’1” must be sent as cargo.

⚠️ Recently, some Minglers have had boards denied, so unless your log is smaller, we recommend booking Qantas.

Pro tip: If you do fly Emirates (or Qantas / Jetstar), tell staff your board is 2.77m, and try to avoid them pulling out a measuring tape.

Virgin

• Pre-COVID, Virgin was a go-to for longboards, except on routes operated by another carrier.

• They have not yet resumed flights to Christchurch, but these may return soon.

Jetstar

Need to purchase sporting equipment / oversize baggage and provide your on a Boeing 787 (which is most flights from Bris / SYD you can take 2.77M (9ft) on from our experiences - Minglers have been ok getting 9'6''s on.

https://www.jetstar.com/nz/en/flights/baggage

Air NZ

Won't take over 2.5m anymore and need to be shipped as cargo.

Fiji Airways

2.77m max + fee - $150 we’ve heard.

Others - Let us know how you go.

https://www.wavetribe.com/blogs/surf-travel/surfboard-airline-fees#surfer-friendly-airlines

Rent or borrow

If all looks too much of a mission you can rent a decent log from

: https://sadhanasurfboards.co.nz/hire-demo

If all else fails just get to the event, Mingle and be cool - someone will lend you a board.

2020: Joe Piccalo (Sumner, Christchurch)
2021: Allie Ree’s (Sumner, Christchurch)
2022: Joe Piccalo (Sumner, Christchurch)
2023: Hannah Sheldon (Hawaii)
2024: Mik Chaney (Gold Coast, Australia) & Elenore McCready (Byron Bay, Australia)
2025: Madi Farrelly (Byron Bay, Australia)

Map of Sumner

Opening ceremony, Film festival & closing ceremony

Sumner Surf Life Saving Club - (Thursday Night)

301 Main Road, Sumner Beach, Christchurch 8081

Surfing Competition

Corner of Sumner Esplanade and Stoke St - (Fri - Sun daytime)

Sumner Beach, Canterbury 8081

Mingle in The Village

TBC

Sumner Village, Canterbury 8081

The SFM Street party

Sumner Village - (Saturday Night)

Corner of Wakefield Ave & Nayland St, Sumner Village, Christchurch 8081

SFM afterparty

TBC - (Saturday Night)

TBC

Participate

Wondering how you surf, play, paint or sponsor this wonderful festival? We’d love to hear from you!

SURF
The Single Fin Mingle is an invitational competition. We aim to host not only NZ’s most prestigious surfing contest but an event that showcases truly world-class longboarding. Due to the limited time we have to run the contest, many amazing surfers miss out on spots. So how do you get one of these elusive invitations? Make a great video that showcases your surfing talents, stand out at other longboard events, have another Mingle competitor endorse you, come party, be a legend, shred your local beach day in and day out!

MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS
We approach people and acts we think will be a perfect match for our party. But if you think you’ve got that perfect sound, picture, or film — drop us a line.

STAFF
Running an event is hard mahi, but it sure is rewarding. We are a small, tight-knit team with some amazing people who make the event happen. We’d love to hear from you if you think you can add to what we do in a positive way.

SPONSOR
The SFM is unlike any other event on New Zealand’s festival scene. A totally unique event, it can’t be pigeonholed into simply music, art, or sport; it is a genuine amalgamation of NZ’s finest culture. With a loyal following here in NZ, Australia, and around the world, the SFM can offer an opportunity you won’t find anywhere else — an authentically engaged audience who are proven to be dedicated to the brand.

Want to Volunteer?

Join the SFM crew and be part of the magic! Help bring New Zealand’s most unique surf, art, and music festival to life, meet incredible people, and enjoy exclusive perks along the way.

SIGN UP HERE

Exclusive SFM volunteer crew t-shirt

1. Complimentary lunch & coffee during your shift at the Beach site, plus a meal voucher if rostered on the Street Party

2. Free ticket to the event of your choice: Thursday’s Film Festival, Friday’s Mingle in the Village, Saturday’s Street Party, or Saturday’s After Party

3. Invitation to the SFM Volunteer Whānau Dinner on Wednesday, 3rd April

4. The chance to be part of a globally renowned festival in an incredible environment, working alongside one of the most inspiring groups of humans you’ll ever meet