Nation's Largest All-Girl Festival Eyes Return to Surfing's World Qualifying Series

For Immediate Release

NATION’S LARGEST ALL-GIRL FESTIVAL EYES RETURN TO SURFING’S WORLD QUALIFYING SERIES & ADDITION OF JAW-DROPPING “BIG AIR” SNOWBOARD QUARTER-PIPE
Boardfest Celebrates 5th Anniversary In 2008 With Month-Long Series Of “Girl Power” Events Culminating Over Labor Day Weekend

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Boardfest, the nation’s first and largest all girl, action sport, music and empowerment festival, celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2008 by embracing girl emPOWERment and creating a month-long series of promotional events culminating over Labor Day weekend (August 30 – Sept. 1). Boardfest is also in discussions to substantially raise the profile and prize purses for its surfing and snowboarding competitions. More information is available at www.myspace.com/boardfest .

Since its debut as a girls’ only surf contest in 2004, Boardfest has grown from a local festival with limited appeal to a regional event with national & international impact, generating more than 135 million marketing impressions in 2007. Popular among tweens, teens and young adults of both sexes, more than 100,000 spectators attend Boardfest each year, most staying in the venue an average of two hours or more.

Boardfest is eyeballing a return to professional surfing’s World Qualifying Series (WQS) following a two-year hiatus. “The women’s U.S. pro circuit has shrunk dramatically over the past few years and we’d like help to turn that around,” said event director Cherie Whyte.

“It’s ironic that several endemic and mainstream companies have ‘poured’ money into men’s-only events even though women drive the purchase of surf-related merchandise at retail. One of our major initiatives is to convince these firms to embrace the girls…in the form of a four, five or six-star WQS competition at Boardfest. Of course the athletes need to embrace this as well!”

In another major format change, Boardfest’s popular snowboard rail jam, started in 2006, will make a quantum leap with the addition of a jaw-dropping big air competition. The launch pad will grow in height from two to four stories and a quarter-pipe will be integrated to allow the sport’s female daredevils to ascend well above the famed pier. The snow blow will increase to 100 tons from 80 in 2007, while event organizers hope to increase the prize purse ten-fold in the hopes of luring elite Olympic and X Game athletes.

Where action sports, music and life collide, Boardfest ’08 showcases something for every level of involvement, synergistically weaving surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding competitions, surfing and skateboarding clinics, makeovers, empowerment activities, interactive exhibits, live entertainment, music, fashion shows, dancing and attractions.

Boardfest is produced by MKM, a Huntington Beach-based firm that specializes in non-traditional public relations, experiential marketing and special event production. For 20 years, MKM has promoted world-class sporting events, music festivals, athletes, products and brands. Clients include IMG, SKECHERS, KTLA5, U.S. Open of Surfing, TOMY, USA Water Polo, Surf City USA Marathon, Reactor Watches and The Buddy Group. For information please visit www.teammkm.com, www.myspace.com/teammkm or call (714) 375-2188.

Press/Sponsorship Contacts:
Cherie Whyte
cherie@teammkm.com
(714) 375-2188

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