Rabastock Fest 2016 • July 22-23rd

This ain’t no fairy tale, this a story about love, love of skateboarding, love of noisy rock music and of course, love of partying!!!

Deep in the South French countryside, where there’s not much concrete to skate, not many place to make gigs, a crazy crew of friends, bored by all the expensive music festivals and all the classic skateboard events, started to organize their own dream festival, this was ten years ago…

Jerome Chevallier. Frontide 5-0 grind over Yves. Photo: Matthieu Gasc
Jerome Chevallier. Frontide 5-0 grind over Yves. Photo: Matthieu Gasc

Based on free entrance, cheap beer, good music bands and huge skateboard sessions, this story had started from nothing. No money to make the stage, no wood to build the skatepark, the bands were plugged on an old tractor power take-off and the park was built out of pallets and plywood found here and there, sometimes during the night when everybody was asleep! These are just a few examples of what DIY means!

Sam Partaix. Heel block. Photo: Mattheiu Gasc

During the first editions, we were about 500 people experiencing the unique atmosphere of this two of party. Now we are more or less 5000! There are many beers sold, which mean more money to make more concerts and a bigger skatepark each year!

David Cabaret. Astusss mastermind. Backside disaster. Photo: Matthieu Gasc
David Cabaret. Astusss mastermind. Backside disaster. Photo: Matthieu Gasc

But still, the festival is still the same, all the crew are volunteers, including the bands. Still on a non-profit basis, nothing is done without love and motivation. Here your grandmother, punks and children can watch a skate session together, shared by real skateboard pros, kids who never skated before and local OGs during a live punk rock concert!

Cali is a true ripper. Frontside stalefish. Photo: David Lestrade
Cali is a true ripper. Frontside stalefish. Photo: David Lestrade

So look for Rabastens on your map and save the 22nd and 23rd of July 2016 to share the cheapest beer in France with us and get ready to take a bath in the nearby river to cure two days of partying and skateboarding!

Words by Luc Richard
Photos by David Lestrade, Matthieu Gasc and Red Rad


Filmed / edited by Denis Magné

Andy White from Scotland. Huge ollie. Photo: Red Rad
Andy White from Scotland. Huge ollie. Photo: Red Rad
RABASTOCK 2016. Artwork by Paul Krav Boca.
RABASTOCK 2016. Artwork by Paul Krav Boca.

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2 thoughts on “Rabastock Fest 2016 • July 22-23rd”

  1. It’s a fucking amazing fest avec the DIY skateparks are amazing to (and fucking rad 😀 ) Team Rabstock and Astuss skate asso are the best!
    It’s a little “skatopia” for a one week-end at Rabastens 81800 south of france!

  2. It’s hard to watch our dogs grow old and have health problems. I hope it do&esn#8217;t progress too much. I also hope she gets the real medicine and it works

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