Swatch Nines Surf & Skate will return to Waco Surf in Texas on Oct. 8-10, 2026, under a new three-year partnership that will keep the event at the venue through 2028, organizers announced Wednesday.
The event first took place in Texas in 2024 and returned in 2025. Organizers said the agreement establishes Waco Surf as the long-term host site for the surf, skate and BMX progression event.
“Waco Surf has proven itself as one of the most progressive and rider-driven venues we’ve ever worked with,” said Nico Zacek, of Swatch Nines. “After the incredible energy of the last two years, it was obvious that this is the right home for pushing the boundaries in surfing, and action sports as a whole. With this partnership, we’re able to dream even bigger and build off the current platform for years to come.”
Organizers said skateboarding will continue to play a larger role in the event, which now carries the Swatch Nines Surf & Skate title. Skateboarders Greyson Fletcher, Andy Anderson and Clay Kreiner, along with BMX rider Kevin Peraza, have participated in previous editions.
The event’s build partner, Zenga Bros., will again develop custom features for the venue ahead of the 2026 edition. Some of the features will remain permanently at Waco Surf for public use.
Waco Surf said the venue plans to open two skateparks by 2027. One park near the Dive Bar area will combine surf and skate design elements. A second skatepark near the lake will feature traditional elements for multiple skill levels. Former Olympic skateboarder Heimana Reynolds is leading the creative design for the main skatepark.
“Hosting Swatch Nines’ unique creativity and energy here in Waco has been game-changing, for Waco Surf, but also for the broader surf, skate and BMX communities,” said David Taylor, owner and president of Waco Surf. “By working more closely together and being able to build over the years, we’re evolving Waco as the destination for riders to rewrite the limits of their sports. This is just the beginning of what we can create together.”
Organizers highlighted several performances from the 2025 event, including Australian surfer Hughie Vaughan’s stalefish backflip and Matt Meola’s aerial sequence known as the “Meola Flip.”
Planning for the 2026 edition began during the Creative Cabin workshop held Jan. 26-28 in Encinitas, California, where surfers, skateboarders, BMX riders, designers and builders developed concepts for future features and installations.
Organizers also said the 2026 event will include a public-access day on Saturday, Oct. 10. Destination Waco partnered with Waco Surf to support the agreement.
