THE biggest celebration of surf and skate culture in the UK in more than 20 years has been held in Newquay.

Thousands of people attended the UK Surf & Skate Expo held at Newquay Sports Centre.

There were more than 35 talks from industry leaders, 65 exhibitors, a wellness tent, Red Bull DJ and TR7 Skate hosting an event at Concrete Waves.

Legendary Dogtown and Z Boys skateboarder Tony Alva from California put on an expression session for more than 300 people at Concrete Waves on Saturday before holding a talk at the sports centre.

The former world skateboarding champion told the Voice said: “It’s been beautiful in Newquay and people have been so friendly.

“The Expo attracted a nice combination of surfers and skateboarders and I think the event had a really cool effect on the community and British culture.

“I’m really stoked to have skated with the kids, which is what it’s all about. The kids were fantastic skating. It was great to share the experience with them and also not to take a fall. It really has been a high point of my career to come here. I’m really grateful I was part of it.”

Ethan Fox-Furnell, 14, who was one of the local Newquay teenagers at Concrete Waves when Tony Alva took to the bowl on Saturday.

"It was insane, surreal,” he said. “To be in the presence of a skateboarding God was mind blowing. I never thought I'd get to meet one of my idols and I'd like to thank the skate expo 25 team for making this possible. To see him skating the pool (his natural habitat) but in our own town was insane. I will remember this day for the rest of my life.”

Chris Thomson, CEO of DYSUJO, who organised the UK Surf & Skate Expo, said: “For our first year, this was really special.

“We had legendary skateboarder Tony Alva come over to be a part of it. We had packed talks from Andrew Cotton, skateboarder Stefani Nurding, Olympic skateboarder Lola Tambling, brilliant surf photographer Lucia Griggi and a Patagonia panel on Surf Activisim on stage – plus some of the best surfboard shapers in the country. We had so many members of the public through the door, it was amazing to see.

“We had to close the Expo Village a day early on the Sunday due to a storm, but we then moved everyone up to the Expo Hall for more talks and presentations.”

One of the highlights of the first day at the expo was the Wavelength UK Surfer Awards, which honoured the country's favourite surfers, activists and surf schools.

The Skinner family from Perranporth took home five awards out of the 13, with Ben Skinner picking up best longboarder, his surf brand Skindog Surfboards taking home both the best longboard and shortboard shaper award and Lukas Skinner, Ben's son, winning the best UK male surfer award and under 18 award.

The eco excellence award was won by Yvette Cave. Luke Gartside was of the winner of UK surf photographer category.

Newquay Activity Centre in Fore Street was awarded UK surf school. The UK longboarder female award was won by Emily Currie. The UK longboard and shortboard shaper awards were presented to Skingdog Surfboards in Newquay.

The UK big wave female award was won by Laura Crane and the UK big wave male surfer winner was Andrew Cotton. The UK under 18 female surfer award winner was Callie Cruickshank.

UK female surfer sponsored by Yeti, winner Zoe Smith. UK Male Surfer sponsored by Yeti winner, Lukas Skinner.

The winner of the UK female surfer award Zoe Smith, in an emotional speech, said: “A lot of people think a para surfer shouldn't have been a part of this category, but we're surfers just like the next person. This is such an amazing feeling, and I hope it goes to show that para surfers have a place amongst all surfers, we’re all a part of the same thing.”

Lukas said: “This is an amazing feeling. I've struggled with injuries and a few other things this year, so to come back and win this is incredible.”

Australian big wave surfer and shaper Dylan Longbottom who staged a talk in the Expo Hall on the science of surfboards, said: “That was so good.

“I can't believe that was the first one, the whole operation was fun, a really good time and the team are incredible. Hats off, we don't even get that level of efficiency in Australia, and we've been doing it for decades.”

Steph Rogers, brand manager at Finisterre, one of the exhibitors at the Expo Village said: “It's been amazing and so good to see so many people turn out for it.”

The DYSUJO team will be getting their heads together for next year's plans. “We've got some ideas,” said Chris. “But we'll take a bit of a break, then formalise and push forward.”

Pictures in the video montage taken by Oli Chapman, Nathan Benham and Warren Wilkins