How to get your free NASS Festival Ticket
So there I was carrying out my every day work routine of taking photos, editing and putting stuff online when my boss bursts through the door; “Hey, you wanna go and work at NASS with Street Games in a few weeks?” Unfamiliar to what NASS actually was, I just shrugged my shoulders followed with a short reply of “Yeah, sure.”- as is my response for most things I don’t understand that comes from my boss.
A few hours later, followed by multiple cups of coffee, as we left the morning drag I begun to do a little more research. Little did I know NASS, was a huge festival featuring all the crazy sports I had adored and taken part in whilst growing up, I.E. BMX, Skateboard, Inline and Mountain bike not to mention this years line up having probably my most listened to artists- Congo Natty and Shy FX turn up last minute… My mind was blown, this needed to go down.
Who are Street Games?
Street Games are a charity operating on the doorstep of less fortunate and deprived communities to help inspire youth to take part in sport and promote good health and well being. They run events, volunteering opportunities and activities that are free for the community to take part and become involved with. The NASS volunteering opportunity provided local riders who couldn’t afford a ticket an opportunity’s to experience the festival in all of its awesomeness. One of the local Swindon riders who had been recently homeless was able to volunteer and attend the show.
After speaking with Street Games, who where running the volunteering opportunity, I found in exchange for a few hours of daily work throughout the weekend, I would earn my ticket and have travel expenses covered, but wait, it gets better… What some might consider ‘work’ I would more or less consider VIP views of all the action going down at NASS Festival. Not only this but during the whole festival we where provided with three meals a day (damn good food too) and a tent to stay in!
Quite simply the acts where awesome, the atmosphere was awesome and the people where just what you’d expect at a festival, crazy but awesome. The level of skill and performance shown by the athletes was incredible also, seeing such talent even made me reconsider my own, which did lead to a dislocated shoulder on the mini half pipe…
Behold my VIP view of what was going down on the vert including Tony Hawks debut.
Did I mention two of my colleagues managed to land VIP tickets to meet the Birdman himself? Check that out HERE.
Throughout the weekend all volunteers took on three, six hour shifts each. My shifts took place at the Pro Park during the BMX and Inline Shop Battles, followed by the Vert Ramp during Tony Hawks performance and then at the Pro Park again for the Skateboard Pro Finals- and yeah, it was pretty awesome… Shifts took place either during the morning (9am till 3pm) or in the afternoon (3pm till 9pm), after or before your shifts you are free to do as you wish (providing you don’t turn up to work under the influence that is…).
So if you wanna be one of thirty needed volunteers and get your free ticket to NASS Festival next year, be sure to get in touch with STREET GAMES closer to the event next year for more info!
