Announcement came during week of Vans US Open of Surfing
What: Introduced by Senator Janet Nguyen, both the Assembly and Senate passed SCR 122—a resolution proclaiming Sept. 20. 2018 and every year thereafter as “California Surfing Day.” The annual day will celebrate the California surfing lifestyle, as well as its history, culture and future. Developed by surfers of all ages and generations in the City of Huntington Beach, the purpose is to unify surfers throughout the State of California and from around the world to celebrate one very special day where we collectively come together to honor the California surfing lifestyle and the Ohana of surfing—“Stop, drop and surf.”
The United States boasts approximately 3.3 million surfers who spend between $1.9 and $3.3 billion each year on local surf trips. The surfing industry, almost exclusively based in California, generates over $6 billion in United States annual retail sales. California has culturally significant Surfing Museums located in Huntington Beach, Oceanside, Santa Cruz and San Clemente.
When: Tuesday, July 31 overlooking the US Open of Surfing, Senator Janet Nguyen, Assemblyman Matthew Harper, Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey joined legendary world champions and local surfers and industry leaders of all ages to help make the special announcement.
On Sept. 20, California Surfing Day will be a special day up and down the California coast as it will bring together thousands of ocean and beach lovers, surfers and millions of visitors who travel to California to experience the positive vibes of surfing history, culture and the future, especially as we head towards surfing in the 2020, 2024 and 2028 Olympic Summer Games, with focus on our healthy surfing playgrounds—our oceans, and highlight our iconic legends and pros while supporting our local surfing industry leaders and all the fun that comes along with the sport. More details will be unveiled as to specific activities held on Sept. 20.
Where: Every year, California beaches host numerous domestic and internationally recognized surfing events, tournaments and historically significant surfing museums, including the National Scholastic Surfing Association Championships, the Vans US Open of Surfing, the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, Surfing Walk of Fame and International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach, Surfboards on Parade, Blessing of the Waves, Surfin’ Sundays Music Series, Operation Surf and the iconic New Year’s “Splash,” along with the International Surf Festivals in the Cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance.
Who: It is a natural fit that the City of Huntington Beach announce California Surfing Day as the city is also known as Surf City USA. It is home to the 30 year old International Surfing Museum and is holder of three surfing Guinness World Records: for the largest surfing paddle out in the world, “The Surfing Circle of Honor, Celebrating Surfing in the Summer Games” on International Surfing Day 2017, and for the largest surfboard in the world and for the most people riding a surfboard at the same time on International Surfing Day 2015.
