Oceanside, Calif.- September Oceanside is hitting the beach for the second annual California Surfing Day— the official holiday to honor the history, culture and future of surfing— on Friday, Sept. 20. Surfers of all ages are invited to join Oceanside’s surf industry at a “Stop, Drop and Surf” event at Oceanside Pier at 6:15 a.m. Surfers can show their “O’side Pride” for California’s official state sport by participating in an all-industry beach photo followed by a fun community surf session.
“As California’s Surf Capital, Oceanside is the birthplace of some of the greatest surfers, many beloved surf brands plus renowned surf shops, shapers and manufacturers,” says Jeff Warner
vice president of the Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club, which is helping coordinate the event. “Oceanside is truly the epitome of living the surf lifestyle, so it is fitting that we come together and honor this day.”
The event has the support of Oceanside’s Mayor Peter Weiss, who is scheduled to honor the holiday with an official city certification at the Sept. 11 City Council meeting. As part of the designation, Weiss will suggest that surfers be granted a one-hour, late-to-work grace period so that they can participate in the festive city-wide “board” meeting.
The Stop, Drop and Surf event will begin at 6:15 a.m. Surfers are encouraged to bring their boards and gather on the beach for a quick photo. The first 200 photo participants on the beach will receive a complimentary commemorative T-shirt from Surf Ride, one of Oceanside’s oldest, family owned surf shops. A community-wide surf session will follow the photo. All participants will enjoy an atmosphere filled with good vibes, as well as goodies from local vendors including Beach Break Café’s legendary coffee cake and Suja Juice. Participants are encouraged to register for the free event in advance by visiting https://visitoceanside.org/california-surfing-day-in-oceanside.
Oceanside’s California Surf Museum plans to continue the Surfing Day celebration by offering free admission to the museum all-day. Museum visitors will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with surf legends such as Jericho Poppler and Paul Strauch who will be special guests for the day.
Stop, Drop and Surf is a free community event sponsored by Visit Oceanside, Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club, California Surf Museum, Oceanside Boardriders Club, Surf Ride, The Privateer, Beach Break Café and Suja Juice.
For more information on Oceanside and all of its events and attractions, visit www.visitoceanside.org.
About Oceanside
Perfectly situated between metropolitan San Diego and Los Angeles, Oceanside is a quintessential California coastal escape that includes wide sandy beaches, a quaint New England-style harbor, historic wooden pier and charming bungalow neighborhoods. O’side (as locals affectionately call it) is a destination of discovery where visitors can explore everything from California history at the “King of Missions” to surf culture at the California Surf Museum and awe-inspiring sea life through exciting ocean adventures. This playful and fun destination thrives on taking recreation to the next level and boasts world-class surfing, skateboarding, bike riding, boating and even skydiving. A flourishing farm-to-table food and craft beer scene reflects Oceanside’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit, as do exciting arts and culture programs that earned Oceanside one of just 14 California Cultural District designations in 2017. Classically charming, eclectic and always genuine, Oceanside is an ideal place to stay and a true O’riginal. www.visitoceanside.org
About Visit Oceanside
Visit Oceanside Conference and Visitors Bureau is the official tourism marketing organization in Oceanside, Calif; promoting travel to the city for both leisure and group visitors. The organization influences about one-third of the $382 million that is generated by visitor spending in Oceanside each year, which supports nearly 3,500 jobs. Visit Oceanside also operates one of the state’s official California Welcome Centers. With just one stop, visitors can find local, regional and state maps, purchase discount tickets to major Southern California attractions, make hotel reservations or shop for the perfect California keepsake. The Visit Oceanside CVB and California Welcome Center- Oceanside are conveniently located just off Interstate 5 at 928 North Coast Highway. For more information, please call (800) 350-7873 or visit www.visitoceanside.org
