A beachfront trade show this weekend will bring brands big and small out to Huntington Beach to showcase the latest surf and outdoor products and experiences, a way for the growing number of surfers to test out and check out the latest offerings for their adventures.
SURFscape, a free consumer expo now in its second year and put on by the Surf Industry Members Association, is a two-day event kicking off Saturday, April 27, that will have everything from merchandise displays, demos, seminars, music and movies for surf enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.
“There is a new slew of emerging surf brands that are coming up and taking advantage of SURFscape,” said SIMA Executive Director Vipe Desai. “This is just a great way to discover new brands and new experiences.”
Rip Curl, O’Neill, Vissla, Salt Life, Stewart Surfboards, FCS and Hobie are among the dozens of brands signed up and will have booths on hand, Desai said.
SURFscape fills a gap after surf trade shows that used to happen annually for decades fizzled out, with retailers and brands left with no place to showcase new products, he said. While previous tradeshows were typically aimed at retailers, this one also opens up the brands to connect to the public, he added.
One of the takeaways from last year’s inaugural SURFscape is the desire for experiences, and there will be plenty for people to do at the event, he said.
“We’re listening to consumers, we could tell they were really hungry for experiences,” Desai said. “This is a platform for everybody who wants to strengthen the foundation of surf culture … we need this gathering point. What I want to turn it into is an immersive experience.”
O’Neill is hosting a surf photography show with Grant Ellis, former SURFER Magazine editor and a surf photographer with more than 25 years experience.
Bones Love Milk is a sponsor and is hosting a skate experience for kids with a mini ramp and Stacyc will bring motorized kids’ bikes to do an obstacle course, Desai said. Rad Power Bikes will also be on hand with demos and products.
Surfers Healing, a nonprofit that teaches children on the autism spectrum how to ride waves, will host a surf therapy session and longtime Huntington Beach local Tony Alvarez will be showcasing a new survival safety kit for traveling surfers who seek waves in remote locations, Desai said.
There will also be rooftop tent brands on hand to showcase the latest in “van life,” which has seen a surge in recent years, especially among surfers, Desai said.
“Surfing is really part of a larger outdoor experience,” Desai said. “They are doing so much more than they used to in the past and they are blending them together. You can have your rooftop tents, with surfboards on the car and e-bikes on the back. All of these things are complementary to the experience they have – surfing, camping, skateboarding or e-bike experience, they are all blending together.”
Rip Curl will have an area dedicated to its wetsuit recycling program. Bring in a used wetsuit of any brand to be recycled through a program that reuses the material to create playground mats and earn a $25 voucher for your next wetsuit purchase.
“I think anybody who is a surfer or has been a surfer for years probably has a collection of old wetsuits stinking up the garage,” Desai said. “I think this is smart for people to get rid of their wetsuits in a responsible way.”
Rip Curl VP of Marketing & eCommerce PJ Connell said the brand, which has a North American headquarters in San Clemente, will also demo wetsuits for surfers to test out, including the latest Fusion wetsuit that is 96% stitch free and touts seams that don’t leak.
There will also be surfboards from various brands on hand that people can test out.
Vissla will have a shaping trailer on hand featuring local shapers, there will be more than 50 VW vintage vans on display and there will be collectable surfboards on display and for sale at the Bud Llamas Vintage Surfboard Swap.
There will be a Kona Beer Garden to support Maui Wildfire Relief, as well as food trucks and other beverages on site for purchase.
Also benefiting the Maui wildfire effort and adding a film element to SURFscape is a showing of “Bustin’ Down the Door” at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Dwyer Middle School.
A few surfers featured in the 2008 documentary – Ian Cairns, Peter Townend and Shaun Tomson – will be on hand for a Q&A following the film, which put a spotlight on the early, turbulent days of professional surfing.
The award-winning documentary, narrated by Edward Norton, tells the story of a group of young surfers from Australia and South Africa who went to Hawaii to prove their skills 50 years ago, ultimately changing the sport’s culture and competitive format, but having to navigate conflicts with local Hawaiians unhappy with their brash approach.
“The movie is about inspiration and hope and making change,” said Tomson, 68, who was just 19 when he went to Hawaii to compete that fateful summer in 1974. “I think in this divided, turbulent, hateful world today, the movie is like a shining light. (Young surfers) can change their trajectory and the trajectory of the world through passion and commitment.”
Tomson will also be at the tradeshow to unveil a revival of his old Instinct surf brand, which in the ’80s and ’90s was selling in 13 countries.
“I think there’s a massive shift in the surfing world right now,” he said. “I want to go back to the roots.”
His goal in bringing back the brand, he said, is to “unite people through the stoke of surfing.”
“The focus will really be on how to get young people to make better choices and live a better life,” he said. “We really want to share that amazing, united surfing experience. We want to go back to those roots and share what’s so special about surfing and what brings us together in surfing.”
SURFscape runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The tradeshow happens just south of Huntington Street and north of Beach Boulevard, directly across from the Waterfront Hilton and Hyatt Hotel.
More information: surfscape.com
