The U.S. Open of Surfing has long been a must-do summer beach event, an event that draws locals and visitors from around the globe to not just check out some of today’s best surfers, but also a festival on the beach with shopping, music and more.
If you’re heading down to the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, it can be a lot to navigate. Here are a few things to do before the event wraps up on Aug. 3.
Watch the surf competition
Now that the longboarding competition has wrapped up, the World Surf League Challenger Series gets underway. The event means big points for surfers hoping to land a spot on the elite World Tour, drawing up-and-coming athletes as well as longtime competitors who want to claim their spot in the big leagues.
There is a mix of local and international competitors hoping to claim the prestigious U.S. Open of Surfing title.
San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino is one of the big names who will hit the water early on Wednesday in Heat 2, a chance for the former World Tour surfer to earn momentum toward grabbing a spot back on the elite level.
Olympic fans will want to come out to see the men’s gold medalist from the last summer games, Tahitian Kauli Vaast, in Heat 5, where he’ll go up against longtime competitor Julian Wilson, an Australian surfer who won the event in 2012.
Long Beach’s Nolan Rapoza, who grew up surfing Huntington Beach, will be in the Round of 64, as will two-time US Open of Surfing winner and silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi. San Clemente friends Kade Matson and Jett Schilling are set to match up against each other.
In the women’s draw, surf fans will be watching for Sierra Kerr’s above-the-lip aerial skills, while veteran Sally Fitzgibbons will be looking to defend her title. Several San Clemente surfers are in the draw, including Kirra Pinkerton, Sawyer Lindblad and Bella Kenworthy.
Learn CPR
This comes high on the list because with just a few minutes, you could learn to save a life. Huntington Beach’s CERT – Community Emergency Response Team – program has a booth where beachgoers can learn hands-only CPR.
“The community is loving it, a lot of kids get involved and adults as well,” said supervisor Susan McClain. “If you can get 911 en route immediately and start compressions on someone, that can possibly save a life.”
McClain gave a quick explainer: Put your hands together, find the center of the chest and with the heel of your hand start pushing down, going to a rhythmic beat – some people like to think of the song “Stayin’ Alive,” or the Star Wars theme song.
“The kids really get a kick out of that,” she said.
The booth also provides first aid, so if you need a bandage or minor medical assistance, go to the CERT booth.
Hoag’s surf simulator
Hoag Hospital has expanded its presence on the sand, with three big booths to welcome beachgoers.
Feeling inspired by the surfers in the water? Try your balance on its surf simulators, or take a photo in the booth to post on social media.
Sample stuff
“There’s no reason to burn today, no need to fear – Neutrogena is here,” Amanda Monteiro called out to the crowd as she ushered people to the booth.
The sunscreen company has plenty of products – to spray or slather – on hand to keep beachgoers protected from the sun. It is one of several booths offering beach-life products and samples — its got a spin-and-win wheel where participants can win small samples or full bottles of sunscreen.
There is also NO CAP! Soda, the creation of Vinny Wilson, of Corona, who said he wanted to create a product to appeal to the youngsters – but without the sugars, caffeine and other bad ingredients.
The Orange Lutheran High School student created the drink less than a year ago, and already it is in 1,000 stores. It also sponsored the weekend’s motocross event.
Open Water’s booth has an environmental message, but also a bit of fun.
Jess Page, co-founder of the Chicago-based water company, talked about the brand’s mission to eliminate plastic bottles, using 100% recycled aluminum. The company, founded in 2014, also donates to ocean-based nonprofits such as the Surfrider Foundation with every bottle sold.
The beachgoers visiting the booth to play the claw game, a “beach clean up” that scoops up as many plastic bottles as possible in 90 seconds, get the message.
“They get it, immediately,” Page said. “They totally understand that plastic waste is a huge problem, not just for the ocean and the planet, but their own bodies. I think there’s a much wider knowledge of how microplastics are entering our bodies.”
The aluminum bottles are reusable, and there are Yeti stations across the festival area to refill, so there’s no need to pack those pesky plastic bottles.
Just chill
Gone are the days of sweltering in the sun, getting your feet sandy and trying to clamor for a sliver of beach space.
There are plenty of places to chill at the contest site. Visit the Lexus House for a free VIP experience, with couches and lounges set out to enjoy the competition. They have raffles to give away prizes and a gourmet bites hour at 1 p.m. each day to nibble on.
Next door at the Beach Bar, you can hang at tables with a cocktail to enjoy, but that area is for the 21 and over crowd.
Catch a concert
What better music venue than the beach?
It’s not the big concerts like a decade ago, when thousands of people crammed onto the sand, but there’s a stage set up at the Beach Bar to catch “Sundown Sets.”
Yolanda Be Cool will perform at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Chevy Metal at the same time on Friday. Saturday’s performance will be at 4 p.m. with local band Yachty by Nature taking the stage.
Tickets are available online. Music performances will be held at the Beach Bar, south of the pier. All shows are ages 21 and older. A portion of ticket sales benefits the Surfrider Foundation, which works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and beaches.
Learn surf history
A large banner display details “Surfing in HB Throughout the Years,” with milestones set in Surf City starting with George Freeth, the first surfer at the pier at the turn of the century, to the Guinness World Record set in 2013 for the most surfers on a board, to more recently when the International Surfing Assocation held the World Para Surfing Championships in 2023. Love surf history? Stroll up Main Street to visit the International Huntington Beach Surf Museum, which currently has an exhibit called “Duke’s Dream Came True.”
Watch surfers earn honors
Two big events honor wave riders from near and far on the corners of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway, often dubbed the “Times Square of Surfing.”
First, the Surfing Walk of Fame will induct surf champion Dale Dobson, Woman of the Year Nea Post, Local Hero Ryan Turner and Surf Pioneer Barry Kanaiaupuni, with the Surf Culture honor going to surfboard maker Al Merrick and Honor Roll to Greg Wade, a longtime surf industry icon who helped Xcel wetsuits become a mega brand in the surf world. That ceremony takes place on Main Street at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 31.
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame happens the next day starting at 9 a.m. This year, honors are going to gold medalist and world champion Caroline Marks, as well as surf photographer Tom Servais and local industry leader Dwight Dunn. Each surfer will make their mark in cement with their hands and feet in front of Huntington Surf and Sport.