COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Surfing Santas, the annual Christmas Eve event that draws thousands to Cocoa Beach, returns in 2023 for its 15th year.
This year’s event kicks off near Coconuts on the Beach at 3 Minutemen Causeway at 7:30 a.m. and runs until about noon.
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After announcing in September that Surfing Santas 2023 would be moving locations, organizers made a cutback and promised another wave of holiday fun on the event’s original beach.
Surfing Santas founder George Trosset started the event in 2009 and has raised more than $100,000 for local charities, according to the event’s website.
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The events features surfers dressed in their best Santa and Christmas attire before hitting the waves in front of thousands packed onto the beach for one of Central Florida’s signature holiday events.
There will also be live entertainment and a costume contest, organizers said.
During a past Surfing Santas event, Trosset said, “It’s the happiest day on Earth. Surfing Santa day is happy, happy day,” Trosset said. “It’s sunny. It’s warming up. People are surfing. What else is there? What else can you do on Christmas Eve and have this much fun?”
The day’s schedule is as follows:
- 7:30 a.m. - Invocation
- 8 a.m. - Sam Sims performance
- 8:30 a.m. - First round of costume contest starts
- 9 a.m. - Second round of costume contest starts
- 9:30 a.m.- Surfing Santas photo opportunity
- Santas go surfing!
- 10:15 a.m. - Brevard Hawaiian dancers
- 10:45 a.m. - Harbor City Tri performance
- 11:30 a.m. - Raffle drawing
- 12 p.m. - Event ends
The Surfing Santas event benefits The Florida Surf Museum and Grind for Life, according to the event’s website.
Parking can be tricky, so be sure to arrive early and take lots of photos. You can view the Cocoa Beach parking information map by clicking here.
You can use News 6′s PinIt! feature to share your photographs from the day. Click here for more information.
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