The “Greatest Show on Surf” is making a major comback.
The San Clemente Ocean Festival, a decades-long tradition rooted in the beach town’s love for the sand and the surf, is back on track as a full, two-day beach festival after several years of canceled or scaled-down events.
After struggling with a shortage of volunteers following the pandemic, this year’s festivities kicking off on Saturday, July 20, will once again have the popular pancake breakfast, classic Woodie cars lining the pier, the rubber duck races and all the beach-focused competitions the seaside event is known for, organizers said.
Tyler Basher competes in a paddle surfing contest at San Clemente’s annual Ocean Festival in 2018. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Athletic organizer Barrett Tester said an estimated 250 participants are signed up for the competition portion of the Ocean Festival, where there will be lifeguard races, surf contests, a concert, running events, swim and paddleboard relays, and the addition of a body surfing competition.
“It’s exciting,” Tester said. “The beach has sand, the lifeguards are ready, we have a team from Australia coming in. We’re going to have great weather.”
Here’s a few highlights:
Both days:
•City Lifeguard pancake breakfast: 7-11 a.m.
•29th annual Button’s Woodies on the Pier: 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m
•Ocean Art Show: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday:
•13th annual Dolphin Dash: 7:30-8:45 a.m.
•Junior lifeguard competitions: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
•Free concert featuring Creedence & Company: 6-8 p.m
Sunday:
•Sand sculpting competition: 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
•Great Rubber Duck Race: 3:30 p.m.
For more race information or schedules, go to oceanfestival.org
The newly-placed sand – part of a replenishment project about halfway finished – is a welcome addition for competitors, who would get pelted by rocks as they finished their swims and relays, he said. It also makes for ample sand space for spectators who want to come down and cheer the athletes on.
The team from Australia will have about 17 competitors from the Queensland region, while lifeguards from up and down California’s coastline will also be joining the fields.
The city and State Parks will be doing a lifeguard rescue demo this year using the Surf Watch boat, Tester added.
The popular rubber duck race is back on, as is the sand sculpture competition, both on Sunday.
One big blow to this year’s event was merchandise stolen last weekend from the city’s storage unit, Tester said.
The Ocean Festival is a nonprofit, with funds raised benefiting other charities around town. While other fundraising such as the rubber duck races and the athletic registration contributes to the event’s goals, the merchandise is always the biggest money maker, he said.
“We are trying to figure out how to recover from that,” he said. “It benefits many organizations around the community. It’s really a big fundraiser.”
A mid-week swell hitting the region should still have some lingering energy on Saturday when the Dory boats hit the water, a crowd favorite.
Tester said organizers are also expecting a good turnout for the junior lifeguards competitions.
“We know that’s the future of the event, we’re expecting some of the top junior lifeguards from Orange County and LA County,” he said.
The event suffered from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, canceling in 2020 and ’21, like many other events. There was a revival in 2022, but only a limited lifeguard competition last year due to a shortage of volunteers to pull off the full-scale event.
The event’s roots go back to 1977 when Sheridan Byerly, a captain with the Marine Safety department, wanted to increase participation in the Orange County Beach Games lifeguard competition.
The contest drew competitors from around the region, but organizers also wanted to include the general public, with hopes of engaging lifeguards and families in activities on the beach.
The Orange County Beach Games evolved into the San Clemente Ocean Festival with the help of publicist Dorothy Fuller, considered the “Mother of the Ocean Festival.”
King Neptune, played by Ed Howie of San Clemente, gets a high five from kids at the 2018 Ocean Festival in San Clemente. (Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
She dubbed the event “The Greatest Show on Surf” in 1981, a slogan that stuck.
In years past, it would draw an estimated 50,000 people. The event is still looking for volunteers to help, organizers said.
Want to take the train? The Amtrak and Metrolink both have stops at the San Clemente Pier. The city’s trolly also runs throughout town, including a stop at the pier bowl, with ample parking at the Outlets.
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