The temperatures are rising and the Southern California beaches are picturesque as summer ramps up, which means that it’s time for the crowds to converge to watch some world-class surfing.
The 2024 U.S. Open of Surfing got underway on Saturday in Huntington Beach starting with the Longboard Classic, which runs until Tuesday. The main competition, the Lexus US Open of Surfing Presented By Pacifico, begins Wednesday.
“There’s thousands upon thousands of people here,” said professional surfer Bucky Barry. “It’s like a big festival with a bunch of surfing involved as well.”
The nine-day event will bring some of the best surfers in the world, including several from California, to Surf City as attendees can see the top talent take the waves. But there’s much more to do than just watch the competition.
There are nightly concerts scheduled at the Open, headlined by Sublime on Saturday for a sold out show.
Those who are more interested in land events than the ocean can also take in some skateboarding events, which are scheduled for both weekends of the competition.
The 2024 U.S. Open of Surfing runs until Sunday, Aug. 11. The event will be broadcast live on WorldSurfLeague.com.