This Is Florida · Beaches & Surfing
Florida surf competitions and festivals: dates, how to watch, and how to enter
Florida's surf year runs from Jacksonville Beach to the Space Coast: youth contests, club series, invitation events, film nights, and one Orlando trade show that is closed to the public. This page keeps the dates that organizer pages actually posted, plus what it costs to watch or enter when that price is posted.
Dated Florida surf events
Pick a month or a coast. Each name links to the organizer's own page. A blank cell means that page does not post the detail yet. An old flyer is not listed here as a new date.
| When | Event | Where | To watch | To enter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 7–8, 2026 Last published day is Nov. 8. Same-day notices still apply. | Super Girl Surf Festival | Surfing at Jacksonville Beach Pier. Festival village and concerts at SeaWalk Pavilion. Northeast | General admission listed as free. VIP is a separate paid upgrade. | The surf field uses the organizer's WSL registration. A festival visit does not enter a surfer. The Super Girl 5K on Nov. 8 is a separate $20 entry, 12:30–3:00 p.m., registration ends 12:15 p.m. |
| Nov. 14, 2026 | ESA St. Augustine Contest #5 | Flagler Beach Pier Northeast | ESA membership and ESA registration. The membership fee was not on the schedule page used here. | |
| Nov. 21, 2026 | Florida Cup: Volcom × Jacksonville | Jacksonville. The Board Riders schedule does not name a pier. Northeast | Surf Station lists 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | Club teams through Florida Board Riders. Not an individual walk-up. Not the soccer event that uses the same name. |
| Dec. 4–5, 2026 | Aqua East Grom Fest | Dec. 4 skate: Robert-Laryn Skate Park, Treaty Park, 1595 Wildwood Dr., St. Augustine. Dec. 5 surf: Jacksonville Beach Pier, 503 1st Street North. Northeast. Two venues, two days. | Skate jam listed as free, 4:00–7:00 p.m. Surf-contest spectator price not posted on this listing. | Surf contest $50 per person, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Categories on the listing: eight and younger; girls and boys 9–11; girls and boys 12–14; junior girls and boys 15–17; Sandy Forsyth Longboard. A free skate jam is not a free surf entry. Confirm with Aqua East Surf Shop. |
| Dec. 5, 2026 | ESA South Florida Contest #5 | Jupiter. No street on the master schedule. South and Treasure Coast | ESA membership and ESA registration. | |
| Dec. 6, 2026 BACKUP DATE | ESA Northern Florida Contest #8 | Jacksonville Beach Pier Northeast. The master schedule labels this a backup date. | ESA membership and ESA registration. Confirm that the backup is on before you travel. | |
| Dec. 6, 2026 | NSSA Southeast/North Contest #5 | New Smyrna Beach Inlet Central and Space Coast | Conference qualification. The Southeast/North form lists the 2026/27 East Coast membership at $130 per member, paid online at nssa.org before competing. Mail the entry so it reaches the office by the Thursday before. No phone entries. | |
| Dec. 24, 2026 7:30 a.m.–noon | Surfing Santas | 3 Minutemen Causeway, downtown Cocoa Beach, in front of Coconuts on the Beach Central and Space Coast | Free. Allow extra time for downtown parking. The organizer posts shuttle notes on its site. | A holiday surf gathering, not a ranked contest. Follow the organizer's current instructions. A Santa outfit does not make the surf safe for an inexperienced swimmer. |
| Jan. 6–8, 2027 | Surf Expo | Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse, 9800 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 Central and Space Coast. Trade show. | Not open to the public. Not a beach heat. | Qualified retailers, manufacturers, and media. The buyer page lists an onsite buyer badge at $35 and a guest badge at $35, maximum four guests. About-page hours: Wed. Jan. 6 and Thu. Jan. 7, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri. Jan. 8, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Jan. 9, 2027 | NSSA Southeast/North Contest #6 | New Smyrna Beach Inlet Central and Space Coast | Same Southeast/North entry rules as Contest #5. Membership before competing. Mail the entry by the Thursday before. | |
| Jan. 30–31, 2027 | USA Surfing Prime East, Stop 3 | Ponce Inlet Central and Space Coast | Worth watching for developing competitive surfers. Spectator price not posted on the events page. | Invitation only. Athletes qualify through recognized organizations. Check the invitation before nonrefundable travel. |
| Feb. 6, 2027 | Florida Surf Film Festival, Q1 | Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Dr., New Smyrna Beach Central and Space Coast. Film night, not an ocean heat. | Buy that edition's screening ticket. A 2027 ticket price was not posted on the pages used here. | Filmmakers submit through FilmFreeway. Submissions and spectator tickets are separate. |
| Feb. 13, 2027 | NSSA Southeast/North Contest #7 | New Smyrna Beach Inlet Central and Space Coast | Same Southeast/North entry rules. Membership before competing. | |
| Mar. 13, 2027 | NSSA Southeast/North Contest #8 | New Smyrna Beach Inlet Central and Space Coast | Same Southeast/North entry rules. Membership before competing. | |
| Mar. 20, 2027 | Florida Cup Championship | Beach not posted Separate from USA Surfing Prime East on the same start date. | Club teams. Contact the local boardriders club about membership, team selection, and the call time. | |
| Mar. 20–21, 2027 Invitation only. Listed as rescheduled. | USA Surfing Prime East, Stop 4 | Jacksonville Beach Northeast | Spectator price not posted on the events page. | Invitation only. The current events page and LiveHeats use these dates. An earlier post said April 3–4, 2027. |
| Apr. 9–11, 2027 | ESA Southeast Regional Championships | Paradise Beach Park, listed by ESA as Melbourne Beach Central and Space Coast. Confirm the park entrance with ESA. | ESA membership. Regional invitations depend on district ranking. Confirm the entrance, check-in, and division before you travel. | |
| Apr. 14–18, 2027 | NSSA East Coast Regional Championships | New Smyrna Beach Inlet Central and Space Coast. Open, Explorer, Collegiate, and Airshow. NSSA says dates can change. | By conference qualification for East Coast, Caribbean, and Puerto Rico members. A championship announcement is not unrestricted entry. Confirm membership, age division, deadline, and lodging with NSSA. | |
| June 18–19, 2027 | Florida Surf Film Festival, Q2 | Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach Central and Space Coast. Film, not an ocean heat. | Buy that edition's ticket. Confirm the venue on the festival site. | FilmFreeway for filmmakers. Separate from a spectator ticket. |
| Aug. 21, 2027 | Florida Surf Film Festival, Q3 | Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach Central and Space Coast | Buy that edition's ticket. | FilmFreeway for filmmakers. |
| Sept. 9–11, 2027 | Surf Expo | Orange County Convention Center, Orlando Central and Space Coast. Trade show. | Not open to the public. | Qualified trade badges only. Daily hours differ between Surf Expo pages, so read the current show page before you book travel. |
| Nov. 5–6, 2027 | Florida Surf Film Festival, Q4 | Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Dr., New Smyrna Beach Central and Space Coast | Buy that edition's ticket. The 2026 closing program at this center was Nov. 6–7. | FilmFreeway for filmmakers. |
A blank cell means the organizer's page doesn't post that detail yet. More Florida dates by month are on Florida annual events. Run an event that's missing? Send it in free.
How to enter a Florida surf contest
The right first event depends on the published rules and the surfer's ability. The word "amateur" in a title does not by itself mean walk-up entry.
| Goal | What to look for |
|---|---|
| A young child's first contest | A division the organizer labels push-in or beginner |
| Independent youth competition | A grom division matched to age and ability, where the surfer paddles and catches waves without a push |
| Adult recreational competition | An age-group, novice, longboard, or open division on the current roster |
| Competitive advancement | The association season, the qualifying events, and the ranking rules |
| Team surfing | A local boardriders club, as with the Florida Cup |
| Supported participation | A named adaptive program, arranged with the organizer ahead of time |
Ask the organizer five things before paying: eligibility, board rules, the total fee, the registration deadline, and what happens if the event is canceled or moved. Then complete that event's own entry, payment, membership when it applies, and waiver. Keep the confirmation.
A free This Is Florida account does not register anyone for a surf contest. Athlete registration stays with the organizer or the platform the organizer names.
Read the board rules for that division
A longboard division may set length or fin rules. A vintage-board event may supply the boards. A push-in division and a paddle-only division are different days in the water. Read the current division list. Last year's pro, junior, longboard, or age groups may not be offered the same way.
For a child, ask one direct question: is this an assisted division, or a division where the surfer must paddle and catch waves independently? Parents and coaches are allowed in some beginner heats and barred from pushing in others. The rule belongs to that event.
Check in before the heat
Bring the required equipment, the registration confirmation, signed guardian paperwork where it applies, water, sun protection, and a spare leash. Ask when to report to the beach marshal and where heat changes will be announced. The printed order can change during the day.
Ask about weather before you book travel
Ask whether the entry moves to a backup date, becomes a credit, or can be refunded, and what happens when a division runs on a different day of a multi-day event. Florida Board Riders has reported weather interruptions. ESA labels some dates as backups, including Northern Florida Contest #8 on December 6, 2026. The NSSA Southeast/North form says entries are not refunded and that a transfer needs a doctor's note. A scheduled date and a guaranteed start are different things.
Read the beach warning flags before anyone paddles out, and check surf conditions the morning of the heat.
Where the regular contests come from
Eastern Surfing Association
ESA posts district contests on its master schedule. Use that calendar and the district's own registration. One statewide guess does not cover every beach.
Districts on the schedule checked November 8, 2026, were South Florida (SFL), North Central Florida (NCFL), Northern Florida (NFL), Central Florida (CFL), and St. Augustine (SAFL). The places named on that schedule are examples of where contests have been called, not formal boundary lines. ESA's about page says the association is seeking volunteers for the Central Florida and West Florida districts. This page does not invent a West Florida schedule.
Membership is required to compete. The fee amount was not on the schedule page used here, so it is left blank. Regional invitations depend on district ranking. Confirm the age rule on ESA's current membership page. A child's age on contest morning is not a safe substitute for the association's own cutoff.
The ESA Easterns for 2027 are at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina, September 19–25, 2027. They matter to some Florida surfers' progression. They are not a Florida event and they are not on the table above.
Florida Board Riders: the Florida Cup
The Florida Board Riders 2026–27 schedule, presented by Sierra Nevada, is a club-team series. The stops already on that posted schedule were August 15, 2026, Salty Crew at New Smyrna Beach Inlet; September 12, 2026, Quiksilver at Ponce Inlet; and October 24, 2026, Billabong at Fort Pierce. Still ahead on that schedule: November 21, 2026, Volcom at Jacksonville, and the championship on March 20, 2027. The championship listing does not name the beach.
Contact the local club about membership, team selection, practice, and volunteering. The Florida Cup is not an ordinary individual walk-up. Follow the club's updates when weather stops a round. This is not the soccer tournament that uses the same name.
NSSA
The 2027 East Coast Regional Championships are April 14–18 at New Smyrna Beach Inlet, for Open, Explorer, Collegiate, and Airshow. NSSA says the dates can change. East Coast participation is by conference qualification.
The 2026–27 Southeast/North entry form lists the remaining Florida contests at New Smyrna Beach Inlet: December 6, 2026; January 9, 2027; February 13, 2027; and March 13, 2027; then the championships. Contest #4 was November 7 and is not listed above as an upcoming heat. The form says the 2026/27 East Coast membership is $130 per member, paid at nssa.org before the surfer competes. Mail the entry blank and fees so they reach the office by the Thursday before the event. The form does not take phone entries. A late fee applies if the entry is late; the amount was not captured here, so it is left blank. Fees from a Northeast or Mid-Atlantic form do not transfer onto these Florida rows.
NSSA national office: P.O. Box 495, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. Phone 714-960-7423. jaragon@nssa.org. Important info.
USA Surfing Prime East
USA Surfing lists Stop 3 on January 30–31, 2027, at Ponce Inlet, and Stop 4 on March 20–21, 2027, at Jacksonville Beach. LiveHeats marks the Jacksonville stop invitation only and rescheduled. Athletes qualify through participation and performance in recognized organizations. These are not casual walk-up contests. East Stop 2, November 14–15, 2026, is at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, and is not a Florida stop.
March 20, 2027, is also the Florida Cup championship. They are different events. One is a club series whose beach is still unpublished. The other is an invitation event at Jacksonville Beach.
Gnarly Charley
The Gnarly Charley events page, checked November 8, 2026, showed past 2026 Florida stops, including Paradise Park in Satellite Beach, Sunglow Pier, Flagler Pier, and St. Augustine Pier. It did not show a next contest date. Those past dates are not rolled forward here. Before a child enters a later stop, ask whether the division is a push-in or a paddle-out.
Film festival and the industry show
Florida Surf Film Festival
The Florida Surf Film Festival is a film and surf-culture weekend, not an ocean heat. The site's 2027 dates are February 6, June 18–19, August 21, and November 5–6. November and February are at the Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach. June and August are at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Avenue, New Smyrna Beach. Confirm the venue and the ticket release for each edition. The November 6–7, 2026 program at the Brannon Center has already closed. Filmmakers use FilmFreeway. A spectator buys a screening ticket. An older ticket price is not reused here as the 2027 price.
Surf Expo
Surf Expo is trade-only. It serves qualified retailers, manufacturers, and media. It is not a beach contest and it is not open to someone looking for a heat to watch. The next published show is January 6–8, 2027, at the Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse, 9800 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. January 6, 2027, is a Wednesday. The About page hours used here are Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. A second show is September 9–11, 2027. See Sources differ for the weekday-name conflict.
Mike Martin Pro/Am
The Mike Martin Pro/Am site, checked November 8, 2026, still shows April 9–12, 2026, hosted by the Surfari Club and Surfing in the Sixties, a 501(c)(3). The 2026 plan page says Friday through Monday events were at Flagler Avenue, and the pro skate event was on Canal Street on April 9. The event page says registration is closed. No 2027 date was on the site in this check, so April 2026 is not turned into an April 2027 row. The site has its own sponsorship route. Vendors, competitors, volunteers, and spectators use their own channels. An announced festival date, when one returns, still does not mean athlete entries are open.
Next date not posted
This check did not find a current organizer date for several familiar Florida contests and gatherings. They stay off the dated table until the organizer posts the next edition. An old registration page is not a new announcement, and a prior entry fee is not reused as a current price.
- Northeast names to watch: Loggerhead Classic, WaveMasters, the Thompson Brother Classic, Sisters of the Sea, Gabe Kling's Grom Fest, and the Tommy Tant Memorial.
- Central and Space Coast names to watch: NKF Rich Salick Pro/Am, Spooktacular, Seaside Fiesta, Sea Her Surf, the East Coast Dog Surfing Festival, and Surfers for Autism's next festival season.
- Treasure Coast and South Florida names to watch: the Vissla Cosmic Series stops, Single Fin Showdown, and the Treasure Coast Longboard Battle.
- Gulf Coast names to watch: Waterboyz Surf Classic, Spicy Ricey, the Yancy Spencer III Memorial, and COSTA's later session calendar.
Beach 'N Boards Fest, Florida Pro, and Red Bull Foam Wreckers also need a current organizer announcement before they go on a Florida date list. Adaptive and inclusive sessions need the same confirmation. Ask that organizer about transfers, water assistance, equipment, and restrooms. A general accessible label does not answer those questions.
Southwest Florida and some Gulf Coast communities had fewer organizer-confirmed dates in this check. That is a research gap. Local clubs can send the next contest through the free listing below.
Going to watch
- Confirm the beach access, the pier side, the hours, the parking, and whether spectators pay. For a festival, check the evening venue on its own. Surfing Santas at the beach and a downtown street gathering the same morning are different events.
- Bring what that event allows. A chair or cooler that is fine on an open beach may be barred inside a concert enclosure. Read that event's own rules.
- Arrive before the heats you most want to see. Keep the organizer's update page available, and have a backup plan for a weather hold.
- Stay out of competitor access lanes and emergency routes. Follow lifeguards, posted closures, and event staff. A contest nearby is not permission to enter the competition area.
- For accessibility, ask about the route from parking to the viewing spot, accessible toilets, beach mats, seating, and assistance at that event's setup. The ordinary park layout can change on contest day.
- Read the flag and rip-current guide if anyone is getting in the water, including spectators who wade.
Run a surf contest, festival, or club? Send it to us.
This page grows with Florida's surf community. If you put on a contest, a festival, a film night, a charity paddle-out, or a club event, we'd love to list it. Listing your event is free. A free account does not enter anyone in a surf contest.
- Create a free This Is Florida account.
- Send us your event: name, dates, any backup date, beach and meeting point, pier side, spectator details, divisions, age rule, board rules, assistance rules, fees, and a link to the organizer's page.
- We check it against your own page, then add it here so surfers and spectators can find you.
Later, if the club gathers every week, a weekly Meet can go on This Is Florida. There's no rush. One $8 a month passport covers Meets, Singles, and listing a business. The venue keeps its own prices, and This Is Florida does not take a cut. A listing update does not require the $8 membership.
Accounts are for adults 21 and older. Please don't send children's names or photos of children. Parents or guardians should handle youth-related submissions.
Where sources differ
| Question | One source | Another source |
|---|---|---|
| Prime East Jacksonville dates | USA Surfing events and LiveHeats: March 20–21, 2027, invitation only, rescheduled | An earlier social post listed April 3–4, 2027. This page uses March 20–21, 2027. |
| March 20, 2027 | Florida Cup championship, beach not named | USA Surfing Prime East Stop 4 starts the same day at Jacksonville Beach. They are different events. |
| Florida Cup pier on Nov. 21 | The Board Riders schedule names Jacksonville and does not name a pier | A secondary calendar has said Jacksonville Beach Pier. The table does not put the pier in the location until the club posts it. |
| Surfing Santas address | Organizer: 3 Minutemen Causeway, 7:30 a.m. to noon, free | Visit Space Coast calendar says 2 Minutemen Causeway. The Visit Space Coast event page says 3. A Visit Space Coast article has also said 8:00 a.m. This page uses the organizer: 3 Minutemen Causeway, 7:30 a.m. to noon. |
| Surf Expo January weekdays | Surf Expo About page and homepage: January 6–8, 2027, Wednesday–Friday, with Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | The FAQ page has named those dates Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. January 6, 2027, is a Wednesday. This page uses the About page. |
| Surf Expo September hours | Homepage wording for September 9–11, 2027 | Another Surf Expo page has named the daily hours differently. Confirm September hours on the current show page. |
| NSSA East Coast championship dates | 2027 championship page and the current Southeast/North form: April 14–18, 2027, New Smyrna Beach Inlet | An older 2025/26 Mid-Atlantic form still says April 15–19. This page uses April 14–18, 2027. |
| Mike Martin next edition | Organizer site still shows April 9–12, 2026 | Some calendars have projected a 2027 weekend that the organizer has not posted. This page leaves the next edition off the dated table. |
| Super Girl street address | Surfing is at Jacksonville Beach Pier. The festival village and concerts are at SeaWalk Pavilion. | Published write-ups have used more than one street number for the pier and the pavilion. This page does not pick a street number. |
Questions people ask
When is Surfing Santas in Cocoa Beach?
Surfing Santas lists December 24, 2026, from 7:30 a.m. to noon, at 3 Minutemen Causeway in downtown Cocoa Beach, in front of Coconuts on the Beach. The organizer lists admission as free. It is a holiday surf gathering, not a ranked amateur or professional contest.
Is the Super Girl Surf Festival free to watch?
Visit Jacksonville and the City of Jacksonville Beach list general admission as free for November 7-8, 2026, with surfing at Jacksonville Beach Pier and the festival village and concerts at SeaWalk Pavilion. The organizer sells a separate VIP upgrade. The Super Girl 5K on November 8 is a separate $20 entry on RunSignup, not general admission to the festival.
How much does the Aqua East Grom Fest cost?
The Visit St. Augustine listing for December 4-5, 2026, shows a free skate jam on Friday, December 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., and a $50-per-person surf contest on Saturday, December 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The skate jam is at Robert-Laryn Skate Park in Treaty Park, 1595 Wildwood Drive, St. Augustine. The surf contest is at Jacksonville Beach Pier, 503 1st Street North. A free skate jam is not a free surf entry. Confirm the fee with Aqua East Surf Shop before paying.
Can I walk up and enter a Florida surf contest?
Not at every event. USA Surfing Prime East is invitation only. The Florida Cup is a club-team series. The NSSA East Coast Championships are by conference qualification. ESA competition requires that association's membership and registration. A free This Is Florida account does not enter you in a contest.
What is the Florida Cup?
The Florida Cup on this page is the Florida Board Riders 2026-27 club series presented by Sierra Nevada. The remaining published dates are November 21, 2026, Volcom at Jacksonville, and the championship on March 20, 2027. The championship listing does not name the beach. It is not the soccer event that uses the same name.
When is USA Surfing Prime East in Florida?
The USA Surfing events page lists Stop 3 on January 30-31, 2027, at Ponce Inlet, and Stop 4 on March 20-21, 2027, at Jacksonville Beach. Both are invitation only. An earlier social post listed Jacksonville on April 3-4, 2027. This page uses the events page and LiveHeats, which mark Jacksonville as rescheduled to March 20-21.
Is Surf Expo a surf contest?
No. Surf Expo is a trade show for qualified retailers, manufacturers, and media. It is not open to the public and it is not a beach heat. The next published show is January 6-8, 2027, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. A second show is September 9-11, 2027.
How do I get my surf event listed on This Is Florida?
Create a free account and send the event name, dates, beach, spectator details, entry rules, fees, and a link to the organizer's page. Listing is free. This Is Florida checks it against the organizer's page before adding it. A free account does not enter anyone in a surf contest, and a listing update does not require the $8 membership.
Sources
- Super Girl: supergirljax.com, Visit Jacksonville, Super Girl 5K
- ESA: surfesa.org, master schedule
- Florida Board Riders: floridaboardriders.com. Secondary time listing: Surf Station, November 21
- Visit St. Augustine: Aqua East Grom Fest
- NSSA: 2027 East Coast championships, Southeast/North 2026–27 entry form, important info
- USA Surfing: current events, LiveHeats Prime Series
- Surfing Santas: organizer event page, Visit Space Coast event, Visit Space Coast calendar
- Florida Surf Film Festival, FilmFreeway
- Surf Expo
- Mike Martin Pro/Am, 2026 plan page
- Gnarly Charley events
- On this site: beach warning flags, surf conditions, Florida annual events
Dates, prices, and rules change. Confirm with the organizer before you travel or pay.