Surf Expo Celebrates 50 Years, And Looks Forward to 50 More

Signage paying homage to Surf Expo's incredible 50 years was on full display throughout the January 7-9th event. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown

Throughout January 7-9, 2026, the surf collective, from legacy brands to startups, pros and more, gathered for the bi-annual Surf Expo. This time, it had more significance than ever: it was the 50th year of the tradeshow.

Surf Expo's 50 years is a historic amount of time, because when the show first took place in 1976, pro surfing was in its infancy. Surfing had yet to be mainstream, many legacy brands that we know and love today had yet to begin, and the industry itself, you could argue, wasn't yet an industry.

Surf Expo's 50th exemplified the health of the industry, how important the show is for brands, and above all, how it remains the leading trade show for surfing, watersports, and the greater outdoors.

Here's a few highlights from the three day event — and why we are frothing over the show's next 50 years.

Surfboards, conversations, and community: three words that best describe Surf Expo collectively. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown

Surf Expo Celebrates its 50th

Today, Surf Expo is the grandest surf tradeshow there is, but it started with humble beginnings — something that was a topic of conversation throughout the entire event.

Ross Houston, the original founder, came up with the idea in 1975 while he was attending an ESA meeting in Virginia Beach. There, he witnessed reps using their hotel rooms as showrooms. The seed was planted for something bigger — a surf expo — and the following year, it was held in Cocoa Beach with 35 exhibitors. An article from 1976 described the event this way:

"The show floor came alive with shop reps drifting from booth to booth, collecting literature, inspecting merchandise, and digesting as much information as possible."

A relic from the past on display in the Florida Surfing Museum booth: signage from 1976 Surf Expo. Photo courtesy American Surf Magazine

The same article made a bold prediction for what Surf Expo would become, and 50 years later, its proved to be dead on.

"There is no doubt that the Surf Expo and the surfing trade show concept are here to stay and definitely will become an integral part of the business for manufactures and surf shops. Each year it will grow larger and the competition bred by the show will demand exhibitors to become more experienced in their selling tactics and more creative with their booths."

It continued: "Shop reps will in turn become efficient buyers, able to search out and spot the best product bargains. They will discover the advantage of waiting to do their ordering at the show, instead of buying throughout the year."

Surf Expo's Show Director, Roy Turner, went to his first show during this 70s decade. When he talked about what he remembered most, it was the fact that the show consistently met his pre-show expectations. "The boards, the brands, the people, everything was special," he said.

A decade later, by 1988, the exhibitor list had reached over 700. Beyond that, with pro surfers and industry leaders often attending, it became an integral part of the surf industry and remains just that today.

What's most impressive about Surf Expo is that since 1976, not only has it been a surf meeting ground, a place to do business and a place for entrepreneurs to launch their brands; despite multiple economic upheavals over the last half century, it's not only survived, but thrived.

And that's why, although we're stoked on its past 50 years, we're even more excited for its next 50.

The industry is healthy and sentiment is positive.

At the last few Surf Expos, the conversations with brands has been on the impact of tariffs, the sluggish economy, and how it's affecting the overall surf and outdoor industry.

But at this event, there was a noticeable change. With the tariff situation seemingly in the past, brands were overall extremely positive about the New Year, the changing economy, and a positive business year for the collective industry.

Teva Dexter and Keoni "Burger" Nozaki were all smiles in the Blakbear Surf Club booth. Photo courtesy American Surf Magazine

From trends to business insights, you hear it all at Surf Expo. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown

Multiple reps said that they expect 2026 to be a big year in terms of sales & buying trends, driven by the economy and a surge in surfing popularity thanks to the pro surfing changes (which we'll discuss in a bit) and the forthcoming Olympic games.

Oh, and this wasn't just core surf brand reps talking. This included lifestyle brands, and even more outdoor focused brands housed in the new (and really cool) "Shoreline Outdoors" section of the show. It's true: Brands that see crossover from surf into outdoors sensed a new wave of energy coming for the new year that had existed in the last few years.

Surf Pros & Legends Meet and Greet

If you've wanted to meet one of your favorite pro surfers, here's at tip. One of the best places to do so is at Surf Expo.

Historically, pros are present to mingle, and at Surf Expo's 50th, this included John John Florence, Mick Fanning, Lisa Andersen, and Kolohe Andino.

As the saying goes, if you didn't get a picture, did it really happen? Proof that John John was present at Surf Expo alongside ASM Founder Cash Lambert. Photo courtesy American Surf Magazine

While the pros and legends were there for different reasons (for example, John John was repping the Florence booth, Kolohe was promoting Steko), they all said two common things.

First, they were stoked to be at Surf Expo, and second, they were all excited for the upcoming World Surf League (WSL) season.

Kolohe Andino and Robbie McCormick at the Steko booth. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown

The WSL's format the last few years departed from its usual schedule and championship decider, and there's no question about it: interested among the surf collective had trended down.

Now, in 2026, the same popular format is back, with the competitive year culminating at Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore in December.

Just as the pros and legends talked positively and excitedly about this change, so did the brands, with it seemingly injecting new energy into the entire surf ecosystem that can benefit everyone this year.

East Coast Hall of Fame

Another highlight from Surf Expo's 50th was the East Coast Hall of Fame, where east coast legends' contributions were celebrated.

Taking place in a room adjacent to Surf Expo, it was a few hours where the past was revisited, re-telling hilarious and historic stories.

In the end, many people who made integral impacts on the East Coast surf scene throughout their lives were deservingly put in the spotlight.

Those inducted included:

• Surfers: Bryan Hewitson, Todd Morcom, Dr. Lisa Carulli, Scott Duerr.

• Industry: Tony Giordano.

• Media: Matt Pruett.

• Culture: William “Bill” Finnegan, Drew Brophy.

• Legends: Jay Reale, Bernie Crouch.

• Pioneers: Richard Price, Carl “Tinker” West.

• Cecil Lear President's Award: Mike Angiulo.

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The man, the myth, the legend: East Coast surf writer Matt Pruett, who served as the Editor of Eastern Surf Magazine and covered the East Coast for Surfline, was deservingly inducted into the East Coast Hall of Fame. He had the best mic-drop speech we've ever seen. Photo courtesy American Surf Magazine

Excitement for the Next 50 Years of Surf Expo

A Surf Expo tradition: Lance-O dj'ing at the Sunbum booth. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown

There's no doubt about it: it's been a historic 50 years for Surf Expo. As one rep told me, she launched her business at Surf Expo, and since then, being at Surf Expo has kept her business going.

In short, she wouldn't have a lifestyle surf biz without the tradeshow.

Which is of course a microcosm — Surf Expo has been helped countless brands launch, offered them a place to grow their business, and served as a collective bi-annual meet up for the entire surf collective, from brands to industry influencers, pros and more. Even more impressive: It's been doing this for 50 years.

If you haven't been to Surf Expo, you're ready to launch your biz, or if you're wanting to get back onto the Show Floor after some time away, save the dates for September 16-18, 2026, and January 6-8, 2027. We'll see you there!

If you're interested in anything surf, beach lifestyle and outdoors related, mark your calendars for the next Surf Expo. Cameo from JB, Kevin, Tom, and the Florida Surf Film Festival crew above. Photo courtesy Stephanie Brown