Half a Century of Surf Expo, and Still Charging!

What a journey! As we celebrate 50 years of Surf Expo, it feels right to take a moment and look back at the year we just navigated together. 2025 challenged all of us. It was loud, unpredictable, and filled with disruption and seismic shifts. Even so, we made it through. Now that the dust has settled, we can see more clearly who we are as an industry and what we stand for.

This past year reminded us that uncertainty is here to stay. Yet our community has never shied away from it. Surfers, brands, retailers, and shapers know how to adapt. Change forces us to focus on what matters and sharpen our approach.

What is also clear is that the standard for success has never been higher. “Good enough” no longer works. Whether you build boards, design products, shape culture, or run retail, excellence is the expectation. Consumers look for it. Retailers prioritize it.

And the leaders of the future will be the ones who deliver it consistently.

One insight stands above the rest. We move forward when we come together. Trade shows, regional rep shows, consumer events like SURFSCAPE, and leadership gatherings such as the SIMA Super Summit have become the places where new ideas take shape and relationships strengthen. Community has always been our advantage, and it remains our greatest tool.

As we head into 2026, I hope we make a shared shift in how we move through this next chapter. Let’s listen to the music instead of the noise. Let’s follow the flow of innovation, culture, and collaboration that makes surfing and this industry so unique.

Here’s to 50 years of Surf Expo, and to the next 50 years of building and supporting surf culture, the sport and the industry together.

I look forward to seeing you on the show floor.

Vipe Desai, Executive Director, Surf Industry Members Association