Surfing Heritage & Culture Center To Celebrate Laguna Beach Homecoming

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A integral component of Laguna Beach's history is making a return to the coastal community.

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center will celebrate its homecoming with a three-day opening event for the community.

"Over two decades ago, the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center started in a second floor apartment in downtown Laguna Beach, where founder Dick Metz and curator Barry Haun shared a walk-in closet as a makeshift office," organizers wrote on social media. "From there, SHACC welcomed co-founder Spencer Croul and our collection grew."

The center moved from Laguna Beach to a warehouse in Costa Mesa, and eventually to a building in San Clemente.

"While SHACC has called many amazing places home, we couldn't be more excited to return to our Laguna Beach roots."

The center will host a weekend event celebrating just that this September.

The homecoming kicks off Friday, Sept. 18 with a 1 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony led by founder Dick Metz, followed by a traditional Hawaiian blessing.

From that point, the center will be open to the public, with community members encouraged to come in and view the center's significant collection of surfboards and surf memorabilia.

On Saturday, the center will operate from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., with guests encouraged to stop by for an open house-style viewing and grand opening festivities.

The festivities will come to a peak on Sunday, during a Grand Opening Fundraising Gala featuring live music from Donavan Frankenreiter, tributes and special presentations, as well as live and silent auctions.

Residents can purchase tickets to the gala by visiting the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center's website.

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center is located at 239 Broadway in Laguna Beach.