Cocoa Beach, FL – WUCF TV, Central Florida’s premier PBS member station, has highlighted the heartwarming story of Surfing Santas in a recent segment of their Florida Road Trip series. The episode, titled How Surfing Santas Became a Cocoa Beach Tradition, dives into the unique holiday event’s origins and its incredible impact on the community.
Surfing Santas began in 2009 when George Trosset, inspired by a Honda commercial, donned a Santa suit and hit the waves with his son dressed as an elf. What started as a small family activity has grown into an international spectacle, drawing thousands of spectators and hundreds of surfers to Cocoa Beach every Christmas Eve.
The WUCF Surfing Santas video explores the event’s rapid growth and its ability to unite the community while supporting charitable causes like Grind For Life and the Florida Surf Museum. Over the years, Surfing Santas has gained global recognition, generating more than billions of media impressions and creating countless smiles around the world.
This year’s Surfing Santas Florida Road Trip episode also showcases quirky traditions, including dressing Kelly Slater’s statue in a Santa outfit and a Surfing Santa plush toy’s journey to outer space aboard a Blue Origin flight. The segment beautifully captures how this local Cocoa Beach tradition has brought joy to the Space Coast and beyond.
Join the festivities on December 24th to experience the holiday magic firsthand. From live music to a costume contest, Surfing Santas is the perfect way to celebrate the season with sand, surf, and plenty of holiday cheer.
To watch the full episode and learn more about Surfing Santas, visit Florida Road Trip or Surfing Santas.
