This poster for “Endless Summer” was created by John Van Hamersveld for Bruce Brown’s 1964 documentary by the same name. It can still be found on T-shirts, walls, volleyballs, pop stars, coasters, beer bottles and more.
On its way to the Smithsonian museums, a collection of more than 100 items celebrating Bruce Brown’s groundbreaking documentary surfing movies will make a stop at the Texas Surf Museum in Corpus Christi. From May 3 to Aug. 10, “The Endless Summer” Collection 50th Anniversary Tribute exhibit will include Brown’s camera equipment and projector as well as movie posters and clothing.
On May 3, the exhibit also will feature Robert August of “Endless Summer” and Wingnut from “Endless Summer II.” The films, which first became popular in 1965, captured around-the-world attempts to surf in summer climes during an entire year. “Endless Summer” launched a worldwide surf-and-travel culture by introducing the sport to a broader audience than its home bases in Hawaii, California and Australia.
“No documentary is going as strong 50 years later,” said Nicole Mora, executive director of the Texas Surf Museum. “No other documentary film has its own franchise — the poster, the logo with its iconic neon colors. It is the second-most recognized logo in the world, after Coca-Cola.”
Now, half a century later, the exhibit is helping establish the Texas Surf Museum in its recent change from a privately owned company to a nonprofit organization.
“From here, the exhibit is going to the Smithsonian,” Mora said. The Smithsonian Institute museums in Washington, D.C., are the big time in the world of historic preservation. “This is allowing us to get the funding to get our feet under us as a brand new nonprofit. People know this movie. They’ll see that we have a surf museum here.”
THE HAPPENING
The “Endless Summer” grand opening at the museum, 309A N. Water St., will feature an endless shrimp boil along with live music and cold drinks. Museum members will get a free head start on the fun with an exclusive opening 10:30-11:30 a.m. The public can join in for all-you-can-eat shrimp and a chance to exchange surfing stories with the on-site celebrities. The shrimp boil is $40 for members and $50 for non-members.
“Any pre-sale tickets, $5 will go to the aquarium,” Mora said.
The Texas State Aquarium recently lost about 400 fish an incident that is still being investigated.
A ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. opens the exhibit to the general public. Admission to the exhibit for non-members is $10.
The celebration will turn into an all-day block party, Mora said, with live music in the Water Street courtyard and at the nearby Executive Surf Club.
The movies will be shown throughout the year in different locations. The only two confirmed dates are at the grand opening May 3 at about 9 p.m. on the Executive Surf Club patio and at dark June 12 in Hurricane Alley at the wave pool near the surf simulator.
THE SURFING LIFESTYLE
Surfing is about more than chasing the dream of an endless summer, Mora told Corpus Christi Business News.
“The lifestyle of surfing is one of taking care of the environment,” she said, adding that the museum works with several nonprofits in the community such as the Texas Sea Life Center, the Animal Rehabilitation Keep, the Surfrider Foundation and Adopt-a-Beach. “It’s part of our mission to encourage the community to conserve our environment. It’s all connected. As a surfer, you see trash floating around, and it sucks seeing that. We work together to stop that.”
Thanks to its new nonprofit status, the museum will be able to bring in more exhibits on par with the iconic "Endless Summer" one. It has expanded its education program to bring in school field trips and provide off-site trips.
“Our education program is enlightening these kids to what it means to surf,” she said. “It’s right here in our own backyard. Some kids in the community have not even seen the beach, which is really hard to believe for me because it’s right there. We are letting them know what surfing is, that it’s more than just a sport. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a family thing. It’s healthy, and the whole family can be out there surfing.”
The Texas Surf Museum is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Go to texassurfmuseum.org or call 361-882-2364 for more.
