Surfing Santas take over Cocoa Beach for charity

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Surfing Santas returned to Cocoa Beach, Florida, for a 16th year, a traditional costumed extravaganza on Florida’s Space Coast that has become one of the world’s most-anticipated Santa-themed gatherings at the surfing capital of Florida’s East Coast.

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More than 12,000 spectators flocked to Cocoa Beach Christmas Eve morning to cheer on over 400 surfers, taking to the Atlantic Ocean decked out in their St. Nick outfits

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This year’s event raised a record-setting $100,000 for charity, bringing the total raised since 2013 to more than $400,000.

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All proceeds benefit the work of local organizations, including Grind for Life, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families when traveling long distances for their healthcare; the Florida Surf Museum, which preserves Florida’s unique surfing history; and several local school sports teams.

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