Hundreds of “Surfing Santas” came to the beach to catch some waves in Florida in a continuation of an annual tradition that continued despite freezing temperatures in the Sunshine State.
Surfers, many of them decked out in holiday garb, descended on Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday morning to take part in a charity event that began in 2009 but has grown each year to include more than 800 “Surfing Santas” and nearly 10,000 people gathered on the beach to watch, WOFL-TV reported.
The event raised tens of thousands of dollars for local charities in the area and benefits the Florida Surf Museum, which preserves the state’s surfing history, and a local charity called Grind For Life that helps people with cancer.
“It’s become a really cool tradition and I couldn’t be more proud,” George Trosset, the event’s creator, told the outlet.
CHRISTMAS EVE SEEES ANOTHER DAY OF NICELY COLD AND HARD WEATHER FOR TRAVELERS
Surfer Corey Howell wearing a Surfing Santa spaceman outfit, rides waves with other Surfing Santas for the 14th annual Surfing Santas of Cocoa Beach event Christmas Eve morning, Saturday, December 24, 2022
((Malcolm Denmark/Florida Today via AP))
Last year, Surfing Santas told Fox News Digital that the organization raised $62,000 from T-shirt sales at the annual event, which was a record for the group.
The organization said it has raised more than $200,000 from its previous 11 Surfing Santas events for the two local nonprofits.
FLORIDA IS FASTEST GROWING STATE IN US FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1957: CENSUS BUREAU
Santas surfers in Cocoa Beach, Florida
(WOFL-TV)
Florida temperatures plunged into the 30s beginning Friday when the Christmas week bomb cyclone moved into the state bringing cold air with it.
Parts of the Florida Panhandle had wind chills dipping to single digits Saturday morning, and inland parts of central Florida had temperatures dipping as low as 27 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 2.7 degrees Celsius).
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
On Christmas Eve, more than 400 surfers and paddleboarders participated in the 12th annual Surfing Santas charity event in Cocoa Beach.
(NPI/Florida Space Coast Office of Tourism)
“It’s a frosty start to your #ChristmasEve across the area,” the National Weather Service in Tallahassee tweeted.
Associated Press contributed to this report
