Switchfoot Bro-Am
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10 Years of Giving Back to San Diego
The Switchfoot Bro-Am surf contest and concert returns to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas this month. The free beach day was created by the Grammy Award-winning band ten years ago to give back to the San Diego community while also benefiting local children’s charities. This year, the Bro-Am will also partner with SIMA (Surfing Industry Manufacturers Association), whose goals and beneficiaries resonate with Switchfoot’s efforts. A portion of this year’s proceeds will benefit SIMA’s 2014 Humanitarian Fund, which supports surf or boardsport-related social and humanitarian nonprofits focused on improving the quality of life, health, and/or welfare of people.
Bro-Am weekend kicks off on Friday, July 11, with an auction night soiree at the private Olivenhain estate of Matt and Amy Battiata at which guests will savor signature tastes from Sea & Smoke, Table 926, Bull Taco, Pacific Coast Grill, Pacifica Del Mar, Pizza Port Brewing Company, Meritage Wine Market, and many more. Highlights also include an exclusive live performance by Switchfoot, and silent and live auctions featuring the band’s own Drew Shirley as auctioneer and emcee alongside action sports personality Chris Cote. This year’s event will also dazzle guests with a live auction painting created on stage by internationally recognized graffiti artist, best-selling author (Unthink), and TED presenter Erik Wahl, who has grown to become one of the most sought-after corporate speakers available, with clients including AT&T, Disney, Microsoft, and more. Today, the only way to acquire a Wahl painting is via a charity auction.
On Saturday, July 12, the 10th Anniversary Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley will feature a corporate surf team contest, a nerf surf jousting exposition, and a live concert headlined by Switchfoot with performances by The Futures League, Run River North, and Cody Lovaas. The event will also welcome back the third annual Rob Machado Bro Junior, in which youngsters compete on one of Machado’s boards.
“The Switchfoot Bro-Am is my favorite day of the year. It’s an entire community of surfing and rock and roll joining together for a surf contest and concert on the beach, all to benefit homeless and at risk youth — what could be better? And this year means even more than ever — it’s our 10th anniversary!” says Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman.
Keeping the environment at the forefront, the Bro-Am beach experience is a single-use plastic water bottle-free event. Attendees are encouraged to bring a re-usable water bottle to fill up at the H2O station for free, and Hurley H2O provides stainless steel bottles with funds raised supporting nonprofit eco-partners. In addition, the Rob Machado Foundation, in partnership with the Solana Center, will once again have a team of surfers and environmentalists managing waste at Bro-Am. The Green Team of volunteers will educate attendees on proper sorting of trash and recyclables, and will ensure that as much waste as possible is diverted from the landfill. Furthermore, the concert will offer cutting-edge solar-powered sound and staging.
Bro-Am weekend festivities will round out with a special screening of Switchfoot’s documentary Fading West at La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas Saturday evening.
In recognition of Switchfoot’s contributions to the community and efforts to make a difference in our world, Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar, along with all City Council members, has declared July 12, 2014, to be Switchfoot Bro-Am Day in the City of Encinitas. (www.switchfoot.com/bro-am)
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Photography by Kevin & Rebecca Joelson
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