ELI Surf Movie Night 2026 - $25K for our Oceans, Waves, and Beaches!

Last month, we held our 24th Annual Surf Movie Night at the Southampton Arts Center—and we raised more for our oceans, waves, and beaches than ever before. 

Surf Movie Night would not have been possible without our sponsors: the Bergen Family Foundation, the Yaffa Foundation, the Bostwicks Family of Restaurants, 3Moms Organics, Dryft Watersports, Canoe Place Inn, the Frank Turner Run Club, Noah's Greenport, and Sotheby's International Realty.

Without our sponsors, none of Surf Movie Night—from the space rental to the advertising—would have been possible. We thank you so much for supporting our community and helping us raise money for our oceans, waves, and beaches. 

The event kicked off at 5:30 pm with music by Annie Trezza and Jack Marshall Music, some of Montauk's favorite musicians who kept us grooving all night. Attendees perused a surf swap, supported and organized by our friend Monty from Strictly Surf, and our limited-edition Surf Movie Night T-shirts. 

Refreshments included fresh salads and sandwiches from Grace + Greens, craft beer from Westhampton Beach Brewing Co., and dessert courtesy of Dos Ositos Paletas!

We were also joined by many local non-profit partners, including Southampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, Group for the East End, and AMSEAS.

We also invited local businesses to Sign the Surfboard in opposition to Offshore Oil Drilling. Six businesses from Eastern Long Island signed the surfboard at Surf Movie Night. 

The Surfrider Foundation launched the Sign the Surfboard Tour to demonstrate coastal business opposition to offshore drilling. Surfrider chapters across the U.S., including ours,  hosted traveling surfboards to collect signatures from concerned businesses.

Immediately after Surf Movie Night, we sent the board on its way up to the Connecticut chapter, who will then pass it along to the rest of the Northeast!

We were also joined by vendors such as NeoNeo Surf, Sheehan Artwork, and Surfrider Partner Faherty! 

Meanwhile, we held our usual opportunity drawing and auction, but we had a few new silent auction additions this year, including a Pyzel Ivan Florence Fish 5'10" from Flying Point Surf Shop, and a stay at our North Fork Ocean Friendly Hotel, Hotel Moraine!! Thank you to all of our amazing auction donors for making this night possible and sending our guests home with some awesome prizes!

Our film selection featured two wicked surf films and an environmental film about the fight for cleaner energy here on Long Island: 

🌊 Surf, Eat, Repeat
"Takes you on a frothy, mouthwatering local adventure around New York City's surf and ethnic food scene through a diverse crew of women"

⚡ Rising Tides, Rising Voices
An inspiring film by Stray Hare Media that follows Students For Climate Action here on Long Island in their fight for the Students for Solar Act. Fun fact: the Students for Solar Act was signed by the Governor about 10 days after we showed Rising Tides, Rising Voices!

🏄 Now Days
A film by RedBull, Now Days follows the Super Six, some of the women at the top of the current surfing world, "blurring the line between friendship and rivalry, where proximity, repetition and shared conditions elevate everyone involved."

All together, with over 200 of us in community, we raised over $25,000 for our chapter and all the amazing work we do here on the East End of Long Island. Just as important, we raised awareness for our mission and stoked our community!

With your support, we will be able to continue: 

• Planting dune grass for resilient coasts and shorelines;
• Cleaning our beaches;
• Reducing plastic at the source through partnering with restaurants and hotels;
• Fighting for meaningful plastic pollution reduction policies across the East End and New York State;
• Monitoring water quality through our BWTF program; 
• Improving water quality through our Ocean Friendly Gardens;
• Fighting for beach access rights;
• and providing free surf and ocean safety lessons to children who may not otherwise have access to them. 

It was a beautiful evening that would not be possible without our supporters, partners, and the volunteers who helped run the event. Thank you to everyone who supported Surf Movie Night—we already can't wait for next year!

*All Photo & Video Courtesy of Bobby Alan Hamski