Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak holds 15-year anniversary party
From staff reports
Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak in Empire wants to thank dear friends and loyal customers for your support over this decade and a half. “It has been an honor, and an absolute hoot!” says the Skrocki family. To celebrate 15 years of business, community and pure fun, the business will kick off the summer with a proper party, June 28-30.
On Friday, the Liam Kaiser Creative surf photography exhibit opens at the newest edition to the village, Blue Heron Mercantile, from 5-8 pm with music by “Phabies” starting at 6 pm. Then, waltz down to the shop for an outdoor screening of our short film “Serendipitous; The Story of Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak” followed by an epic surf flick (movie to be announced) in the green space. Bring your own chair or blankets & bring your own beverage.
On Saturday the business will offer 15% off, $15 off, 15 cents off goods and rentals throughout the shop between 10 am and 7 pm. At 3 pm, Patrick Niemesto and friends will play live music; at 5:30 pm music continues with the rockin’ young band, Hoom, and our dude Zackery Cole. A presentation about Great Lakes advocacy and the fight to shut down Line 5 by the Groundwork Center and the Great Lakes Business Network will follow.
A raffle will be held every hour including an extra-specially crafted longboard surfboard by Migration Surf. At 7 pm venture down to the Empire Public Beach at the lighthouse for a sunset and refreshments on the wall (bring your watercraft to take an evening paddle).
On Sunday at 9 am a beach cleanup will take place along with a weekly sip & dip “Swim Club” plunge in Lake Michigan at Empire Public Beach by the lighthouse.
SBX Junior Waterman Camp:
Join Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak for their favorite week of the summer, July 22-26, from 9 am-1 pm each day, for the ninth annual SBX Waterman Camp: five wicked days of surf, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, skim-boarding, free-diving, and more freshwater fun.
Every day a new adventure awaits according to the weather. Junior Waterman Camp is a unique freshwater surf camp designed and taught by water enthusiasts to create water enthusiasts. Go on a surf safari and catch some freshwater waves, see the massive Sleeping Bear Dunes from a kayak, cruise with the wind on SUP along the lakeshore, learn to harness your breath and free dive on historic wrecks, learn to throw a new trick on a skimboard, take the Supsquatch for a spin down the face of a wave with your new friends, and have the time of your life while learning to do so safely and as a steward— the ways of the waterman!
