Sunshine Surfabout turns to crowdfunding to keep tradition alive.

It's a rite of passage, a pilgrimage and a party.

It's a community institution, a singular reflection of a proud and longstanding Monterey Peninsula surf community, and a flat-out fun weekend.

It's also in jeopardy—so much so that crowd-funding through GoFundMe appears to be the best hope to keep the Sunshine Freestyle Surfabout alive and carving. 

This year's weekend-long event at Carmel Beach would be the 37th installment. The event usually happens in late May or early June.

Rich Wenzlik and Robert Kreyenhagen of Sunshine Freestyles Sports on Lighthouse in New Monterey (375-5015) composed the call to action online, with a modest $7,500 goal.

(Link to the Sunshine Freestyle Surfabout GoFundMe here.)

"We are reaching out to our awesome, loyal family members to help support this soulful community event," they write. "Every dollar donated will be used directly and only for the contest."

Weekly contributor and longtime local surfer Stuart Thornton furnished a succinct idea of what the event is about in a profile of the original surf champion of the Surfabout:

Happening every summer since 1980, the Sunshine Freestyle Surfabout is Monterey County’s only annual surfing competition.

Initially founded by then-surf shop owner Brad Johnson and his friend Tom Knight, the Surfabout still blankets the beach with thousands [of people] over the weekend.

It’s open only to county residents who want to participate in its men and women’s surfing, longboarding, bodyboarding and distance paddling competitions.

For another look at Surfabout lore and legend, check out "Sunshine Surfabout contender Ron Triplett chose good waves over pro circuit."