Music led the day at Sidewalk Surfer’s 48th anniversary celebration

Grabbing a parking spot off Scottsdale Road to attend Sidewalk Surfer’s 48th Anniversary Party may not have been a simple feat, but it was sure easy to see who was there to celebrate the shop for all things related to boards (surf, skate and snow). 

Vintage cars with boards strapped to the back or top, vehicles covered in skateboard-oriented and band stickers; the all-day party unsurprisingly drew a crowd. 

The area behind the store was full of vendors and customers selling skate, snow and surf-related goods. And you know, in Arizona, we’ve got to talk about the weather. It was the perfect day for hanging outdoors, chatting with friends, and perusing the items available. A typical hot and sunny October day.

DJ Karen Jasper kept the energy up by spinning vinyl all day. One of the DJs with Ladies Who Brunch, a group of women DJs who raise money for local charities, Jasper and her many crates of records kept that patio a punk rock party with rousing choices, plenty from the vaults.

Inside, the shop was hopping. Tons of folks were at the counter making buys while others were perusing the wealth of options, from accessories to attire. 

The front of the store that faces Scottsdale Road was where the bands for the day were set up. While the event ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., three bands played at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

The High Watts, Fat Gray Cat and Blanche Davidian turned it on, cranked it up and transformed the store into an intimate concert venue, delivering their respective brands of rock with a whole lot of gusto. The crowd, which ranged in age, let the bands get them fired up, too. There were plenty of heads shaking and smiling faces throughout each set.

Dave Carlson, one of the store’s GMs, took a second to mention how he and the team are always thrilled to have so many people coming to these annual festivities. I asked him, with 50 years just around the corner for the store, and these parties packing in crowds, what they were going to do for that half-century celebration.

“We’re thinking about that, too,” he said, and mentioned that taking that whopper of a party to an off-site location might be in the cards.

More photos from the Sidewalk Surfer 48th Anniversary Party: