Surfing Santas Appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Receives Donation
COCOA BEACH, FL. Dec. 13, 2022 -
Surfing Santas of Cocoa Beach and founder George Trosset appeared on the December 12, 2022 episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” during her “What I’m Liking” segment. Kelly and George talked about the humble beginnings of the local tradition when George and his family hit the waves in Santa and elf costumes photographed by the local paper, and how it grew to be known worldwide. At the end of the segment, Kelly announced a $1000 donation to the Florida Surf Museum with season-long partner Pilot Pens, makers of FriXion the go-to erasable pen of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” to “celebrate those creating fearlessly just like you.” Watch here: https://www.nbc.com/the-kelly-clarkson-show/video/surfing-santas-take-over-florida-beach-on-christmas/ACCN994117803
Surfing Santas returns for its 13th year in front of Coconuts on the Beach in Main Street Cocoa Beach. The event includes live music, hula dancers, a costume contest, and hundreds of Santas hitting the waves. The event begins at 7:30 am on Christmas Eve morning, with the costume contest in the morning, the official start of Santas running to the surf at 10 am, and other live entertainment and raffle drawing through the duration of the event until it concludes at noon. Costume contest winners receive a 2-night hotel stay at the Country Inn & Suites Port Canaveral and gift bag with suncare from Sun Bum and other prizes. Grand prize winner gets a free full-day boat rental including fuel from Carefree Boat Club. Hundreds of surfers and thousands of spectators attend annually.
All proceeds from Surfing Santas T Shirts and merch support Florida Surf Museum, a non-profit 501c3 organization, and their sponsored non-profit Grind for Life, a charity that provides cancer patients with financial help for expenses not covered by insurance as well as counseling and support for cancer patients. Surfing Santas also supports local high school surf teams. Since 2013, Surfing Santas has raised $250,000 through donations and sales of Surfing Santas merchandise. This year, Auto Expo donated a 1996 Toyota Hilux SSR X (Surf), a right-hand drive SUV complete with a surfboard roof rack for a raffle.
"The Kelly Clarkson Show" is hosted by Emmy Award-winning host and Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson. The show's unique formula brings together a diverse, signature panel of musicians, actors, directors, and authors with everyday people doing extraordinary things in their communities. The critically acclaimed daytime talk show headed into its fourth season with 13 Daytime Emmy wins and two Gracie Awards for Best Talk Show-Entertainment, which recognizes exemplary programming created by, for, and about women.
###
For B-roll and images of prior years: https://surfingsantas.org/media/ or contact Meagan.Happel@visitspacecoast.com
For more information regarding media at this year’s event or to receive assets day of, please contact Meagan.Happel@visitspacecoast.com
Merchandise Locations: Long Doggers (all locations), Ron Jon Surf Shop, Studios of Cocoa Beach, Space Coast CBD, Coconuts on the Beach, Drifthouse Cocoa Beach, Coastal Produce Cocoa Beach, and Another Ride Surf Shop (Indian Harbor Beach).
Surfing Santas Corporate Sponsors: Ron Jon Surf Shop, Kona Brewing Company, Nutrl Vodka Seltzer, Carroll Distributing Company, Long Doggers, Coconuts on the Beach, Grills Seafood Deck & Tiki Bar, Pineapples EGAD, Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, Country Inn and Suites Port Canaveral, TD Bank Merritt Island, Erdman Automotive, Auto Expo, E-Lifeguard,Space Coast CBD, Florida Funwear, Our Aroma, Carefree Boat Club, and Steve Casanova Attorney at Law.
ABOUT KELLY CLARKSON
Emmy Award-winning talk show host, Grammy Award-winning artist and America's original idol, Kelly Clarkson, is one of the most popular artists of this era with total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 40 million singles. She recently released her EP "Kellyoke," which features six studio versions of popular covers from the Kellyoke segment on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." In 2021 she released her ninth studio album, "When Christmas Comes Around ... ," her latest since 2017's critically acclaimed Grammy nominated album "Meaning of Life" and second holiday offering following 2013's "Wrapped in Red." The 15-track collection, featuring a mix of new original songs and Christmas classics, sees Clarkson explore a wide range of holiday emotions and experiences anchored by her incomparable vocal prowess. The Texas-born singer-songwriter first came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of "American Idol." Clarkson's debut single, "A Moment Like This," followed and quickly went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, ultimately ranking as the year's best-selling single in the U.S. Further, Clarkson is one of pop's top singles artists, with 17 singles boasting multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications around the world, including such global favorites as "Miss Independent" and "Because of You." Clarkson has released nine studio albums ("Thankful," "Breakaway," "My December," "All I Ever Wanted," "Stronger," "Wrapped in Red," "Piece By Piece," "Meaning of Life," "When Christmas Comes Around... "), one EP, "Kellyoke," one greatest hits album and two children's books (The New York Times Top 10 bestseller "River Rose and the Magical Lullaby" and the recent follow-up, "River Rose and the Magical Christmas"). She's the recipient of an array of awards, including a Daytime Emmy Award in 2022 for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host, one MTV Movie & TV Award, three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, two American Country Awards and one Country Music Assn. Award. She is also the first artist to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts. Additionally, Clarkson has hosted the Billboard Music Awards for three consecutive years, voices the character of Moxy in "Ugly Dolls" and the character of Delta Dawn in "Trolls World Tour" and was the winning coach on seasons 14, 15, 17, and 21 of "The Voice."
ABOUT NBCUNIVERSAL SYNDICATION STUDIOS:
NBCUniversal Syndication Studios is responsible for the production, sales and distribution of NBCUniversal products to broadcast television within the United States. The division develops and produces first-run programming and distributes these shows, along with off-network content, in broadcast television as well as digital and streaming platforms. First-run, broadcast syndicated programming includes "Access Hollywood," "Access Daily," "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "Judge Jerry," "Karamo," "Maury" and "The Steve Wilkos Show." Current first-run original productions include "American Anthems," a music-based docuseries airing on PBS, "Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of Cabbage Patch Kids," a documentary that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2022, and "Change with Ed Mylett," a talk show airing on Nosey.com. In addition, the division distributes the retro television broadcast network Cozi TV and the weekend syndicated series "Open House." Current off-network programming includes "American Ninja Warrior," "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D.," "Dateline," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Monk" and "The Office."
To join our live studio audience, visit: https://1iota.com/show/1230/the-kelly-clarkson-show
Where to watch: www.kellyclarksonshow.com
STAY CONNECTED Instagram and IG Stories: @kellyclarksonshow #kellyclarksonshow Location tag: The Kelly Clarkson Show Twitter: @kellyclarksontv #kellyclarksonshow Facebook: @kellyclarksonshow #kellyclarksonshow Location tag: The Kelly Clarkson Show YouTube: youtube.com/c/kellyclarksonshow #kellyclarksonshow Website: Kellyclarksonshow.com
###
Media Contact:
Meagan Happel, PR Manager
Meagan.Happel@visitspacecoast.com
321-474-2204