The Museum of the Albemarle will soon have a new exhibit on what The Beach Boys call, “the greatest sport around.”
The new installation, “Where the Waves Break: Surfing in Northeastern North Carolina” will open at the museum in Elizabeth City July 13, with complementary programming planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day.
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Surfing, with its roots in Hawaii and Tahiti, has been around for centuries. On the state’s southern coastline, early forms of surfing activity were first documented in 1909, and, in 1920, the sport was introduced to the northern coast, according to the museum.
“What began as a sacred activity for Indigenous islanders has become a mix of cultures all its own. For more than a hundred years, many surfers have ridden these waves. For some, surfing is a profession; for others, it is a hobby, a therapeutic activity, a community to join, or a mechanism to raise awareness for causes,” the release states.
The exhibit features surfboards, trophies, competition jerseys, a wetsuit, lifejacket, surf jacket, and surf wax, as well as images and surfboards on loan from area surf shops.
“The Museum of the Albemarle thanks the surfers, surf shops, photographers, board making companies, and other organizations and individuals who contributed research, artifacts, quotes, and images for the exhibition,” organizers said.
Visitors can meet author, filmmaker and Elizabeth City native Laurel Senick from 12:30 until 3 p.m. July 13. Senick will be available to sign her book “Foam.” Attendees can view the 30-minute film she directed called “Any Given Morning.”
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Port Discover, which touts itself as “Northeastern North Carolina’s Center for Hands-On Science,” in Elizabeth City, plans a program on shells and their different characteristics. That’s set for 11 a.m. July 13.
The following week, the museum will host Summer Fun Day: A Day at the Beach, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 16. During Summer Fun Day, visitors can hear from staff of Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Currituck County, “Save Our Sand Dunes” author Hannah West, YMCA staff are to talk about water safety, and Lighthouse Keeper Madison Phillips of the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse is to provide educational programming.
The museum is collaborating with Elizabeth City Downtown Inc., RCE Theaters and GSN Global Surf Network Tuesday, July 30, to offer live music and a film.
Luck 757 of Portsmouth, Virginia, will begin at 6 p.m. The Portsmouth, Virginia, band performs songs by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Bobby Darin, Sam Cooke, Dion, The Drifters, Smokey Robinson, The Surfaris and others.
Following the band at 8:30 p.m. will be a showing of “The Endless Summer,” the classic surf documentary directed by Bruce Brown. Now marking its 60th anniversary, highlights the adventures of two young American surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson. They follow this everlasting summer to Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, and California.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held on the portico of the Museum of the Albemarle.
