When the song “Surf City” hit the radio waves in the 1960s, it wasn’t just a catchy hit – it shared the surf lifestyle with the world.
On Saturday, June 21, a tradition of that surf culture, a “paddle out” to celebrate a life, was held at the iconic Huntington Beach Pier for Brian Wilson, one of The Beach Boys’ founders and co-writer of the famous song that became the namesake of the beach town.
Surfers paddled out into the ocean, forming a circle and sharing words, splashing water to the sky in tribute to Wilson.
People dance and sing along to the music of The Beach Boys on the Huntington Beach Pier as hundreds attend a celebration of life and a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Hundreds of people gather on the beach as well as on the Huntington Beach Pier as they join in the celebration of life and take part in a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Surfers hold hands as they gather in a circle adjacent to the Huntington Beach Pier during a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11. The paddle out followed a celebration of life for the singer on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Tammy Maldonado, left, and her friend, Elaine Eggerling, right center, have their photo taken with Dean Torrence, center, of the rock-and-roll duo Jan and Dean, following the celebration of life and memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The song, Surf City, was co-written by Wilson, Jan Berry and Dean Torrence. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Hundreds of people stand along the railing on the Huntington Beach Pier as they watch the celebration of life and a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11, on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Beach goers check out photos on a poster as hundreds of people attend a celebration of life and a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on the northside of the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Surfers make their way to the water for a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11, as hundreds of people look on from the beach and from the Huntington Beach Pier following a celebration of life for the singer on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Peter Townend speaks as hundreds of people gather on the beach as well as on the Huntington Beach Pier for a celebration of life and memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11, on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Surfers hold hands as they gather in a circle adjacent to the Huntington Beach Pier during a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11. The paddle out followed a celebration of life on the beach for the singer on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Hundreds of people stand along the railing on the Huntington Beach Pier as they watch the celebration of life and a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11, on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) A child runs toward the water past flowers washed up on the beach adjacent to the Huntington Beach Pier following a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who died on June 11. The paddle out was part of a celebration of life on the beach for the singer on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. The city of Huntington Beach is known as Surf City USA. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 11People dance and sing along to the music of The Beach Boys on the Huntington Beach Pier as hundreds attend a celebration of life and a memorial paddle out for Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys on Saturday morning, June 21, 2025, in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG) ExpandThe iconic songwriter and musician who helped create a genre of surf rock died on June 11 at age 82.
The seaside service, put on by Visit Huntington Beach, drew fans, community members and civic leaders to reflect on Wilson’s impact — on Huntington Beach and California’s coastal identity and on American music — and to celebrate Wilson’s “enduring contributions to music, culture and the California dream.”
Kelly Miller, president and CEO of Visit Huntington Beach, recalled growing up in Alaska and hearing the Beach Boys for the first time.
“I was just a kid in the third or second grade, and I couldn’t believe it,” Miller said. “My dad had a party, put the Beach Boys on and I was just transported. I’d never heard music like that before.”
And it happened on a fitting day, International Surfing Day, a quasi-holiday every third Saturday in June, when surfers celebrate their beloved culture and sport.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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