Surf festival next door had a community impact

New Smyrna Beach’s Mike Martin Pro/Am Surf and Skate Festival wrapped up April 12 after four days of competition, live activity and fundraising that could matter well beyond the city limits. The event drew surfers and spectators from around Florida and included pro, open and team divisions, along with a new skateboarding component that organizers said helped expand the festival’s reach.

For Edgewater residents, the significance is not just that a major surf event happened in neighboring New Smyrna Beach. Organizers said the festival’s proceeds support scholarships for high school seniors in New Smyrna, with the Smyrna Surfari Club planning to award $20,000 in scholarships to graduating surfers this year. That makes the event more than a weekend attraction; it also serves as a community fundraiser tied to local students and families in Southeast Volusia.

According to coverage from American Surf Magazine, Cam Richards won the men’s pro title and Daya McCart won the women’s pro division. Junior pro winners were Alana Lopez and Benji Lange. Organizers also described this year as one of the event’s strongest yet, despite a last-minute venue change and less-than-ideal surf conditions.

The festival ran from April 9 through April 12 and featured a vendor village, beer garden, live music, raffles, a silent auction and other activities intended to bring people into town. Event organizer Stephanie Brown said her goal has been to rebuild the contest into a larger citywide happening, echoing earlier versions of the event that drew visitors and created a broader community atmosphere.

That regional draw matters for Edgewater readers because New Smyrna Beach events often affect nearby traffic, beach access, business activity and weekend plans across Southeast Volusia. Even when the competition itself is next door, the economic and community ripple effects are shared across neighboring cities whose residents work, shop and spend leisure time in the same coastal corridor.

The event also carried a memorial and cultural element. A mural by local artist Jimmy Lane, depicting Mike Martin surrounded by surfers, served as a backdrop for the awards ceremony. Sponsors and organizers emphasized that the festival’s identity is rooted in giving back, not just competition.

With the 2026 event now complete, the immediate takeaway for Edgewater is that one of the area’s better-known spring surf gatherings again delivered both tourism energy and direct scholarship support for local youth. For residents keeping tabs on nearby community events with a practical local payoff, this was one of the more meaningful New Smyrna Beach stories of the week.