A New Wave Rolls In at the San Clemente Ocean Festival

Peggy Vance passes the beach baton to new Executive Director, Summer Strauch

San Clemente, CA — After 24 incredible years guiding “The Greatest Show on Surf”, longtime Executive Director Peggy Vance is officially passing the beach baton to Summer Strauch, ushering in a vibrant new chapter of creativity, community, and coastal celebration.

Peggy has been the steady tide behind the Ocean Festival’s growth and success, helping it evolve into one of California’s most iconic seaside traditions. Under her leadership, the event has welcomed over half a million visitors, raised more than $1 million in sponsorships, supported vital ocean safety programs, and created generations of cherished summer memories. Her dedication, leadership, and aloha spirit have left an unforgettable mark on the shoreline and the community she served.

Now, stepping into the role is two-time Emmy and Webby Award-winning Executive Producer Summer Strauch, a creative powerhouse with deep ties to ocean culture and more than 20 years of experience producing world-class live events and television.

Strauch’s credits include producing the MTV Video Music Awards, New Years Eve Live in Times Square, the MTV Sports & Music Festival, and YouTube’s Reserve Channel. Her work blends storytelling, large-scale event production, and cultural impact making her uniquely suited to lead a festival that celebrates the ocean, athleticism, and community.

Before pivoting her focus toward creative storytelling, photography, and community-based work, Summer spent years shaping global culture from behind the scenes. Today, her ethereal seascape photography, inspired by her upbringing on the beaches of Hawaii and life in Southern California, is sold around the world.

“As someone who grew up watching my dad, pro surf legend Paul Strauch, surf the North Shore of Hawaii and now raise my own family by the ocean here in San Clemente, this festival feels like home,” says Strauch. “I’m honored to carry forward Peggy’s incredible legacy and help shape the next wave of Ocean Festival magic.”

The 2025 San Clemente Ocean Festival returns July 19–20, with the same coastal stoke, classic competitions, and exciting new experiences for the whole beach-loving crew.

To learn more or get involved, visit www.oceanfestival.org or follow @scoceanfest on Instagram and Facebook.