| (Illustrative Only) I don't know what you like to do on your off time but old timers sometimes do things the young also love. Encouraging a new generation of free thinkers to foster new ideas in society. |
Ocean Beach has its own kind of charm—it’s a little scruffy, a little eclectic, and very proud of it. It’s one of those places where people actually want to keep things weird (in a good way) instead of polishing everything into the same glossy, commercial beach vibe you see elsewhere. A lot of the businesses are small, local, and full of personality—and people really like it that way. The counter culture pushes on! ☮
Events like this do more than just entertain. Sure, they bring in visitors—maybe someone from LA or even nearby La Jolla who doesn’t usually make the trip to Ocean Beach. They come down to compete, watch, or just soak it all in… and then suddenly they’re grabbing food, browsing shops, and wandering down Newport Avenue like they’ve lived there for years. That’s the spillover effect in action—fun turns into foot traffic, and foot traffic turns into business.
And then there’s the entertainment factor. Watching kids absolutely send it on skateboards—wiping out, popping back up, and laughing like gravity is just a suggestion—is both impressive and mildly terrifying. Every time they fall, I cringe. Every time they get back up, I’m reminded I would not survive that lifestyle anymore.
If you haven’t been to Ocean Beach, it’s worth a visit. Come for the surf and skate scene, stay for the vibe, and maybe leave with a burrito and something you didn’t plan on buying. As research shows, festivals like this don’t just create good memories—they generate real economic benefits for local communities. And in a place packed with small businesses, that impact tends to ripple out even more. Not a bad way to spend a weekend.
Ocean Beach 10th Annual Skate and Surf
Calculating the Economic Impact of Festivals and Events
- Economic impact is composed of three main effects: direct, indirect, and induced impacts within a local economy.
- Direct effects primarily come from visitor spending at the event and in surrounding businesses (e.g., food, lodging, retail).
- Total direct impact is typically estimated by multiplying the number of visitors by average spending per person.
- Attendance can be measured through methods such as ticket counts, gate counts, crowd counts, or sampling techniques.
- Visitor spending data is usually collected surveys (in-person, online, or hybrid), with sampling plans to improve accuracy.
- There is a tradeoff between data accuracy and resource investment (more surveys/counts increase accuracy but require more effort).
- Indirect and induced effects are estimated using input-output models (e.g., IMPLAN) to capture broader economic ripple effects.
- A structured process includes survey design, data collection, coordination, analysis, and reporting of results.
- Communities may choose to measure only direct impacts or conduct full modeling depending on resources and goals.
University of Minnesota Extension. (2023, August 29). Calculating the economic impact of festivals and events. https://extension.umn.edu/tourism/calculating-economic-impact-festivals-and-events
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