From Radical Origins

Since plein air painters arrived over 100 years ago, Laguna Beach has been a haven for artists, misfits, and visionaries of all stripes. Discover how this indomitable creative spirit defined the town's identity and continues to flourish.   

In 1970, Curtis Rainbow attempted to realize a wild dream: Laguna would host the Woodstock of the West Coast, a hodgepodge of art, culture, music, spiritual awakening and holiday celebration. And on Christmas Day - it happened. Sort of.

In 1989, 20,000 Laguna Beach Residents marched to halt impending development of Laguna Canyon by the Irvine Company. While the march was a momentous confrontation, it was the culmination of a longstanding fight to preserve Laguna’s Open Spaces - and a success. 22,000 acres of undeveloped land was saved: the Laguna Greenbelt. Today, that protection extends beyond the coast and out into the open ocean. 

While surfing is iconic to Laguna Beach, skimboarding holds the birthright.  Steep beaches and heavy shorebreak have made Laguna not only a natural starting place for the sport, but a home that inspired technological advancements and launched a contest circuit to help the sport spread around the globe. 

For generations, Laguna’s hills and canyons have inspired artists and naturalists. But by the 1980s, much of the land had been closed to public access by private entities and the county, and was just waiting for rediscovery by a new group of rebels. What began with illegal pathways being carved by Freeriders has become a sprawling network of trails enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors - who have no idea about the blood and antics that built them.

As a completely voluntary affair, The Brooks Street Classic Surf Contest has been a mix of local passion and improvisation since 1955. Heat-sheets are still organized according to community knowledge, and winners still become town heroes. Far more than just an emblem of a lively surf culture, the contest is an example of how a once perceived savage subculture became core to the Laguna city lore.