Surfin’ Cowpokes

“Everybody talks about the weather but no one does anything about it,” Mark Twain said. On the other hand, everyone complains about the lack of organized activity in the Pierpont area of Ventura, but John Drury, owner of the Beach Hut, did something about it.

And he’s doing it again, as shown by the fourth annual Surf Rodeo and Seaward Street Fair that unfolds this weekend.

The block-long business corridor between Pierpont Avenue and the beach often appears to be slighted when grandiose vision statements are pronounced by city officials, and construction on the Seaward Avenue exit from the 101 Freeway has messed up traffic even more than usual. But this event should go a long way toward making folks forget all that.

The Street Fair portion of the event will begin at 10 a.m. both days. Last year’s one-day event attracted more than 3,000, and even more are expected this time. As is common for such events, there will be accommodations for the smaller citizens with a Kid Zone featuring those ubiquitous Jolly Jumpers, plus arts and crafts up and down the block for their parents.

And expect plenty of food booths, but none that compete with existing Seaward businesses. For example, Tacos ‘n’ Beer won’t have competition for its fish tacos, nor will Joannafina’s for tamales, nor Duke’s for burgers. Serious about doing something for the locals rather than to the locals, the organizers turned down a corporate Realtor who wanted to open a booth because two local real estate firms are helping to sponsor this event.

Really close parking for the really lazy is available in the vacant lot at Seaward and Pierpont for $5, to be donated to a good cause.

“This whole event is a community pride sort of thing,” said Tim Barry, Drury’s right-hand man and event coordinator. “For example, the parking money goes to local charities such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.”

Cowabunga, dude! The Surf Rodeo is nothing like those finhead fantasies shown in any of those surf flicks. Instead, think the Three Stooges meet Frankie and Annette.

“No way in the world would I ever plan a regular surf contest--I’m way over that,” Drury said. “It’s like a real rodeo--no one chooses their bull. All the boards are old school from the ‘70s and early ‘80s and will be chosen at random.”

The surf portion of the event is self-explanatory, but the rodeo portion intends to make a fashion statement. Sort of. The competitors each must wear a cowboy hat (in a scary color) with a vest to match. In years past, the hats were cheap straw varieties like those found in the toy section of a chain store. This year, the lids have been upgraded, Drury said.

“The hats are not Stetsons and not high-fashion hats, but we have new ones this year that’ll keep their shape in the water,” he said. “I’m becoming an expert in cowboy hats. It’s not just how cool they look, but can they look cool in the water?”

The finheads will hit the water at 7 a.m. both days with good reason--Seaward has small waves and the wind comes up in the afternoon. More than 200 surfers are expected to compete this year in a number of divisions for both men and women, a pro division and a longboard competition. The water temperature will be in the mid-60s--about as good as it gets in these parts.

A so-called greased pig competition Sunday afternoon should provide even more laughs than the soggy fashion show. Surfers and their boards will be covered with baby oil and must paddle around a buoy about a quarter-mile offshore, then actually catch a wave and stand up. Winners of each division will receive handmade trophies, and the overall winner will receive a handmade jacket with enough glitter to blind Liberace.

If that’s not enough, the organizers are going to recreate a Western town on the beach, with four barns, selling everything from event T-shirts to tri-tip sandwiches. And Drury is looking for a mechanical bull, apparently with a very long extension cord, to put on the beach.

As to the soundtrack for the Surf Rodeo, several of the Poinsettia City’s best musicians will get a chance to work on their tans. The main attraction figures to be Raging Arb & the Redheads, making their debut in the new millennium as the party-ender Saturday afternoon. All six original members will be on hand, with help from drummer Pete Finestone and guitar players Jimmy Giannatti and Erik LeMaire. The quieter part of the event will be the Saturday afternoon fashion show.

The music lineup looks like this on Saturday: Big Dictator (11:30 a.m.), Fashion Show (1 p.m.), Loudmouth Soup (2:30 p.m.) and Raging Arb & the Redheads (4 p.m.). Sunday: American Cheese Band (10 a.m.), Big Wednesday (11:30 a.m.), Army of Freshmen (1 p.m.), Middle Class Disaster (2:30 p.m.) and the awards ceremony (4 p.m.).

“Before, I used to worry that this thing wouldn’t work out, but it always has before,” said Drury. “This is when everyone gets along and everyone celebrates a cool day at the beach--and this year, it’s two days.”

DETAILS

Fourth annual Surf Rodeo and Seaward Street Fair, Seaward Avenue and the Pacific, Ventura, Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; street parking or $5 at Pierpont and Seaward; 643-4888.

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Bill Locey can be reached by e-mail at blocey@pacbell.net.