This is going to be a shindig not to miss.
Sleeping Bear Surf will be celebrating accordingly after 20 years of business on the Empire shores on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
“It has been a whirlwind indeed. When we started back in 2004, I was 9 years old and this has been such a massive part of my life and my upbringing,” Ella Skrocki said. “It’s been a reflection of my life and it feels really serendipitous celebrating. We no longer have my mama (Beryl) here in her earthly body. It’s really hard to go through this milestone without her.”
The first inaugural “Beryl Days” intends to share and bring to life the joy that Sleeping Bear Surf survives upon.
Beryl Skrocki was a mother and founder of Sleeping Bear Surf who passed away last year after a long fight with cancer.
“It is a very emotional weekend, but the goal of this weekend is to celebrate the joy of the last 20 years. And to focus on the energy that our mama created and we continue to create energy that she so very much carried through her life here with us,” Ella said.
At the Empire Beach Lighthouse on Friday at 6 p.m., the festivities kick off with a Traditional Paddle Out in honor of Beryl, followed by our classic Friday night Wine & Cheese on the wall (Potluck style) at the Empire Public Beach.
Saturday at 1 p.m. the bulk of the events are located at the lighthouse and across the village from sandcastle building and skipping stone contests; a high-vibe, radical, rambunctious relay race, a skate jam, a surf swap, games in the greenspace, food, beverage, and music through 10 p.m. from local legend Patrick Neimisto, a serenade from Allie Kessel, groovy tunes from The Skinny Limbs, and boogie-music from The Go Rounds.
Sunday winds down the weekend with a rejuvenating yoga practice, a beach cleanup with The Cleanup Club, and a Community Sip n’ Dip.
“We would so love any and all support in sharing Beryl Days, and our milestone at Sleeping Bear Surf; a family owned & operated surf shop, the first of its kind, thriving 20 years later in the heart of the Great Lakes,” Skrocki said.
There will be an event camping at Backyard Burdickville just out of Empire where attendees can spend the whole weekend in little Empire.
The past year hasn’t been easy for the family as they try to navigate the world without Beryl.
“It’s added some extra layers of challenge to operating our business. And in the same breath, the community came out for us in such an absolutely beautiful way when mom was sick and battling and after her passing. We felt immense support and in the last year and a half, since we lost her, we have seen the incredible impact that she has made,” Ella said. “We have conversations with people on a daily basis of how impactful that a mere conversation with our mom was or the role that we’ve been able to play in uplifting their time here in Northern Michigan. We’re extremely, extremely grateful for how unbelievably wonderful this community has been in her absence.”
sleepingbearsurf.com/event/ beryl-days/
