Volleyball Meets Halloween In The 23rd Annual Tournament
Smackfest is back on the beach, and the date for 2016 is Saturday, July 23.
For those who may not know (this would be South Bay newbies or anyone who has their head stuck in the sand while living here), Smackfest is a coed beach volleyball tournament with themed teams that put as much energy into enjoying the party atmosphere as they do in winning points.
Created by Bill Sigler of lifestyle wardrobe company Smack Sportswear and supported by a list of sponsors now as lengthy as some of the guys’ pickup lines to the girls, Smackfest is less about volleyball and more about socializing.
Participants frequently leave the beach – even in the middle of matches – to run to the local bars to cash in on the pre-arranged drink specials. Sharkeez is the official bar for this, by the way, and participants get food and drinks specials there throughout the day.
The loose tournament “rules” also provide quite a bit of creativity and improvisation, allowing teams to earn point in games by performing various challenges of their own choosing. Often, this involves offering up female members of the team – at least one girl must be on the court at all times – for various bar-inspired acts.
That is why it is not uncommon to see, say, a bikini-clad body stretched out on the sand having whipped cream poured over her body, then licked off by opposing team members. Now who wouldn’t trade a point or two for THAT privilege!?
The 2016 event is the 23rd annual Smackfest and there’s coed 4’s divided up into “fun” and professionals divisions. Since it’s an Olympic year, the Pro division should be stacked with some of the best players in the world.
More than 700 people participate in Smackfest and hundreds more join the fun on the sands of Hermosa Beach at the pier to take part in the fun, which includes a DJ and tons of other lively activities.
Signups begin June 1 at the Smackfest website: www.smackfestevents.com.
[…] I need a pair immediately for the big beach bash known as Smackfest, the cheapos is probably the route I’ll go for now. This will give me time to mentally adjust […]