A surfer enjoys the waves in La Union. Handout

Tourists and locals recently took part in the 2024 La Union Surfing Break (LUSB), which mixed sports, music, art, and eco-friendly activities.

Now on its 19th year, the event was held during the long weekend of November 1 to 3 in the towns of San Juan and Bacnotan, following a pre-event surfing competition in October.

Eco-friendly highlights include the "Palit Basura" program, which encouraged visitors to collect trash and plastic bottles along Urbiztondo Beach in exchange for LUSB merchandise; and Tour-tle: Journey with the Flippers, an educational program about ways to save sea turtles.

The music festival, on the other hand, featured local acts like Dream Seven, Zoom Zoom Lunacy, Agsunta, TagaElyu, Bandang Lapis, Antipara, Jiking, and Michael Dutchi Libranda.

Other activities include a free surfing clinic, a surfboard painting competition, a foam party, and a beach volleyball session. Local delicacies were also showcased at the Surftown Market.

"In this significant event, I would like to recognize the reasons why we have this celebration. Our dear local surfers who have brought home so much pride to our province," said La Union Governor Rafy Ortega-David.

"It is only right that we celebrate our waves, our surfing community, and our La Union tourism industry," she added.

Usually held during the semestral break, the LUSB was initially targeted at students from Manila, Baguio, and other cities in Luzon to allow them to experience the waves and other activities that La Union has to offer.

It has become one of the tourist draws in La Union, which expects to exceed its 300,000 visitor arrivals last year.

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