Scott Bass on upcoming Sacred Craft

How much to get in? How many people are you expecting?

Sacred Craft is a consumer expo. We are expecting over 5,000 people in attendance. It is $10 to get in, under 12 is free and you receive a free subscription to SURFER magazine and a chance at one of the four random freebie surfboard offerings from SURFER.

Plus there is a Gourmet Food Expo right next to us at the fairgrounds. I see a great opportunity for the "significant other" to walk the Gourmet Expo and sample wines and cheese while the "insignificant other" checks out all the surfboards and action at Sacred Craft.

I heard there will be a growing number of action sports labels that are utilizing Sacred Craft as a marketing and sales platform. Who will be there?

We're excited to have Billabong, Hansen’s, Vans, and new companies like The Soul Project, and of course PRIMO beer will be flowing.

Why the move to add brands outside of pure manufacturing and board shaping?

Smart brands understand that the surfboard industry is not only important, it is the genesis of our surf culture. It is quite basic, yet is sometime overlooked. Let's put it this way, when you see a surfer the first thing you look at is his surfboard and it is generally a point of conversation, it determines how a surfer rides a wave, what types of waves he rides, where he surfs. They grasp the significance.

Anything else we should know?

Korduory.TV will have a program of video shorts on loop for attendees to enjoy. Or you can chill in the Quivers Lounge presented by The Soul Project. We'll have music outside presented by SurfersVillage featuring surfers playing music for surfers: Seth Pettersen, Boo Stubbs & One Shot Wonder, Kevin White & Pacific Jazz Guitar featuring Bridget Eliza on vocals, Boaz Roberts Jazz and others tba.

Each Sacred Craft Expo honors a shaper, and the fall 2011 expo honors one of the nicest guys in the world, Carl Ekstrom. The Tribute to the Masters Shape-off honoring Carl Ekstrom presented by US Blanks brings together six shapers who 'compete' during a live shape-off.

At Ekstrom's suggestion this year's shape-off will not be exact replications but rather new variations of the asymmetrical design. Anything goes!

The only parameters are that 1) the finished blanks be asymmetrical and that 2) the fin placement be drawn onto the finished blank. A trio of design legends will judge the finished blanks: Stanley Pleskunas, Rusty Preisendorfer and honoree Carl Ekstrom. The trio anticipates having each shaper discuss with them the 'proof of design concept' during the judging process.

Sacred Craft is all about the surfboard; has always been about the surfboard. We feel it is time to put the surfboard-and those who craft and design them-back at the forefront of surf culture.