CARV Expo (California Action Retailer + Venture) the country’s only West Coast action sports tradeshow and industry gathering, debuted this June at the San Diego Convention Center, officially putting down roots in the home of the boardsports industry. In its inaugural year, the CARV team introduced a fresh collaborative format to the typical trade show model, hosting more than a hundred brands and hundreds of retailers.
“CARV provided the platform for reps from our brands to connect face-to-face with key specialty retailers at a very important time for our industry,” said exhibitor Dylan Slater, CEO of Outerknown apparel, Firewire Surfboards and Slater Designs. “There was great energy — it was a real tailwind towards the success of our Spring/Summer 26 seasonal launch.”
Exhibitor Sean Fleuriau, Sales Director for Brixton said about bringing the show to the West Coast, “There was a renewed energy in the building that has been missing for years.”
CARV was launched explicitly to celebrate community and foster innovation within an industry on the cusp of another golden era, according to show organizers. Over three days, attendees wrote orders, caught up with old friends, debated strategy, and were introduced to some brands shaping the industry today. Meanwhile, skate demos and seminars rounded out the floor action.
CARV also provided a glimpse into the future. In collaboration with Surfer magazine, CARV introduced its inaugural Surfer Grant program, awarding four upstart brands an invite and full ride to the show. This year’s recipients—Blak Bear Surf Club, Faro Board Bags, Mamala Surf and Severson Originals embody the sort of hunger and excitement that has always fueled growth in board sports, according to show organizers. CARV and Surfer teams say they are already looking forward to next year’s applications.
According to a show press release, “The inaugural CARV Expo also emphatically proved the importance of face-to-face gatherings, and of seeing and feeling the goods we are proud to be making or selling. Retailers were invigorated, many reporting they were surprised by the number of brands in attendance at a debut show.”
“We made it clear very early on in the process of building this show that CARV Expo was a blank canvas, meant to be built around the needs, the challenges, the hopes and fears of surfers, surf shop owners, upstarts and aging brands,” explains CARV founder Josh Rifkin. “We listened. A lot! It was amazing to walk this show that was essentially conceptualized by the brand and retail leaders within the industry itself. Such a fun weekend.”
Rifkin points to things like fair and simple pricing as being the difference maker for many attendees, especially growing brands.
CARV Expo 2026 will take place a little earlier next year, from Thursday, May 14 through Friday May 15 again at the San Diego Convention Center. The move from late June to mid-May is designed to pre-empt the summer rush and help better meet the needs of the surf and skate industries, say show organizers.
