In Spring 2017, the folk from Visit Huntington Beach came to us with a mission: to spread the word about the surf-chic, skater-cool seaside town of Huntington Beach, otherwise known as ‘Surf City USA’, which lies in sunny Orange County, California. At the mention of sun, sea, sand and super laid back vibes, our production team Shuttlecock Inc couldn’t wait to get started on bringing Huntington Beach to London.

For one night only, Shuttlecock revamped Upstairs at Carousel into half surf shack, half skate shop, where guests got a feel for Orange County’s seaside paradise. With two walls of windows offering an abundance of natural light, and the light and airy design of our spacious first floor space, no one had any trouble believing they’d stepped out of central London and landed right in the heart of sunny California.

The surf shack was decorated with wetsuits and boards, with an instructor on hand to get everyone up close and personal with their rockers in an introductory surf lesson. After working up a sweat, guests moved on to the VW Camper snack bar where they enjoyed fish tacos, sliders and tempura sprouts

Over in the skate shop, guests were given a taste of the arty side of the vacation spot. Everyone got involved, trying their hands at customising skate decks, skateboards decorating the walls offering ample inspiration. Meanwhile, they could grab a cold one and a cocktail from the barrel bar whilst a live graffiti artist brought the walls to life with a vibrant mural depicting the life and soul of Huntington Beach.

Big thanks to all the dudes and wahines who came along and got involved. To anyone who missed out, you’ll just have to drop down to Huntington Beach and catch some waves and tacos next time you find yourself cruising through Orange County.