Gidget’s Beach Bash

The Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) is thrilled to present “Gidget Comes to Coronado,” a special weekend featuring two events with Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman, the iconic surfer girl and real-life inspiration for the Gidget novel, TV shows, and film.

The festivities begin with GIDGET’S BEACH BASH, an evening on the sand at the Hotel del Coronado on Friday, July 12. Pre-screening festivities begin at 7 pm and will be followed by a showing of the 1959 film Gidget. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a sunset cocktail, live music by the Coronado Ukulele Club, a raffle drawing, and a Q&A session with Kohner-Zuckerman. Tickets for the Friday event include a cocktail and a raffle entry and are available on the CIFF website.

CIFF is delighted to host this event in collaboration with The Del. “Sanjeev Hulugale, Rachel McCoy, and Keriann Martin have been amazing to work with and truly understand the value and uniqueness of a film festival in Coronado,” stated Ashley Poole, CIFF Events Director. “It doesn’t get any better than a surf movie on the beach!”

The celebration continues on Saturday, July 13, with a screening of the 2010 documentary, Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story at Coronado’s Village Theatre. Filmmaker Brian Gillogly, Kohner-Zuckerman, and surf legend Jericho Poppler will participate in a post-screening Q&A. Limited VIP tickets include a copy of the bestselling book Gidget, written by Kohner-Zuckerman’s father Frederick Kohner and inspired by Kathy’s teenage summer in Malibu, along with a book signing. The doors open at 10:30 am and the film begins at 11 am.

“Growing up in Southern California, Gidget was a part of our pop culture,” states Merridee Book, CIFF CEO & Artistic Director, “Hosting the ‘real’ Gidget is such an honor! These events represent a quintessential blend of the California surf culture of the ’50s and ’60s, breaking the barrier of a male-dominated sport, inspiring a new generation of female surfers, and celebrating an era gone by.”

Proceeds from these events and the raffle will benefit the Coronado Island Film Festival, a 501(c)(3) organization. Raffle items include a Surf Bike from Shaka Surf Bikes. Those who cannot attend can support CIFF by donating online; through July 11, every $25.00 donation will receive one raffle entry.