Huntington Beach City Council to consider an annual ‘Rockin’ Fig Day’

Details are emerging on ways to honor Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti, the Huntington Beach surfing celebrity who died July 16 of a heart attack.

A paddle out organized by Huntington Surf and Sport owner Aaron Pai and Fignetti’s good friend Don Ramsey is scheduled for Aug. 28. The paddle out to honor Fignetti, who was 64, will be at 9 a.m. at the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier. It will be followed by a celebration with live music at Pier Plaza from noon to 4 p.m.

There also may be a “Rockin’ Fig Day” each year in Surf City. A Huntington Beach City Council agenda item up for consideration at Tuesday night’s meeting would establish a day named in honor of Fignetti annually each Saturday of the Surf City Days event.

Surf City Days, which includes beach activities, competitions and vendors, is typically celebrated in September after Labor Day, but this year it was delayed to Oct. 9-10 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fignetti owned Rockin’ Fig Surf Headquarters on Main Street and was a 10-time West Coast Surfing Champion. He was also known for doing the morning surf report on KROQ-FM for 25 years.

Mayor Kim Carr, in introducing the agenda item, noted that Fignetti was “a Huntington Beach local legend and should be remembered for his dedication to Surf City, USA.”

For those not in attendance, Tuesday’s Huntington Beach City Council meeting can be watched on channel HBTV-3 or online at huntingtonbeach.legistar.com. Residents may send comments on agenda items to supplementalcomm@surfcity-hb.org.

Communications received by 2 p.m. Tuesday will be distributed to the council prior to consideration of agenda-related items.

Residents are encouraged to submit comments during the meeting via Zoom, though in-person attendees will speak first.

Szabo writes for Times Community News.