Photo gallery: Surfin’ Santa returned to Capitola Village

Surfin’ Santa rode the waves into Capitola Village again this past weekend, an annual tradition that brought hundreds of spectators to the beach. 

Thanks to the warm weekend temperatures, Santa and his 10 surfing reindeer ditched the sleigh and opted for stand-up paddleboards. Santa was escorted to shore in a kayak.

Local residents and visitors packed the shore of Capitola Beach to greet Santa, who was wearing his Hawaiian shirt and wet suit.  Upon arrival, he made his way to the Esplanade Stage, where he posed for photos and took pictures with all of the good boys and girls for several hours. The annual event is organized by the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce.

Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud was there to capture the holiday fun.