It’s the last weekend of August. So, celebrate summer’s end.

Initially, Mickey Munoz’s family was worried about the crowd getting too big at the surfing legend’s 70th birthday celebration at Doheny on Friday. But Mickey’s wife Peggy says that ever since Corky Carroll wrote about it, they’ve given up on keeping the party a secret.

“It’s taken on a life of it’s own,” she said.

As long as “guests” (pretty much anyone at this point) bring their own food and support the Doheny Interpretive Association fundraising raffle, the more the merrier. So if you’ve got nothing to do, drop by Doheny tomorrow afternoon to honor one of surfing’s oldest icons.

Then, check out the rest of what’s going on this weekend:

Clean up Doheny Beach

If Munoz’s 1,000-person birthday bash trashes Doheny, don’t worry: You can help clean up the next morning, then keep the party going that night. Dialed Surf Industries and Quiver Surf are sponsoring a beach cleanup at Doheny Beach on Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. If that gets you thirsty, there’s an afterparty at Coconuts in Capo Beach, with live music starting at 8 p.m. There’ll be free giveaways, and a raffle for a surfboard shaped by Quashi Surfboards.

Gawk at sandcastles

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County are holding a “beach bash” in Huntington Beach on Saturday. The highlight will be their sixth annual sand castle building contest. Though the event itself isn’t open for participation by the public, there’s nothing keeping anyone from stopping by PCH and Magnolia, near lifeguard tower 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to see what they build. Get involved with future Big Brother Big Sisters events by visiting their website or calling 714-544-7773.

Eat chili to help surfers

Support Life Rolls On’s effort to get spinal-chord-injured patients surfing again by showing up to the Huntington Beach Elks’s chili cook-off and classic car show on Saturday. The event, which is more specifically being hosted by the Huntington Beach Elks Sons of the Beaches Surf Crew, runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m at the Elks Lodge, 7711 Talbert Avenue. Admission is five dollars, and there will be a pancake breakfast, chili and salsa tasting, a raffle and a silent auction. Thanks to Surfline for the tip.

Don Burn 1-mile swim:

A 1-mile swim starting from Corona Del Mar at 10 a.m. will be held on Saturday.

It kicks off at Big Corona Beach. Swimmers meet at lifeguard tower # 3 next to the jetty. Swimmers head out to a buoy 200 yards offshore and downcoast, past cliffside homes and rocky coastline to Little Corona. Then, they will round buoys on the left shoulder, and come back upcoast to the first buoy.

It costs $25, and you get a t-shirt. Swimmers should wear a bright cap. More info: www.newportlifeguard.org
 

See a free movie

Check out a free screening of surf film Absolute Mexico on Friday at the Huntington Beach Art Center. The grammatically suspect synopsis: “Captured in High Definition Video, the film explores what happens when the world’s best surfers descend on a small Mexican community during a perfect swell? Sheer Magic!” It’s happening at 7:30 p.m. at 538 Main St. Info: 714-374-1658 or khoffman@surfcity-hb.org.

Watch champion bodysurfers

Though it’s not quite in Orange County, the World Bodysurfing Championships this weekend in Oceanside should draw a crowd from all over. More than 350 bodysurfers — people who ride waves using, yes you guessed it, just their bodies — from around the world will compete in heats all day Saturday and Sunday. The heats begin at 6 a.m. each morning, and take place next to the Oceanside Pier. There will be vendor booths on the beach throughout the competition. Think US Open-lite.

Greet paddlers

Join hundreds of people on the beach off the Manhattan Beach pier for the finish of the 32-mile Catalina Classic paddleboarding race. Many of the 99 competitors are OC residents. Twenty-five are members of Ocean of Hope, an organization of paddleboarders that raises money each year for the Sarcoma Alliance. Both the Alliance and Ocean of Hope were started by Newport Beach natives. Tons of supporters will be on the beach, decked in yellow and black, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Though they’re there to support the fight against cancer, that doesn’t mean it won’t be a celebration on par with anything else this weekend.

“Ocean of Hope is basically the party at the end,” said chairman Mark Schulein, a Newport resident.

Scope the surf and the events each weekend at ocregister.com/beaches.

–Spencer Kornhaber

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