In 1963, SURFER Magazine held a semiformal banquet at a small restaurant in Capistrano Beach. There, the winners of the first reader-selected poll were announced, and from that night on, the Surfer Poll Awards became the surf world’s most prestigious evening, and the awards would come to represent the pinnacle of surf culture

The tradition continues on today with a huge gathering of the surf industry tribe. Check out these photos from an historic nightClick here for full 2006 SURFER Poll Results