Weekend of October 3-5, 2025
Santa Cruz, California, USA
Buy tickets for this event (note: tickets for the sail/gala are no longer available)
Details:
FRIDAY 10/3:
4:30-5:45pm Welcome “Waves of Love” Life Celebration for Christy
Seashell remembrance messages and Sound Bowl Ceremony w/Brittany Armas
@ Twin Lakes Beach
(Parking at restaurant lot at 2214 E Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062)
(FREE to all participants)
5:45pm Dinner at Santa Cruz Harbor Restaurants off of Twin Lakes State Beach (The Crow’s Nest, Cafe El Palomar, & Beach Market)
(No host – Participants purchase own meals)
8:00pm Beach Bonfire & Healing with Sarah MacEwan @ Twin Lakes Beach
(FREE to all participants)
Parking Information
Parking at restaurant lot at 2214 E Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (see map below).
There is a PAY lot parking lot near the Crow’s Nest Restaurant where we will gather after the ceremony for dinner. Once you park head toward the beach and follow the IFD Teal Arrows. These will guide you toward the ceremony.
SATURDAY 10/4:
9:30-10:30am Group photos at the iconic Beach Boardwalk
(400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060)
(FREE to all participants)
Parking Information
Park in the PAY lot across from the Board Walk or metered street parking.
11:30am-2:00pm Sail on the Monterey Bay
(Check in @ 790 Mariner Park Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95062)
(Ticket $75 for a 2-hour sail w/lunch, mimosas, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages included – INCLUDED WITH EVENT TICKET PURCHASE)
Parking Information, What to Wear, What to Bring
Parking: “Visitor” parking spots are located near the Chardonnay check-in office. After finding a Visitor spot, proceed to one of the two available pay stations to pay for parking. The nearest pay station is located at Dock F, near the Stagnaro’s boat, Velocity. Chardonnay II is located at the next dock down, Dock FF. The other pay station is located at the opposite end of the parking lot, near Aldo’s Restaurant. At either pay station guests will be able to use cash, quarters or credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Discover) to pay for the amount of time they will be parked. The price is $1.25/hour. Parking fees are not regulated by Chardonnay Sailing Charters and are non-refundable. For further parking information please contact (831) 475-6161.
What to Wear:
• NO high-heels or leather bottomed shoes. This means no high heels, wedges, or heeled boots or any shoes with leather soles.
• Dress in warm clothes. Bring a jacket and wear sunscreen (sunscreen is available for purchase at the check-in office).
• We have plenty of storage on board for your belongings.
What to Bring:
• All passengers 18 years of age and older must carry photo ID per Coast Guard regulation and for the purpose of possible alcohol consumption during excursions.
• Cash gratuity at the end of the charter is greatly appreciated by our captain and crew who will be serving you for the duration of your sail. If you have a larger group size, please consider passing this along to your party. (Industry standard is 10% – 20%.)
• Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, reusable cup
OR explore and enjoy Santa Cruz…
Suggested Attractions:
-Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
-Surfing Museum
-Natural Bridges State Beach
-Santa Cruz Wharf
-Beach Boardwalk
-Santa Cruz Main Beach
-Big Basin State Park
-Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
-Arboretum and Botanical Garden
-Wilder Ranch State Park
-Capitola Village and State Beach
5:00-10:00pm IFD Dinner Gala @ the historic Cocoanut Grove Sun Room
(400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060)
Celebration of Life Ceremony for Christy
(Ticket $125 – INCLUDED WITH EVENT TICKET PURCHASE)
*Shades of teal/aqua, or black and/or white, are encouraged attire, but not required.
Parking Information
Parking in the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk parking lot. Validation at the Gala.
SUNDAY 10/5:
9:00-11:30am FLAT Walk on West Cliff & Goodbyes
West Cliff Drive in front of the Santa Cruz Surf Museum
(FREE to all participants)
Parking Information
There are several small lots close to the Museum off of West Cliff Drive.
Meet The Team
Stacey Sigman
With a heavy heart, breast cancer activist Stacey Sigman joins in honoring Christy Avila—founder of International Flat Day (IFD)—as the event this year will now be a Life Celebration. Stacey met Christy in 2019, when their visions aligned through overlapping events. Christy had just launched International Flat Day, and Stacey founder of Flat Retreat, held the first of many Retreats in Palm Springs. Seeing the shared mission, Christy generously offered her now-iconic teal IFD T-shirts for attendees of Flat Retreat.
And just like that 💥 FLAT was ignited—fueled by Christy’s vision, generosity, and relentless drive. Over the next six years, Stacey, Christy, and others collaborated across projects that changed the face of flat advocacy. Christy built community through @FierceFlatForward, served as Vice President of NotPuttingOnAShirt.org, and became a powerful voice for post-mastectomy choice.
Stacey co-founded the StandTall visibility campaign and launched CureCulture.org, a people’s movement to end the breast cancer epidemic.
It was an unforgettable era of focused activism—led by modern pioneers like Christy—who transformed post-mastectomy options by validating going FLAT as a healthy, empowered, and body-affirming choice. Among Stacey’s most cherished memories is presenting Christy with a Flat Visibility Award from @FlatRetreat in 2021, and more recently, their work on a documentary chronicling the flat movement in the U.S. and Europe.
Christy’s legacy lives on in every empowered decision, every bold act of advocacy, and everlasting teal in the big beautiful ocean. In her honor #MakeWaves
Cricket Campbell
Cricket is a 5-year breast cancer survivor and “shirt’s-off” advocate for aesthetic flat closure who has held leadership roles in national initiatives including the Stand Tall AFC campaign and Flat Retreat. Regionally, she founded a flat support group in Central Oregon and co-facilitates a statewide group for Oregon flatties. She champions informed consent and body autonomy, helping women access the information they need to make empowered choices around breast cancer treatment and healing.
“Christy and I met at Flatties in the Wild, Venice Beach, in 2021—bonding over nerves, shared lymphedema, and our mutual belief in ‘heart signs’ from the universe. We shared our first of many flat hugs and selfies at that post-COVID gathering of flat women, and I was honestly star-struck. Her grace, determination, care for others, vision, and gentle fierceness impacted me instantly, and only deepened over the years as our friendship grew.
When Christy reached out for support – whether for International FLAT Day events or other projects – I answered the call, honored to be swept into her waves of greatness. We shared countless flat events, shirtless Stand Tall walks, deep conversations, and even the development of a documentary that will highlight the richness and complexity of her journey as a mom, leader, sister, and woman living with metastatic breast cancer.
To know Christy was to be changed by her. The honor of loving her – what feels like both a lifetime and far too short a time – will forever be mine.”
Please join us in celebrating her life and carrying her legacy forward with laughter, tears, and fierce love at #IFD2025SantaCruz.
Carol Contos-Cursi
Carol lives in San Francisco, CA with her husband, Steve. After retiring in October 2016, she was diagnosed with breast cancer the following year. The transition to flat proved challenging, but she eventually found strength and support through the Flat Community. In 2019, she attended Flat Retreat where she celebrated the first IFD sporting the iconic teal IFD T-shirt that Christy had shipped special for everyone. Carol was also an early member of Fierce Flat Forward and connected with Christy in 2021. She quickly became an active voice in the movement. She helped plan International Flat Day (IFD) in San Francisco in 2023 and attended IFD in Paris in 2024. Today, Carol continues to advocate for flat visibility and body autonomy, and works with CureCulture to promote KnowYourRisk, better prevention screening, and ending the breast cancer epidemic.
IFD Santa Cruz FAQ
Who was Christy Avila?
Christy Avila was a devoted mother, beloved sister, dear friend, and fierce leader in the breast cancer advocacy community who dedicated her life to helping other women by raising awareness about aesthetic flat closure and breast implant illness. She founded the Fierce Flat Forward Facebook support group, created International Flat Day on October 7th, authored a children’s book about living flat after mastectomy, and served tirelessly as the Vice President of the nonprofit Not Putting on a Shirt. Christy touched the lives of thousands of women across the world with her advocacy work. Her generosity, compassion and spirit will never be forgotten. We gather in Santa Cruz to celebrate her life and legacy this October.
Are guests besides flatties welcome at this event?
Yes, guests are welcome!
Do I have to attend all activities at the event?
No, you are welcome to pick and choose which activities you would like to participate in.
Is there a central hotel where guests are staying?
No, there is not a designated hotel assigned for our stay, but as all activities are close to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, it is advised to search for lodging in that general area, where a long list of options will be found, in a variety of price ranges, depending on your preferences for accommodations.
Is there a dress code for the IFD Dinner Gala?
Yes, attire should be dressy (i.e. semi-formal to formal) for the IFD Gala. *While wearing shades of teal or aqua – the representative color of International FLAT Day – is encouraged (or black and/or white), doing so is not required.
Who should I reach out to if I have additional questions?
Please reach out to staceysigman@gmail.com if you have any additional questions about the weekend’s activities.
What are some other attractions in Santa Cruz and the surrounding area?
The area is full of things to see and do! Explore Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz Wharf, Henry Cowell or Big Basin Redwoods State Parks, Wilder Ranch, the UCSC Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, the Surfing Museum, or Capitola Village and Beach.
What is Not Putting on a Shirt’s relationship to this event?
The NPOAS Board of Directors has oversight over, and NPOAS has responsibility for, this event, since Christy’s passing.
Tribute Collage for Christy – Photo Release
To contribute to a tribute collage for Christy to celebrate and highlight our time together, please sign this short photo release form.
IFD 2025 Event Liability Waiver
NPOAS asks that all attendees sign a liability waiver before participating in the event. Thank you!
Code of Conduct
We want this event to be a time where we and Christy’s family can focus on honoring Christy, her advocacy, and the common thread that unites us all. To ensure that spirit remains at the center, we ask that everyone treat one another with respect and conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the importance and solemnity of this occasion. You can find the full details in the NPOAS Code of Conduct here.