Dana Point Festival of Whales

Catch the Action at the 48th Annual Festival of Whales

Springtime in Dana Point brings the return of the Dana Point Festival of Whales, the world’s longest running event honoring these amazing creatures of the deep. Traditionally set for the first two weekends in March, this year’s event will run March 2, 3, 9 and 10.

Ask any local; Dana Point is year-round perfection when it comes to whale watching. A wide variety of species are regulars here, but there’s something extra special about this time of year, when California gray whales appear in numbers, using Dana Point’s majestic headlands as a landmark in the longest animal migration on the planet. The grays’ 10,000-mile-plus round trip between their warm breeding and calving waters of Baja Mexico and their cold Arctic feeding waters of the Bering Sea is the “magical migration” that served as the original inspiration for this Festival, nearly half a century ago.

This is a favorite time of year to observe our ocean dwelling cetacean neighbors, living it up in the Pacific waves bounding our beautiful city by the sea. The whales, many with calves at their sides, are a sight to behold with tail flukes slapping, blowholes spouting, sidling up to boats filled with excited onlookers, perhaps as curious about us as we are about them.

The Festival kicks off with a parade and street fair in the downtown area and then continues with four full days of whale watching along with fun, educational, and entertaining activities throughout the Dana Point Harbor. Bring the entire family down for games, music, great food and beautiful artwork.

The Festival of Whales is dedicated to fostering a love and appreciation for cetaceans via entertaining, informative, and cultural experiences that all ages can enjoy. The event is a collaborative production brought to you by the Festival of Whales Foundation—a 501(c)3 charitable organization and in conjunction with other local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation was created to inform, inspire and attract residents of Dana Point and visitors from around the world to learn about the planet’s largest mammals and to realize the importance of protecting and preserving the oceans and all ocean life.

Join the fun at the 48th annual Dana Point Festival of Whales. For more information, visit FestivalofWhales.com and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram @festivalofwhales.

FESTIVAL OF WHALES • MARCH 2 – 3 & 9 – 10