Schedule of Events

FRIDAY, MARCH

Ocean Institute

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WELCOMING OF THE WHALES

Purple

4:45-9 p.m. The Festival of Whales and Ocean Institute invite the community to a sunset welcoming ceremony by members of the local Acjachemen Nation, along with a Dana Point Surf Club paddle-out at the Marine Protected Area beach behind the Ocean Institute. Following the beach ceremony, a reception will be held inside the Ocean Institute. The event will include food truck cuisine and beverages for purchase, a screening of the Humpback Whales movie, Ocean Institute’s free interactive educational activities and displays, live music and Festival merchandise for sale. 5

SATURDAY, MARCH

WAY/DP HARBOR

Drive

FESTIVAL OF WHALES PARADE

10 a.m. The parade route starts at the Richard Henry Dana statue on the Island Way Bridge and proceeds over the bridge, then right on Dana Point Harbor Drive and continues until it ends at Golden Lantern. The parade can be viewed from sections of the Island Way Bridge and along Dana Point Harbor Drive. The parade features giant helium parade balloons, marching bands, school groups, nonprofit organizations and floats. For more information, email recreation@danapoint.org. 1, 8, 2

DANA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL YOUNG ARTISTS SHOW AND SALE

10 a.m.-4 p.m. High school students from DHHS/SOCSA present artworks in various mediums for purchase. See pottery, photography, drawing, painting and more. 8

JUST HAVIN’ FUN CAR CLUB SHOW

Noon-4 p.m. On the east side of the Island Way bridge, there will be the Just Havin’ Fun Car Club Show, which will feature a large selection of classic cars, from muscle cars to hotrods to trucks and American family cruisers. 9

GOLDEN LANTERN/DP HARBOR DRIVE WHALES, TAILS & ALES (STREET FAIR)

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Join Pet Project Foundation for a day of outdoor fun for the whole family—both the two-legged and four-legged members! Enjoy craft beer, delicious eats, live music, kid-friendly fun with our friends from Dave & Buster’s, dog costume contests, local artisans, dog-friendly vendors and much more. Find out more at peprojectfoundation.org. 2

BABY BEACH

CARDBOARD CLASSIC & DINGHY DASH

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Westwind Sailing hosts their 6th Annual Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash. This event is a fun-filled, family-oriented day that includes a cardboard boat building contest and race (the Dinghy Dash), business boat exhibition and public vote, food, event celebrity emcee Jim Taylor, music and awards. For more information or to register a team, visit

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westwindsailing.com/cardboard-classic-dinghy-dash or call 949.492.3035. 15

CLAM CHOWDER COOK-OFF

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Join the fun of the 10th annual Fish for Life Clam Chowder Cook-Off, featuring delicious bites form all your local favorite restaurants! The cost to taste all chowders is $10. Guests will receive two voting tickets: one to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award, and one for the Best Booth Decoration. Find out more at fishforlife.org. 15

LAGUNA CLIFFS MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

CONCERTS ON THE CLIFF

3-8 p.m. As the official hospitality partner of Dana Point Festival of the Whales, join Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa for this special Ladies Night event featuring artists Sheena Easton and Taylor Dayne in conjunction with Bobby Dee Presents. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com. 17

DANA WHARF

WYLAND ‘ART LESSONS IN THE WILD’

9-9:45 a.m. Marine muralist Wyland continues the Landmark Whale and Dolphin Adventure “Art Lessons in the Wild,” facilitating the most creative experience on the water. Each participant will receive a free gift and create their own work of art aboard a Dana Wharf vessel. All of the artwork will be judged by Wyland himself, with multiple winners and a grand prize winner who will receive a special framed and signed art creation by Wyland, valued up to $3,000. 3

HARPOON HENRY’S

MARINE MAMMAL LECTURE SERIES:

ALISA SCHULMAN-JANIGER

9:30-10:30 a.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast while listening to a fascinating talk by Alisa Schulman-Janiger on the California Orca and Gray Whale Census. Admission is $10 for adults; children are free. 13

ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT SOCIETY SHOW

10 a.m.-4 p.m. See antique and classic boats on display, including vintage mahogany and fiberglass models. Boats will be in the parking lot directly east of Harpoon Henry’s. 6

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

Baby Beach

DIAMOND DIG

9 a.m.-noon. Join Monarch Beach Rotary Club for the annual Diamond Dig at Baby Beach, which raises money for children’s charities. Buy a shovel for $10, dress like a pirate, and start digging at 11 a.m. Find out more at danapointrotary.org. 15

STAND-UP PADDLING CLINICS

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join the SUP craze and learn firsthand why it’s the fastest growing water sport today. These 45-minute water clinics will be held each hour on the hour—weather and conditions permitting. The cost to join is $10. Lifejackets are provided. Head to the booth at the OC Sailing & Event Center. More information can be found at westwindsailing.com. 7

INTERACTIVE SAILING RIDES

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Take a sailing ride and learn how to steer and sail a Capri 14! For $10, anyone 5 and older can enjoy 20-minute rides (with three participants maximum per boat)—weather and conditions permitting. Lifejackets will be provided. Find the Westwind Sailing booth at the OC Sailing & Event Center. All proceeds are donated to the Dana Point Aquatic Foundation for educational boating scholarships benefiting at-risk youth and adaptive boating programs. Check out westwindsailing.com for details. 7

CONCERT ON THE WATER AND BBQ

Noon-5 p.m. Bring your beach chairs and blankets to enjoy an afternoon of music, food and spirits. This free concert is held at Baby Beach, in the Dana Point Harbor with the bands playing on a floating dock. 15 Noon-12:30 p.m. Andrea Sheva (singer/ guitarist)

12:30-2:30 p.m. The Moondog Miller Band

3-5 p.m. The Reflexx

HARPOON HENRY’S

MARINE MAMMAL LECTURE SERIES:

KIRSTEN DONALD

9:30-10:30 a.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast accompanied by a talk with Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s Kirsten Donald on sea lion entanglement, rehabil- itation and research. Admission is for $10 adults; children are free. 13

DANA WHARF

STORY TIME

10-11 a.m. Join Nona the Naturalist inside the belly of a whale for story time and learn some fun facts about cetaceans. What’s a cetacean? Find out as you sit inside a 25-foot blow-up whale. 3

KIDS’ FISHING CLINIC AND TRIP

Noon-12:30 p.m. & 12:45-5:15 p.m. Dana Wharf Sportfishing invites all children to join this dockside fishing clinic and learn hands-on techniques on fishing from the experts. Prizes will be raffled off at the end of the clinic, which will be followed by a fishing trip. Adult admission is $61, plus license and equipment; children 12 and under are $10 with a purchase of a full price adult ticket. 3

DOHENY STATE BEACH

WHALE OF A CLEANUP

9 a.m.-noon. Celebrate the majestic migratory Gray Whale and the Festival by getting that debris off the beach before it washes out to sea and poses a threat to marine life. Those interested in participating should plan on meeting by the picnic tables along the boardwalk adjacent to the San Juan Creek river mouth. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and drinking water. 14

Ocean Institute

STAND UP TO TRASH BEACH CLEANUP

9-11 a.m. Check in at the front of the Ocean Institute to sign up and get supplies (bags, buckets and grabbers). Stand Up to Trash encourages the “BYOB” philosophy (bring your own bucket or reusable bag, reusable gloves, water bottle or coffee cup) to help reduce any additional waste, but collection supplies will be available at check-in; then you’re free to roam the beach, ocean or surrounding areas to clean on your own, or make it a fun group project with friends and family. Pre-registration at standuptotrash.com is encouraged. 5

DANA POINT HARBOR

FESTIVAL MERCHANDISE

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Logo merchandise will be available for purchase at booths near Dana Wharf Whale Watching on both days, as well as at the Whales, Tails & Ales Street Fair on Saturday, and at Baby Beach on Sunday. 2, 3, 15

HARBOR MUSIC SERIES

Noon-3 p.m. Enjoy a variety of musical styles and sounds presented by Dana Point Harbor Partners, and in conjunction with Community Outreach Alliance. Musical performances will take place in the Dana Wharf Courtyard area in front of El Torito, and along the Harbor Walkway in front of Coffee Importers. 3, 13

ISLAND WAY/DP HARBOR DRIVE

ART IN THE PARK

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Browse through booths of local artisans presenting artwork in a variety of mediums, including painting, photography, gems and fossils, art glass and sea glass, wood, pottery, jewelry, textiles and much more. Art in the park will be held on the west side of Island Way, on the corner of Dana Point Harbor Drive. 8

GOLDEN LANTERN/DP HARBOR DRIVE

WYLAND CLEAN WATER EXHIBIT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

10 a.m.-4 p.m. The popular Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Experience is a 1,000-square-foot science exhibit on wheels dedicated to inspiring and educating people everywhere about the state and future of our lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. The exhibit includes a 40-person onboard theater, an exhibit room with a running river, computer modeling simulations, interactive touch exhibits, and actual rain falling over an urban landscape. 2

Both Days Of Festival

Harbor Walkway

DANA POINT FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION

SHOW & SALE

9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Art will be on display at the Harbor Boardwalk along the boat docks in Mariner’s Village on the east side of the Coffee Importers Espresso Bar and Harpoon Henry’s restaurant. Watercolor, oil, acrylic, colored pencil, woodworking and photography by many award-winning local artists will be available for purchase. 10

All Month Long

Lantern District

DANA POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY WALKING TOUR

2 p.m. Join historians on the Dana Point Historical Society’s annual historic town center Walking Tour. See and hear the stories of historic landmarks, view home exteriors of S.H. Woodruff’s original 1920s planned community, as well as bluff top harbor views that represent the area’s early history. The tour meets at the corner of PCH and Blue Lantern, in front of the historic building now home to Coastal Kitchen. 16

Ocean Institute

OCEAN INSTITUTE

WHALE TAIL SCAVENGER HUNT

March 5- 27. Eight decorative wooden whale tails will be hidden throughout the Dana Point Harbor area from March 4-19. To enter for a chance to win a whale watching trip for a family of four, and $300 in gift cards to local Dana Point businesses, find all eight whale tails, take a photo standing by each, and email all eight photos to recreation@danapoint.org by March 28. And don’t forget to post on social media with #DPRecWhaleTailSighting and #festivalofwhales. Please don’t remove any of the whale tails once you have found them. For additional information, contact the City of Dana Point Recreation Division at 949.248.3536.

CLASSIC CAR DISPLAYS

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific Coast Corvettes

Club Car Show will display dozens of classic Corvettes both Saturday and Sunday, west of the Island Way bridge. On Saturday, also on the west side of the bridge, the SoCal Woodies Club Car Show will display the best example of iconic Woodie wagons—the classic vehicle of early Southern California surf culture—and on Sunday, the Austin Healy Association of SoCal and the Jaguar Owners Club of LA will display fine British motorcars for the British Invasion Car Show. 11, 12

Doheny State Beach

DOHENY STATE BEACH VISITOR’S CENTER OPEN HOUSE TOUR

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit Dana Point’s hidden gem—the Doheny State Beach Visitor’s Center—for an open house tour and Q&A session focused on the center’s whale collection displays. 14

The Ocean Institute will be open to feature several general admission activities such as a Gray Whale Pop-up Museum, Whaling History, Jr. Whale Researcher, Senses of the Sea and much more. Admission for adults is $15; $10 for seniors; and $7.50 for kids. Head to oceaninstitute.org for more details and to purchase tickets. 5

ECO HEROES:

DREAM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari will premiere virtual experiences for guests to enjoy on the business’s YouTube channel. These virtual experiences will include Doug Perrine, an award-winning photographer and researcher; Rick Erkeneff of Surfrider Foundation; and Tom Mustill, an author, photographer and researcher.