What to Know
- 52nd Annual Festival of Whales
- March 4 and 5 in Dana Point; opening reception on March 3
- Several free events, including the centerpiece parade, are on the schedule; whale-watching trips are available for a fee
No whale is going to pause her all-important migration to head to an on-land parade, and we humans, of course, deeply respect that stance.
What we landlubbers can do is create a colorful, weekend-long festivity that features respectful-yet-playful representations of the world's largest animals, specifically the whale-inspired floats you might see in a parade.
And such a parade has rolled into Dana Point Harbor for over 50 years now, all to give cetacean supporters a meet-up spot, one that's filled with fun, education, and a love of the ocean.
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The Magical Migration Parade is the spotlight event of the Dana Point Festival of Whales, and it's no "fluke" that it is happening near the start of the celebration. You'll want to be there on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. to watch the whale floats sail by.
Adding a picturesque note to the party is the fact that the parade passes over the bridge that leads to Dana Point Harbor, giving the whole sea-cene, er, scene, a splendid seaworthy backdrop.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Other events throughout the weekend include the Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash, activities at the Ocean Institute, the Clam Chowder Cook-off, and Concerts on the Cliff with Sheena Easton and Taylor Dayne.
A trash clean-up on the beach, the Wyland Clean Water Exhibit Learning Experience, and a lecture focusing on marine mammals are some of the Sunday treats.
While much of the weekend is free to enjoy, keep in mind that joining a whale-watching boat trip will have a fee, and booking your spot in advance is recommended.
It's a terrific two-day to-do that honors the marvelous behemoths of the not-so-deep, those joy-bringing giants that glide with grace near the bluffs and shores we call home.
For the full schedule, and it is as long as a whale's fin, swim by the official site now.
