A Salute to the Gray Whale as San Diego Celebrates 5th Annual Whale Festival 

Whale of a Time on San Diego Bay with Free Community Family Festival at the Port Pavilion on Saturday, January 26

San Diego is set to celebrate the incredible phenomenon of the annual California Gray Whale migration as thousands of whales travel along our coastline. The 5th annual Big Bay Whale Festival will spark the interest and imagination of all ages on Saturday, January 26, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego.

Whale watching has become one of San Diego’s favorite pastimes by boasting an impressive variety of sea life that’s just a short boat ride from downtown San Diego. During the 2012 season, local whale watching companies spotted an impressive variety of sea life including seven different species of whales, including the California Gray Whale, and four species of dolphins. For those interested in learning about whale ecology and conversation, the annual Big Bay Whale Festival provides resources and information about opportunities to see and interact with the many whale and dolphin species found along our coast.

A free community event, the Big Bay Whale Festival will feature over 50 vendors providing giveaways, food and entertainment plus fun activities for the kids including a walk-through whale, a mini-train that the family can ride aboard, a bounce/obstacle course, and a sea life coloring mural. Sam Mejia aka “Sam Diego” will be impersonating Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean bringing good cheer and motivational messages to all. There will be information about a variety of whale watching trips, waterfront attraction information, radio station giveaways and more. A crowd favorite in years past, the event’s main stage will feature a variety of family friendly entertainment throughout the day including:

• 15 youth flamenco performers from Flamenco with Roots will perform)
• James Gibson Band (5 piece band and singer)
• Velvet Café Band (local group specializing in a mix of country, jazz, rock, and blues)

Discounted “Whale Days” cruises will be featured during the entire month of January at Flagship Cruises & Events and Hornblower Cruises & Events along with deals from a variety of Embarcadero attractions and restaurants. The USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum of San Diego will have “Whale Days” admission specials and money saving coupons will be available for Embarcadero merchants including Anthony’s Fish Grotto, Seaport Village and Old Town Trolley Tours.

Information about January whale watching cruises, admission specials and where to find coupons is available at www.whaledays.com or by calling 619-725-8853.        
The 2013 Whale Festival is sponsored by the Port of San Diego. Participating Embarcadero merchants and organizations include:
 Hornblower Cruises & Events, www.hornblower.com, 800-ON THE BAY

• Midway Museum, www.midway.org, 619-544-9600
• Maritime Museum of San Diego & Next Level Sailing, www.sdmaritime.org, 619-234-9153
• Flagship Cruises & Events, www.flagshipsd.com, 619-234-4111
• Seaport Village, www.seaportvillage.com, 619-235-4014
• Anthony’s Fish Grotto, www.gofishanthonys.com, 619-651-2345
• Port of San Diego, www.thebigbay.com, 619-686-6200
• Old Town Trolley Tours, www.trolleytours.com, 619-298-8687
• Next Level Sailing, www.nextlevelsailing.com, 858-922-3522
• San Diego Tourism Authority's (SDTA) Information Center, www.sandiego.org, 619-236-1212

For more events on the Big Bay >