PLEASE NOTE: Due to Covid, large group events (Parade, Concert & BBQ, Clam Chowder Cook-off, Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash, Sand Sculpting Contest, Ocean Awareness Day, Street Fair, Kids’ Fun Zone, Car & Boat Shows, etc. will not be held this year. Please check back often for new additions to the lineup being added daily.
Select a date below to jump to that day’s event schedule:
Click here to view our corresponding map for event locations and parking options.
*PURPLE locations or Virtual if it’s online next to each listing below coincide with map locations
FRIDAY, MARCH 5 & SATURDAY, MARCH 6
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Come together by staying apart at this year’s Dana Point Festival of Whales Splash Dash Virtual Race. Celebrate the migration of the grey whale with a 5K or 1-mile exploration of your own, at this year’s inaugural Splash Dash – part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Dana Point Festival of Whales!
To participate in Splash Dash:
- Register online for the 5K or Fun Run at RunDanaPoint.com
- All FIN-ishers will receive a commemorative 50th Anniversary t-shirt and race medal
- Pick-up your race items on Friday, March 5th from 12-6pm (or have them shipped directly to you) in the Dana Point Harbor
- Pick your route and run, walk or bike your course!
100% of proceeds from the Splash Dash benefit the Dana Point Festival of Whales Foundation and Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.
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Whale-World Changers Virtual Interview Series features: Louie PsihoyosJoin host Gisele Anderson, Co-President of Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari and Co-Director of the Dana Point Whale Watching Company, for a series of live discussions on Capt. Dave’s YouTube channel with renowned guests who have made a change in the lives of whales by their service and sacrifices.It’s free to watch and participate in the chat with no registration required. How to join: subscribe to our YouTube channel (and be sure to hit the little bell icon) to be notified when the interviews are live.
Louie Psihoyos is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Executive Director of the Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS). He is recognized as one of the top still photographers in the world, having created iconic images for National Geographic for 18 years, and hundreds of covers for other magazines.
Psihoyos’ first documentary film, The Cove, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film of 2009 and over 75 other awards around the world. His second film, Racing Extinction, was nominated for an Emmy (Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking) and an Academy-Award (Best Song), and sparked the #StartWith1Thing movement. Psihoyos more recently finished directing The Game Changers, executive produced by James Cameron.
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Whale-World Changers Virtual Interview Series features: Dylan Walker, Ben Williamson, and Donna Kalez on Dana Point being designated the first Whale Heritage Site in the U.S.Join host Gisele Anderson, Co-President of Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari and Co-Director of the Dana Point Whale Watching Company, for a series of live discussions on Capt. Dave’s YouTube channel with renowned guests who have made a change in the lives of whales by their service and sacrifices.It’s free to watch and participate in the chat with no registration required. How to join: subscribe to our YouTube channel (and be sure to hit the little bell icon) to be notified when the interviews are live.Dylan Walker is CEO of the World Cetacean Alliance, Ben Williamson is Executive Director of World Animal Protection, and Donna Kalez is Co-President of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Co-Director of the Dana Point Whale Watching Company.In January 2021, two competing Dana Point whale watching businesses collaborated to become the first Whale Heritage Site in the U.S. They will be discussing the launch of the new whale heritage site and its importance to wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism.
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The Pod Cast Virtual Marine Mammal Lecture Series Features: Capt. Todd Mansur
This special lecture series is perfect for those who want a one-on-one educational experience, marine biologists and guests present recent findings on local whales, dolphins and other marine mammals.
Tune in to see Captain Todd Mansur’s virtual lecture for the 50th anniversary of the Festival of Whales featuring the California Gray Whale migration. Todd has earned the reputation of a boat captain delivering some of the best whale watching narration anywhere in the world and is an expert on all things ocean.This lecture was recorded at Jon’s Fish Market, Mansur’s family business next to Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching. Make sure you stop by and grab some fish and chips!
To watch, click here at 9 AM on Friday, March 6.
Don’t worry if you miss the debut. The link will continue to be available after the debut showing.
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Ocean Institute: Festival of Whales Activities Schedule and Booking Links
9:30am –Marine Mammal Lecture and Exhibit
10:00am – Marine Mammal Cruise departs
About the R/V Sea Explorer. The 65-foot Research Vessel Sea Explorer is an educational floating lab equipped with underwater cameras, an acoustic hydrophone, onboard computers, video microscopes, touch tanks, and a viewing aquarium. A bowsprit over the water provides any passenger with a breathtaking view of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.10:00am – Kayak tour Check-in
10:30am – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.11:30am – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
12:30pm – Whale Experiments on Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
12:30pm – Marine Mammal Lecture and Exhibit
1:00pm – Marine Mammal Cruise
About the R/V Sea Explorer. The 65-foot Research Vessel Sea Explorer is an educational floating lab equipped with underwater cameras, an acoustic hydrophone, onboard computers, video microscopes, touch tanks, and a viewing aquarium. A bowsprit over the water provides any passenger with a breathtaking view of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.1:30 pm – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
1:30 pm- History of Whaling in Orange County (for guest of Spirit of Dana Point Sail)
2:00 pm – Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Sail
Set sail aboard the schooner Spirit of Dana Point and experience California from the perspective of an early tall ship explorer. Join the crew to help raise sail, handle lines, and steer the ship, or simply sit back, relax and enjoy the majesty of sailing the seas aboard a tall ship.2:30pm – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Whale Experiments on the Wharf will allow for 25 spaces per time slot.
Tickets $10.00 per person
Members receive a 10% discount
Please sign-up in advance here as space is limited. Walk-ins will only be allowed when space is available.
Whale Lung
Gray Whales can hold their breath underwater for up to 30 minutes. After being underwater that long, whales need to clear their airways before taking a breath. Come participate in our whale lung experiment to demonstrate how whales clear their airways before taking a breath.
Blubber Glove
Whales need blubber for energy, warmth, and buoyancy! This experiment will show you just how effective blubber is at keeping mammals like you warm in cold ocean temperatures.
Feeding Strategies
Whales either have teeth or baleen they use to eat. Teeth and baleen are very different and require different methods of catching food. In this experiment, you will gain first-hand experience in hunting as a toothed and baleen whale.
Echolocation
Whales need to communicate through the water over long distances. Echolocation allows them to do this. Did you know you can echolocate too? Come to this station to try it out!
Whale Craft
This is your chance to get creative and make your own whale!
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Marine muralist Wyland continues the Landmark Whale and Dolphin Adventure “Art Lessons in the Wild,” facilitating the most creative experience on the water!
The mission of The Wyland Foundation is to give both children and adults alike the tools they need to become more creative through art. A portion of the $10 ticket price will be donated back to the Wyland Foundation. Each child participant also receives a FREE gift from Wyland and there’s FREE coffee for the adults!
Create your own work-of-art aboard one of our Dana Wharf vessels that will be judged by Wyland himself, with multiple winners and a grand prize winner! At the end of each lesson, children will submit their drawings to be judged by Wyland himself!
The grand prize is a special work of art by Wyland himself, framed and signed, called “A Living Sea” valued at $2,000.
This 45-minute adventure includes:
VIP boarding and a presentation and exclusive art lesson before the Whale Watching Trip, via video feed on the vessel, by renowned environmental artist, Wyland!Learn what inspired Wyland to create some of the best known marine wildlife paintings and sculptures of our era.
After the art lesson, your child may depart free of charge, on a two-hour whale and dolphin watching adventure! Adults accompanying them.
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Event specifics:
Tune in online this year for the Dana Point Historical Society’s annual historic town center Walking Tour. See and hear the stories of historic landmarks, S. H. Woodruff’s 1920s planned community and Bluff Top harbor views, c. 1818 to 1939, that represent the area’s early history. The tour will include an interactive map, a video presentation of the route on YouTube and a web page that will contain the above resources along with additional artifacts.
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Wally the Whale and staff from the City of Dana Point Recreation Division will be riding on the decorated Under the Sea Trolley and making stops at different locations in Dana Point Harbor to hand out sea life themed crafts for children to take home and be creative.
The Trolley will make four stops in the Harbor as follows:
9:00am-9:45am Dana Harbor Drive & Baby Beach
10:00am-10:45am Dana Harbor Drive & Island Way
11:00am-11:45am Dana Harbor Drive & Golden Lantern
12:00pm-12:45pm Mariner’s Village walkway area by Harpoon Henry’s
For location stop updates please check back here or visit www.danapoint.org/recreation.
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Weather permitting. If cancelled, no make-up date will be arranged. However, the next scheduled art show will be Mother’s Day Weekend on the Boardwalk.
Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale – The Dana Point Fine Arts Association, a nonprofit organization, will host an art show and sale from 10 M to 5 PM. The 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, pastels and photography by many award-winning local artists will be available for purchase. Dana Point Fine Arts annually donates a portion of the proceeds from the show to Dana Hills High School Art Department. For more info on this exhibit visit their website http://danapointfinearts.org.
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Presented by the Dana Point Festival of Whales Foundation in the Dana Wharf Courtyard, Mariner’s Village clock courtyard area in front of El Torito, and along the Harbor Walkway in front of Coffee Importers from 12 Noon – 3 PM. Enjoy a variety of musical styles and sounds.
Performances by:
Dana Wharf courtyard
Olivia Ooms / Gabby NeeleyClock courtyard
Corey Angeli / Sage EscalanteCoffee Importers
Keith Comer -
Festival of Whales 50th anniversary commemorative merchandise will be for sale at a booth near Dana Wharf Whale Watching on both March 6 and 7 starting at 10 AM.
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Can’t get out on the water? Join Capt. Dave’s for a fun and educational virtual dolphin and whale watching safari! You’ll meet the magnificent whales and dolphins found off the coast of Dana Point, California, the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World® on a pre-recorded safari with live narration from our experienced marine wildlife naturalists.
To participate you’ll need a high-speed internet connection and Zoom.
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Joine Dr. Lei Lani Stelle from University of Redlands for an intriguing lecture on the topic of using photo ID for the study of marine mammals such as blue whales and bottlenose dolphins.
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INTRO TO SAILING CLINIC
Experience sailing in one day! In this 2.5 hour clinic, you’ll learn basic boating safety, terminology & introductory skills in our 14’ boats and then get on the water and go sailing! No long-term commitment, just a great way to spend your morning trying something new. Sign up for Adult Sail 1 within 7 days of completing this clinic and we’ll apply your Intro registration fee to your Adult Sail 1 course!
FEE: $60 AGES: 15 years – adult DAY/TIME: Saturday, March 6, 8:30 – 11 am
SUNDAY, MARCH 7
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The Pod Cast Virtual Marine Mammal Lecture Series Features: Alisa Schulman-Janiger
This special lecture series is perfect for those who want a one-on-one educational experience, marine biologists and guests present recent findings on local whales, dolphins and other marine mammals.
Fascinating whale facts and interesting insights coming at you from Alisa Schulman-Janiger. Alisa is from the California Killer Whale Project and the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Cetacean Society . She will be speaking on the Gray Whale Census and Behavior project . She’s been a Festival friend and favorite for over 10 years and we’re excited for you to hear this year’s thrilling presentation video was taken from Point Vicente in Palos Verdes, Ca.
Don’t worry if you miss the debut. The link will continue to be available after the debut showing. -
Event specifics:
Tune in online this year for the Dana Point Historical Society’s annual historic town center Walking Tour. See and hear the stories of historic landmarks, S. H. Woodruff’s 1920s planned community and Bluff Top harbor views, c. 1818 to 1939, that represent the area’s early history. The tour will include an interactive map, a video presentation of the route on YouTube and a web page that will contain the above resources along with additional artifacts.
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Weather permitting. If cancelled, no make-up date will be arranged. However, the next scheduled art show will be Mother’s Day Weekend on the Boardwalk.
Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale – The Dana Point Fine Arts Association, a nonprofit organization, will host an art show and sale from 10 M to 5 PM. The 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, pastels and photography by many award-winning local artists will be available for purchase. Dana Point Fine Arts annually donates a portion of the proceeds from the show to Dana Hills High School Art Department. For more info on this exhibit visit their website http://danapointfinearts.org.
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Come together by staying apart at this year’s Dana Point Festival of Whales Splash Dash Virtual Race. Celebrate the migration of the grey whale with a 5K or 1-mile exploration of your own, at this year’s inaugural Splash Dash – part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Dana Point Festival of Whales!
To participate in Splash Dash:
- Register online for the 5K or Fun Run at RunDanaPoint.com
- All FIN-ishers will receive a commemorative 50th Anniversary t-shirt and race medal
- Pick-up your race items on Friday, March 5th from 12-6pm (or have them shipped directly to you) in the Dana Point Harbor
- Pick your route and run, walk or bike your course!
100% of proceeds from the Splash Dash benefit the Dana Point Festival of Whales Foundation and Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.
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Dana Wharf Sportfishing invites all children to come to their dockside fishing clinic from 12:15 PM-12:45 PM and learn hands-on techniques on fishing from the experts. Prizes will be raffled off at the end of the clinic. After the clinic Dana Wharf will be running a fishing trip from 1 PM-5:30 PM, adults are $51 plus license and equipment, children 12 and under fish for FREE with purchase a full-priced adult ticket. An extra bonus is the chance of spotting whales, dolphins and other marine life! This trip includes equipment! For more information and reservations call Dana Wharf 949-496-5794 ext 7 . (Pre-registration is required. Please call us.)
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Presented by the Dana Point Festival of Whales Foundation in the Dana Wharf Courtyard, Harpoon Henry Grassy Area near Mariner’s Village and at Art in the Park near Island Way from 12 Noon – 3 PM. Enjoy a variety of musical styles and sounds.
Performances by:
Dana Wharf courtyard
The Bierman Brothers / Ava DominiClock courtyard
Noah Novick / Grace & London Meredith / Avery Brostrom.Coffee Importers
Anthony Small
Keith Comer -
Dana Wharf Whale Watching will host Story Time with Nona The Naturalist Sunday, March 7 from 9 AM-9:45 AM, live aboard a docked Dana Wharf vessel, and virtual via Facebook Live.
Nona Reimer a retired Master Teacher and science mentor known as “Nona The Naturalist,” will be reading her favorite children’s book on a Dana Wharf Whale Watching vessel while it is docked. Kids will be treated to a fun craft time after the story.
Story time is limited to 15 children and 1 parent. The cost is $8 per child and proceeds will benefit the Festival of Whales Foundation.
Nona is an American Cetacean Society Naturalist and has served four years as The Orange County Regional Environmental Education Coordinator for the California Department of Education. Her passion for teaching adds to this fun, exiting and educational experience for kids. “Seeing the look on a child’s face when they see a whale for the first time never gets old!” she says.
Book your tickets today at https://danawharf.com/whale-watching/story-time-with-nona-the-naturalist/ or call (949) 496-5794
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Join Park Naturalist Vicki for a tour of the Doheny State Beach Visitor Center in honor of the Dana Point Festival of Whales. See the center’s wide variety of local wildlife displays including a tidepool aquarium featuring leopard sharks, and more.
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Ocean Institute: Festival of Whales Activities Schedule and Booking Links
9:30am –Marine Mammal Lecture and Exhibit
10:00am – Marine Mammal Cruise departs
About the R/V Sea Explorer. The 65-foot Research Vessel Sea Explorer is an educational floating lab equipped with underwater cameras, an acoustic hydrophone, onboard computers, video microscopes, touch tanks, and a viewing aquarium. A bowsprit over the water provides any passenger with a breathtaking view of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.10:00am – Kayak tour Check-in
10:30am – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.11:30am – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
12:30pm – Whale Experiments on Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
12:30pm – Marine Mammal Lecture and Exhibit
1:00pm – Marine Mammal Cruise
About the R/V Sea Explorer. The 65-foot Research Vessel Sea Explorer is an educational floating lab equipped with underwater cameras, an acoustic hydrophone, onboard computers, video microscopes, touch tanks, and a viewing aquarium. A bowsprit over the water provides any passenger with a breathtaking view of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.1:30 pm – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Scroll down for a list of experiments/activities.
1:30 pm- History of Whaling in Orange County (for guest of Spirit of Dana Point Sail)
2:00 pm – Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Sail
Set sail aboard the schooner Spirit of Dana Point and experience California from the perspective of an early tall ship explorer. Join the crew to help raise sail, handle lines, and steer the ship, or simply sit back, relax and enjoy the majesty of sailing the seas aboard a tall ship.2:30pm – Whale Experiments on the Wharf
*Whale Experiments on the Wharf will allow for 25 spaces per time slot.
Tickets $10.00 per person
Members receive a 10% discount
Please sign-up in advance here as space is limited. Walk-ins will only be allowed when space is available.
Whale Lung
Gray Whales can hold their breath underwater for up to 30 minutes. After being underwater that long, whales need to clear their airways before taking a breath. Come participate in our whale lung experiment to demonstrate how whales clear their airways before taking a breath.
Blubber Glove
Whales need blubber for energy, warmth, and buoyancy! This experiment will show you just how effective blubber is at keeping mammals like you warm in cold ocean temperatures.
Feeding Strategies
Whales either have teeth or baleen they use to eat. Teeth and baleen are very different and require different methods of catching food. In this experiment, you will gain first-hand experience in hunting as a toothed and baleen whale.
Echolocation
Whales need to communicate through the water over long distances. Echolocation allows them to do this. Did you know you can echolocate too? Come to this station to try it out!
Whale Craft
This is your chance to get creative and make your own whale!
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STAND-UP PADDLE: FAMILY LESSONS
Sign up for a stand-up paddle (SUP) family lesson and learn firsthand why it’s the fastest growing water sport today. Learn equipment selection, basic paddling skills, safety and stroke development. SUP is a great way to share time together as a family! Max 2 registered kids per adult are allowed.
FEE: 18 years – adult $40; 10 to 17 years of age $30 AGES: 10 – adult DAY/TIME: Sunday, March 7, 9 – 10:30 am
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Festival of Whales 50th anniversary commemorative merchandise will be for sale at a booth near Dana Wharf Whale Watching on both March 6 and 7 starting at 10 AM.
WHALE WATCHING (BOTH DAYS OF THE EVENT & BEYOND) *prices subject to change after March 7
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Click here for more information.
Use promo code Fow21 save $10 off all tickets excludes special 4pm trips. For reservations call 888-224-0603 or check out our schedule and purchase online.
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Click here for more information.
Reservations, schedule, and information:949-488-2828 or visit www.dolphinsafari.com
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Click here for more information.
For more information or reservations, please visit www.ocean-institute.org or call 949- 496-2274.
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The incredible 5000-mile migration of the majestic California Gray Whale from Alaska to Mexico begins in December and continues through March. During this peak season, 40 – 50 whales pass by Dana Point each day, using the Dana Point Headland’s 200-foot cliffs near the harbor as a landmark to check their migration path. Dana Point offers the BEST whale watching along the California Coast – don’t miss it! There’s a whale watching excursion for everyone. If you’re interested in getting a glimpse of these majestic leviathans from land, be sure to visit the Headlands Conservation Park. The Park includes a public trail system, over three miles in length, and links all the parks and open space areas of the Headlands. The system includes pedestrian trails, coastal and beach access, scenic overlooks and the Nature Interpretive Center. The parks and trails can be reached either off of Green Lantern or at Dana Strand Rd., limited parking is available along these streets or at the Nature Interpretive Center parking lot. The trails are open from 7 AM to sunset daily. The Nature Interpretive Center is located adjacent to the Headlands Conservation Park, at the terminus of Street of the Green Lantern. Center Hours: 10 AM – 4 PM. From Dana Point Harbor visitors may take the FREE shuttle to the Ocean Institute and then proceed up Cove Road to the Park. It’s a good work out for those looking for a little adventure and some spectacular views!
ALL MONTH LONG
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Open to children of all ages. Submit a cute story, poem or artwork themed on the California Gray Whale and email to [email protected]. Submittals are due by March 22. Winning entry will receive a gift card to Dana Wharf Sport Fishing & Whale Watching for a whale watching excursion and a whale/ocean themed gift basket.
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Beginning March 6, embark on a fun scavenger hunt to find 10 decorative wooden whale tails hidden throughout the Dana Point Harbor area. Share a photo of your sighting on social media with the hashtags #DPRecWhaleTailSighting and #festivalofwhales to enter a chance to win a whale watching trip for a family of four, and a $300 gift card to local Dana Point businesses. Find all 10 whale tails, take a photo standing by each, and email all 10 whale tail photos to [email protected] by March 31. Please do not remove any of the whale tails once you have found them. Thank you!
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Since this year’s Dana Point Festival of Whales Parade and other traditional events have been sidelined by Covid, here’s a look back at last year’s (2020) parade and more. Last year the parade made a big move from its longtime route through downtown on PCH to a new route in the Harbor. Scroll down to see more footage from Festivals past. Enjoy!
Festival of Whales Parade 2020 https://youtu.be/bXzl72nJkKU
Festival of Whales 2017 https://youtu.be/UliqA8FO0aQ
Look Who’s Traveling https://youtu.be/Zb9SiSypPHA
Festival of Whales Parade 2017 by Steven Horowitz https://youtu.be/OvSadED7_wo
Cardboard Classic and Dinghy Dash
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