North Coast Kelpfest logo featuring a stylized kelp plant and text in bold white letters on a black background.

SAVE THE DATE:
October 15-17, 2027
Art + Science + Food + Film
… and Fun!

MENDOCINO + FORT BRAGG

Photo by Marco Mazza

Silhouette of a bird in flight with its wings spread, shown in black and white.

KelpFest! 2026 was great! Check out all we did in the event photo galleries below.

Cinematographers: Natasha Benjamin, Simon Tompson, Will Arnot, Christopher Keiser, Patrick Webster

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Short Films Screening
Short Films Screening
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Urchin Low Tide Walk & Cookout
Urchin Low Tide Walk & Cookout
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Presentations & Panel at Noyo Center Marine Field Station
Presentations & Panel at Noyo Center Marine Field Station
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Picnic & Dock Walk with the Harbormaster
Picnic & Dock Walk with the Harbormaster
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Caspar Beach Sand Sculpture Party & Community Dive
Caspar Beach Sand Sculpture Party & Community Dive
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Kelp Recovery Demonstration
Kelp Recovery Demonstration
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Gallery Exhibition & Tours
Gallery Exhibition & Tours
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Post-Parade Fun & Aerial Dance Performance
Post-Parade Fun & Aerial Dance Performance
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Ocean Keepers Pledge & Seaweed Spectacle Parade
Ocean Keepers Pledge & Seaweed Spectacle Parade
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Fish Taco Crawl & Surf Rock Dance Party
Fish Taco Crawl & Surf Rock Dance Party
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Town Hall Presentations: Culture of Collaboration
Town Hall Presentations: Culture of Collaboration
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KelpFest! Storytime
KelpFest! Storytime
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Beach Wrack Walk & Post-Walk Pizza Party
Beach Wrack Walk & Post-Walk Pizza Party
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Bull kelp forests are an immensely valuable part of the ocean’s ecosystem, absorbing carbon dioxide, mitigating storm erosion along the shoreline, and providing food and habitat for an abundance of sea creatures. These dense underwater forests stretch along the North American coast from Big Sur to Alaska.

Since 2014, bull kelp forests have been devastated by warming oceans and other impacts, with losses exceeding 96% along California’s North Coast. But through community awareness, research, and recovery efforts, kelp forests can again thrive off of our shores.

Learn more

Image from The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp website, courtesy of Above/Below

Press

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KelpFest! returns to Mendocino Coast with ocean-focused celebrations 
Mendocino Voice
KelpFest! returns to Mendocino Coast with ocean-focused celebrations 
Mendocino Voice
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Mendocino Voice
North Coast Kelpfest Set to Educate, Entertain
Fort Bragg Advocate
North Coast Kelpfest Set to Educate, Entertain
Fort Bragg Advocate
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Fort Bragg Advocate
North Coast KelpFest!
Word of Mouth
North Coast KelpFest!
Word of Mouth
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Word of Mouth
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Underwater kelp forest with fish swimming among kelp stalks.

Healthy Bull Kelp Forest, photo by Patrick Webster

Primary Sponsor of
KelpFest! 2026

Circular badge with the words 'Pacific Coast' and 'Ocean Restoration' visible.

Fiscal Sponsor of
KelpFest! 2026

Arts Council of Mendocino County