2026 Schedule
You can learn a lot about the ocean by studying what washes up on shore! All that stuff is collectively called Beach Wrack and once you know what to look for, the beach becomes a treasure trove of fascination.
Gather with fellow KelpFest! explorers after the Beach Wrack Walk for a relaxed and festive evening at the beautiful Larry Spring Gardens in Fort Bragg. Hang out with friends and ocean lovers, swap stories from the beach, and ease into the weekend.
Children ages 0 to 6 and their families are invited to join us at the Fort Bragg Library for a special storytime to celebrate KelpFest!
Learn about successful and inspiring collaborations between conservation organizations, agencies and other groups on the north coast that are working together to restore, protect and strengthen our ocean ecosystems.
Celebrate the opening night of KelpFest with live music from The Seismics, a four-piece instrumental surf band from Ocean Beach, San Francisco.
Don’t miss the second annual KelpFest! Parade! Seaweed Spectacle in Mendocino is a vibrant celebration of our ocean’s kelp forests, community creativity, and coastal stewardship, featuring pre and post parade entertainment and programming.
The Kelp Parade on Saturday morning will end at the Mendocino Art Center, where the fun continues with a host of family-friendly activities, food, art and education.
The Mendocino Art Center becomes KelpFest’s creative hub for the weekend, featuring hands-on workshops, artist demonstrations, gallery tours, and exhibitions inspired by California’s coastal ecosystems.
As a part of the post parade activities, Mendocino Dance Project brings its inspiring vertical dance performance to KelpFest! this year.
Come and learn about the kelp recovery efforts led by the Big River Kelp Recovery team and the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative (PCOR).
As the tide turns and the afternoon light softens, gather on the beach for a closing ritual inspired by the rhythms of the ocean.
Experience Mendocino’s monthly Second Saturday Art Walk with a KelpFest twist at galleries, shops, restaurants, and businesses throughout downtown.
Get a firsthand look at one of Northern California's most successful community-led kelp restoration efforts.
Celebrate the creativity of the coastline by helping build an ever-growing village of sand sculptures on beautiful Caspar Beach.
Pack a picnic or grab some food to-go at Harvest Market and join us on the South shore of Noyo Harbor for a picnic lunch in Grader Park.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department), in close collaboration and with support from the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and other partners, continues to develop a statewide, adaptive, ecosystem-based Kelp Restoration and Management Plan (KRMP) for giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, that will guide the state’s efforts to manage, protect, and restore kelp forests in California waters.
Dive deep into the topic of regenerative aquaculture with a panel discussion hosted by the Noyo Center. The program will include scientists involved with current research and recovery programs focused on red abalone.
Join local naturalists for an exploration of Van Damme Beach during one of the weekend’s lowest tides.
Walk along the coastal trail toward the point, where you'll have a view of one of several active kelp forest restoration sites that are part of the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration (PCOR) Initiative along California's North Coast.
Dive under the surface with three short films exploring the relationship between humans and kelp.