Morro Bay Harbor Festival returns October 1
Photo from morro-bay.com.
Event to feature locally caught fish, food, friends and free admission
–The 35th Annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival will be held Saturday, October 1, 2016. The festival located near the historic Morro Rock in Morro Bay, California is an annual celebration of the Central Coast’s unique lifestyle and working waterfront. Since 1982, it has been held every year on the first weekend in October. This year the festival continues the “All Things Bay” theme.
The festival’s main event Saturday will include a “Pedestrian Event Zone” which will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the water’s edge on the Embarcadero, between Harbor and Marina Streets. A bounty of Embarcadero restaurants will have seafood specials and live entertainment beginning on Friday and culminating with several Sunday brunch opportunities. Attendees are encouraged to park anywhere in town and take the free trolley to and from the event.
During the festival, attendees will be able to purchase the freshest seafood from local fishermen at a variety of locations along the Embarcadero. This includes oysters, albacore, and spot prawns from the Morro Bay Fisherman’s Association, rock fish and tacos from South Bay Wild, and assorted fish and fish chowder from the Central Coast Women for Fisheries. Additionally, maritime-heritage venues, mini-yacht races, water-craft demonstrations and harbor boat tours in the bay will be offered. Local wine and beer will be available for sale at the festival along with a variety of other food, all from local vendors.
New this year is a second stage bringing back such favorites as the Oyster Eating and Hawaiian Shirt Contests. Tribelation is also coming back with a new program entitled “Commotion = music, dance and drumsticks” used to create joyful noise. Local Morro Bay businesses and vendors will be presenting and selling their wares. Ocean-related agencies will provide information about local resources and there will be plenty for children to do including a touch tank, and much more.
The headliner band this year will be a favorite of Jimmy Buffet fans, with the tribute band, “Garratt Wilkin and the Parrotheads” performing. The opening band on the day will be local favorite, “The Mudskippers.” Festival Manager Don Doubledee said they are in the process of booking the rest of the entertainment. “There are so many outstanding local bands, so we prefer to book local talent for our daytime entertainment,” he said.
Garratt Wilkin and the Parrotheads will be the headliner performers.
Spearheaded by the Morro Bay Harbor Festival, Inc. organization, the festival is a partnership between many organizations including the City of Morro Bay, the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau, the Commercial Fishermen Association, and the Morro Bay business community.
The festival committee is also working to acquire financial sponsorships for this year’s event so it can include a spectacular fireworks display similar to last year. “Last year’s fireworks were the highlight,” said Doubledee. “We hope we’ll have them again this year.” Local businesses that want to have a booth in the “Pedestrian Event Zone” need to contact the Harbor Festival Office.
As is the tradition with the Morro Bay Harbor Festival, a portion of the net proceeds will go to a Morro Bay non-profit organization. More information and details about sponsorships for 35th Annual Morro Bay Harbor Festival are available on the website, www.mbhf.com or by contacting the Morro Bay Harbor Festival Office at (805) 772-1155 and by email at info.mbhf@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/morrobayharborfestival.
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