39th Annual 2023 Whale Festival

The Westport Whale Festival will resume this year on Saturday, March 25th from 10AM to 5PM on the Westport Headlands! It is sponsored by the nonprofit Westport Village Society and Kyle Siler, owner of the Westport Whale house. The event celebrates the spring migration of Gray Whales from Alaska to Baja California and scads of fun activities are planned for people of all ages. Come drop in at any time between 10 and 5 and join the fun! The event will feature music, dancing, and skits all day at the main tent; hearty food and drinks; educational talks by local marine experts and an exhibit of a jawbone and baleen from a 70 foot fin whale; tours of the famous Westport Whale property; booths offering event merchandise and locally made goods; and diverse activities for children.  Kids will love the treasure hunt, face painting, coloring templates featuring whales and ocean themes, music and skits, and a bouncy house.  Drinks will include grog fit for a leviathan (beer & wine), hot chocolate to warm your bones, and other non-alcoholic beverages. The hearty food will include clam chowder and vegetarian chili and cornbread, as well as an assortment of baked goods.

Educational talks and whale watching will occur at various times during the day at the Headlands overlook platform. Whale experts will share their knowledge of whale biology and ecology, as well as their enthusiasm for whale conservation. A temporary exhibit will offer a chance to see the jaw bone and baleen from a 70 foot Fin Whale that washed ashore at Blues Beach in February of 2007. You are invited to contribute your energy to make this event memorable. If you’re game to lend a hand and rub fins with your neighbors, text Derek at (401) 525-8220. It’s a great chance to immerse yourself in our community, both human and cetacean!