Flying Fish festival provides family fun
Catalina Island’s Flying Fish Festival has become one of the island’s most successful annual events. Celebrating the return of Catalina’s famous finned flyers, the family-friendly festival is held every year in late May, when the flying fish return with warmer water.
The event kicks off on Thursday, May 29, with the Taste Around Avalon, an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to sample appetizers, beverages and desserts from Catalina Island restaurants. Performances and events will be held throughout the weekend. An annual favorite is the creation of a giant sand sculpture on Wrigley Stage by professional sand artists. This year’s festival will include a cardboard boat-building competition, followed by what is sure to be an entertaining cardboard boat race. A 5K Kids Fun Run will get the younger generation moving and a movie on the beach will bring the whole family together to enjoy The Little Mermaid. Kayak races, marine touch tanks and flying fish tours will be available as will children’s science activities, street performers and a street fair. Avalon’s High School Theatre department will be performing Once Upon A Mattress and a free concert will be held on Wrigley Stage.
The Flying Fish Festival celebrates Catalina’s iconic flying fish, which inhabit island waters from May to September. These athletic fish have evolved long pectoral fins that allow them to glide for hundreds of feet just above the surface of the water. The adaptation allows the flying fish to escape from predators and it is especially impressive to witness at night, when high-powered spotlights are used to spot the fish. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have experienced Catalina’s famous flying fish; why not join them at the Flying Fish Festival?
Catalina’s entire community comes together to make the Flying Fish Festival a reality. Catalina Island Vacation Rentals and Catalina Island Real Estate are proud to be sponsors of the Movie on the Beach.