Whale Fest Wine Walk Map

WINE WALK MAP


SHOPS & WINERIES

  • Cucina Verona Mercato – Graziano Family of Wines
  • Hometown Store – Roederer Estate
  • Mendo Photographer Guild – Lula Cellars
  • Kokkos Bar – Bee Hunter Wine
  • LaTre Clothing – Goldeneye Winery
  • Pippi’s Longstockings – Fathers + Daughters Cellars
  • The Quarry – Witching Stick Wines
  • Sherwood & Co – Husch Vineyards
  • Frame Mill – McNab Ridge Winery
  • Splendiferous – Meyer Family Cellars
  • Reynolds + Wren – Jaxon Keys Winery & GWR
  • Oasis x Tango – Frey Vineyards
  • Kama Loka – McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm
  • The Outdoor Store – Handley Cellars and Pennyroyal Farms
  • Ficus abd Fern – Brutocao Cellars

The Fort Bragg Whale Festival Downtown Wine Walk is back. Over a dozen merchants will be serving beautiful Mendocino County wines and hors d’ oeuvres offered while you stroll the quaint shops in downtown Fort Bragg. There’s live music and, of course, you can always extend your stroll to include the new Coastal Trail where you might just catch a migrating grey whale.

  • When: March 18th, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

  • Tickets: $50.00 ahead and $55.00 the day of the event

Free live music will be happening on the 200 block of Laurel Street, featuring performances by Caspar King Band.

Must be 21 and show valid ID

Rain or Shine

Purchase TicketsBack To Whale Fest


Whale Fest Promo


It’s back and, like the migrating leviathans we celebrate, bigger and better than ever. Fort Bragg Whale Festivities include a Downtown Wine Walk, the Fort Bragg Beer Festival, a 10k/5k Whale Run and Walk, craft fair, live music and more. Oh, and it’s all happening during Fort Bragg Restaurant Week. Could there be a better time to visit Fort Bragg? Of course, the whales will be moving through all winter, so if March 18th doesn’t work out, no worries. Come anytime through April to see the amazing migration of Fort Bragg’s favorite cetaceans.

Enter To Win Now 

Sign up for the Fort Bragg newsletter for a chance to win a free meal during Restaurant Week.


Restaurant Week

Fort Bragg Restaurant Week runs from March 13th through the 19th. So come for the food and enjoy the whales or vice versa. Local eateries will be pulling out all the stops, with many restaurants serving up special offerings.

Explore Restaurant Week

Fort Bragg Rotary Club’s Beer Fest

After 3 years, the Rotary Beer Festival is back. Save the date and join us on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at the Eagles Hall from 12-4pm. Tickets are $40 and will be available soon. The Rotary Club is lining up some great beer to taste and an awesome band.

Rotary Club of Fort Bragg

Whale Festival Downtown Wine Walk

The Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce and Visit Fort Bragg are thrilled to bring back the Fort Bragg Whale Festival Downtown Wine Walk. On Saturday, March 18 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM over a dozen merchants will host wineries and serve complimentary food to pair with wines.

Explore The Wine Walk

Whale Run 5k, 10k & Fun Walk

Soroptimist International of Fort Bragg is once again hosting the ever-popular run and walk along the coast that includes a Kiddie Race, 10k and 5k runs and a Fun Walk. Click below to see the course map and registration.

Learn More & Register

Town Hall Craft Fair

The Soroptimists are also hosting an indoor craft fair at town hall on Sat-Sun March 18-19 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Come by to see the incredible work of local artisans and craftspeople. You won’t find a better place to get a one-of-a-kind gift for a fan of Fort Bragg.

Learn More

Noyo Center Whale Events & Exhibits

Join the Noyo Center for Marine Science throughout March for a variety of special events and exhibits to celebrate Whale Festival and the annual gray whale migration. Click the link below for the full schedule and remember that your support helps the Noyo Center do its incredible work.

See The Full Schedule

Mendo Park Educational Activities

Join MendoParks for free guided whale walks at MacKerricher State Park on Fridays and Saturdays in March, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. While you’re there, check out the gray whale skeleton articulation next to the Visitor Center.

Explore

Try the Chowders

The Official Fort Bragg Chowder Tasting and Competition is still on hiatus. But don’t let that stop you from visiting local restaurants during Whale Fest to enjoy a piping hot cup or bowl full of coastal deliciousness.

Princess Sea Food

Noyo Fish Co.

Sea Pal Cove

The Wharf



Whale Fest Wine Walk


The Fort Bragg Whale Festival Downtown Wine Walk is back. Over a dozen merchants will be serving beautiful Mendocino County wines and hors d’ oeuvres offered while you stroll the quaint shops in downtown Fort Bragg. There’s live music and, of course, you can always extend your stroll to include the new Coastal Trail where you might just catch a migrating grey whale.

  • When: March 18th, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

  • Tickets: $50.00 ahead and $55.00 the day of the event

Free live music will be happening on the 200 block of Laurel Street, featuring performances by Caspar King Band.

Must be 21 and show valid ID

Rain or Shine

Purchase TicketsVIEW THE MAPBack To Whale Fest

SHOPS & WINERIES

  • Cucina Verona Mercato – Graziano Family of Wines
  • Hometown Store – Roederer Estate
  • The Mendocino Coast Photographer Guild & Gallery – Lula Cellars
  • Kokkos Bar – Bee Hunter Wine
  • LaTre Clothing – Goldeneye Winery
  • Pippi’s Longstockings – Fathers + Daughters Cellars
  • The Quarry – Witching Stick Wines
  • Sherwood & Co – Husch Vineyards
  • Frame Mill – McNab Ridge Winery
  • Splendiferous – Meyer Family Cellars
  • Reynolds + Wren – Jaxon Keys Winery & Greenwood Ridge Winery
  • Oasis x Tango – Frey Vineyards
  • Kama Loka – McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm
  • The Outdoor Store – Handley Cellars and Pennyroyal Farms
  • Ficus abd Fern – Brutocao Cellars



Winter Wonderland


Winter Wonderland Is Saturday, December 3rd 

The holidays are officially here as we gather at Franklin and Laurel Streets in Downtown Fort Bragg for a full day of jolly good fun. 
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM – Town Hall Holiday Market with festive non-profits  selling holiday treats
2:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Photos with Santa Claus at the Guest House Museum 
6:00 PM – Tree Lighting Ceremony
6:30 PM – Lighted Truck Parade begins
• Music, food and more throughout the day


Blue Economy Learning Festival


the

Learning Festival

Join top researchers, educators, purveyors, guides, and fishers to immerse yourself in a multitude of ocean-related enterprises at the core of a sustainable economic future on the Mendocino Coast.


SATURDAY


Free Shuttle

Ditch your car and hop on MTA shuttle.

Sponsor: Mendocino Transit Authority

Download Bus Map

Coast Guard 47′ Motor Lifeboat

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of our nation’s six military services. The Station at Noyo River is a multi-mission surf station, with an emphasis on search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection. Step on board one of their lifeboats and meet the men and women who serve on it.

Time: 9:00 AM – Noon

Meet: South Harbor

Sponsor: US Coast Guard

Art Explorers Opening Reception, “The Ocean is Life”

Art Explorer’s is a creative arts program primarily serving adults with developmental disabilities, and committed to “provide a fun, nurturing, non-judgmental and artistically stimulating environment for creativity to thrive.” Their space at 333 N Franklin Street is magical and a must experience for all.

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Meet: Art Explorers, 333 N. Franklin St.

Sponsor: Art Explorers

Abalone & Coffee at the Slacktide Cafe

Come visit Noyo Center’s newly acquired facility in Noyo Harbor and learn about our plans for Blue Economy research. Enjoy a cup of coffee and pastries on our deck during a brief presentation on our plans, including an abalone broodstock program.

Time: 9:00 AM – Noon, Presentation at 10:00 AM

Meet: Slacktide Cafe, 32430 N. Harbor Drive, Noyo Harbor

Sponsor: Noyo Center for Marine Science

Hare Creek Beach Stewardship

Stewardship is open to all ages and experience levels. Stop by to pull invasive plant species, maintain the trail, and take in the beautiful scenery.

Time: 10:00 AM to Noon

Meet: Hare Creek Beach (park at Mendocino College Coast Center)

Sponsor: Mendocino Land Trust

Noyo Harbor Fish Market

Come down to the South Harbor! The fishing fleet will be selling their catches right off their boats, with a host of local vendors selling wares in Grader Park. Live music, too!

Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Meet: South Harbor Grader Park

Sponsor: Noyo Harbor District

Cycle Coastal Trail to Ten Mile

Join the SOB’s Seniors on Bikes on one of their daily rides, along the Noyo Headlands Trail and MacKerricher State Park Haul Road. Special stops along the way highlight Learning Festival activities.

Time: 10:00 AM 

Meet: Skunk Train Parking Lot

Sponsor: SOB, Seniors On Bikes Club

Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center: Whales, Water & Wildflowers

Walk the beautiful coastal trail, look for whales as you enjoy the season’s wildflowers in bloom, and end up at the Crow’s Nest, Noyo Center’s foothold on the ocean. See our touch tank aquarium, sea lion skeletons and natural history exhibits.

Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Meet: Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center: End of Jere Melo Way (Cypress Street runway)

Sponsor: Noyo Center for Marine Science

Blue Zone Project – Coastal Mendocino County Kick-Off Event

Discover how to get involved in transforming Mendocino County into a community where healthy choices are easier for everyone! Learn how Blue Zone principles can lead to a longer, better life! Stop by and enjoy free family-friendly activities, giveaways and prizes.

Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Meet: Cypress Street Meadow

Sponsor: Adventist Health

Coast Center Mendocino Collage Open House & Specimen Exhibit

The doors of Mendocino College’s Coast Center are open to all. Come walk the hallways, peek into classrooms, familiarize yourself with their specimen collection and peer through microscopes.

Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Meet: Mendocino College

Sponsor: Mendocino Lake Community College

“Mini” Big Time

Coastal Dancers showcasing regalia from the ocean, Grass Games demonstration and informational booths highlighting the language of Northern Pomo. 

Meet: Mendocino Coast Campus

Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Organizer: Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo

Borrow-A-Buddy

We love our four-legged friends! Take a shelter dog on a fun local field trip. You’ll have a loving buddy for the day and if you hit it off… possibly longer! Learn more from the Mendocino Coast Humane Society at Adventist’s Blue Zone Celebration.

Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Meet: Cypress Street Meadow, Noyo Headlands Park

Sponsor: Humane Society

Discovery Center – Kelp Exhibit

Come see Noyo Center’s beautiful keep exhibit and view underwater video footage of our nearshore habitats in the Discovery Center’s 360-degree geodesic Ocean Immersion Dome.

Time: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Meet: Noyo Center for Marine Science – 338 N. Main

Sponsor: Noyo Center for Marine Science

All Aboard Adventures with Captain Tim on the Sea Hawk

Captain Tim has worked out of the Noyo Harbor for over 40 years and donated four chartered boat excursions to students to support community engagement in the Learning Festival. Thank you, Captain Tim. 

Visit: www.allabourdadventures.com

Sponsor: Captain Tim and the Sea Hawk

Open Mic Night

Bring you songs to Larry Spring Commons for a an open mic night hosted by Karlyn DeSteno with Magpie Pizza served in the Riverboat. Entrance by donation

Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Meet: Enter through the gates beside 225 E. Redwood Ave.

Sponsor: Spring Commons

S’mores & Stories Around The Fire

Point Cabrillo Light Station invites you to toast marshmallows while listening to stories exploring the rich history of our area. Thank you Beachcomber for sharing your fire pits!

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Meet: Park at end of Glass Beach Road and walk over Pudding Creek Trestle

Sponsor: Point Cabrillo Light Station

Night Skies & Telescopes from the Coastal Trail

Amateur astronomers gather at Otsuchi Point to see what deep-sky wonders emerge.

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Meet: Cypress Street access to Noyo Headlands Park


SUNDAY


Free Shuttle

Ditch your car and hop on MTA shuttle.

Sponsor: Mendocino Transit Authority

Download Bus Map

Coastal Birding with the Audubon Society

Birds are everywhere to be found, no matter where you live. Come explore the Noyo Headlands Trail, meet our local birds, and make new birding friends. 

Time: 9:00 AM – Noon

Meet: South of Glass Beach

Sponsor: Mendocino Coast Audubon Society

Free Guest House Museum Open House

The Fort Bragg Historical Society invites you to visit the Guest House Museum where local history is cherished and preserved.

Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Meet: Guest House Museum, 343 N. Main St.

Sponsor: Fort Bragg Historical Society

Cycle Coastal Trail to Ten Mile

Join the SOB’s Seniors on Bikes on one of their daily rides, along the Noyo Headlands Trail and MacKerricher State Park Haul Road. Special stops along the way highlight Learning Festival activities.

Time: 10:00 AM 

Meet: Skunk Train Parking Lot

Sponsor: SOB, Seniors On Bikes Club

Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center: Whales, Water & Wildflowers

Walk the beautiful coastal trail, look for whales as you enjoy the season’s wildflowers in bloom, and end up at the Crow’s Nest, Noyo Center’s foothold on the ocean. See our touch tank aquarium, sea lion skeletons and natural history exhibits.

Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Meet: Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center: End of Jere Melo Way (Cypress Street runway)

Sponsor: Noyo Center for Marine Science

Coho Salmon & Pudding Creek

Coho salmon are the rarest species of salmon in California. Come learn about local efforts committed to restoring habitat and fish passage along Pudding Creek with our local chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU).

Time: 11:00 AM – Noon

Meet: Pudding Creek Trestle

Sponsor: Trout Unlimited, Redwood Empire Chapter

MacKerricher Tide Pooling with Katharine Gabrielson

Explore the rocky intertidal zone at MacKerricher State Park, one of California’s Marine Protected Areas – and say hello to the mussels, barnacles, and anemones that cling to the rocky tidepools.

Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Meet: Laguna Point, MacKerricher Park

Sponsor: CA State Parks

Discovery Center – Kelp Exhibit

Come see Noyo Center’s beautiful keep exhibit and view underwater video footage of our nearshore habitats in the Discovery Center’s 360-degree geodesic Ocean Immersion Dome.

Time: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Meet: Noyo Center for Marine Science – 338 N. Main

Sponsor: Noyo Center for Marine Science

Blue Zone Project – Coastal Mendocino County Kick-Off Event

Discover how to get involved in transforming Mendocino County into a community where healthy choices are easier for everyone! Learn how Blue Zone principles can lead to a longer, better life! Stop by and enjoy free family-friendly activities, giveaways and prizes.

Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Meet: Cypress Street Meadow

Sponsor: Adventist Health

Guided Plant Walk with CA Native Plant Society

Plants are the foundation of our ecosystems, and CA has more plant species than any other state. Join Professor Teresa Cholar on a guided plant identification to learn about plants of the Mendocino Coast. 

Time: 12:30 PM

Meet: South end of Pudding Creek Trestle

Sponsors: Mendocino College & CA Native Plant Society

Explore Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park

Walk seven forested acres of park in the middle of Fort Bragg and learn about forest and watershed ecology from local experts.

Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Meet: Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park

Sponsors: Tess Albin-Smith and Doug Albin


Blue Economy Symposium


the

Symposium

The Blue Economy Symposium is a collaboration between the City of Fort Bragg and California Sea Grant focusing on exploring the needs and potential for developing a resilient and vibrant blue economy in and around Fort Bragg. This symposium will bring together local, state and federal agencies  to develop pathways forward for the community. The first day of the symposium will focus on city and harbor infrastructure needs, discussions with commercial/ recreational fishers and associated businesses about sustainable fishing economies, then followed by education, entrepreneurship and job force training considerations. The second day will explore the potential of developing an aquaculture park in the region. Speakers will present information on different aspects of current and potential aquaculture activities elsewhere in California that are restorative and/or commercial in nature. It is said that a rising tide lifts all boats… thank you for participating in this important conversation.

Fort Bragg's Magic Market


Fort Bragg’s Magic Market

Saturday, October 29th – 11am to 4pm

Come celebrate fall, Halloween and all things magical in Downtown Fort Bragg. Parts of Laurel and Franklin Street will be closed to traffic and open to local vendor booths and fall festivities. All activities go from 11am to 4pm.: 

  • Pumpkin Carving Contest
    – Bring your carved pumpkin to City Hall steps by 1:30pm.
    – Prized awarded for most spooky, creative, original and funniest.

  • Costume Contest
    – Meet at City Hall Steps at 1:30pm  in costume.
    – Prizes awarded for most spooky, creative, original, best witch and wizard.

  • Face Painting

  • Wand Making

  • Photo Booths

  • Sidewalk Chalk Art Drawing


Blue Economy


May 19 to 22, 2022 – Fort Bragg, CA

The Blue Economy Symposium and Learning Festival is presented by Noyo Ocean Collective, a unique partnership uniting the City of Fort Bragg, Noyo Harbor District, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo, Mendocino College, West Business Development Center and Noyo Center for Marine Science. Many thanks to California Sea Grant for their expertise, enthusiasm, and support over the past year to help make this happen.

Together we’ll explore opportunities and consider what a Blue Economy might look like on the Mendocino Coast.


SYMPOSIUM

This leadership forum goes deep into Blue Economy initiatives from around the state, nation and world. While capacity is limited in Town Hall, presentations will be broadcast live for community participation.

Agenda

LEARNING
FESTIVAL

Join top researchers, educators, purveyors, guides and fishers to immerse yourself in a multitude of ocean-related enterprises at the core of a sustainable economic future on the Mendocino Coast.

Activities

BLUE ECONOMY OPPORTUNITIES

Along ocean coasts everywhere, a new path is emerging. Blue Economy is a way of considering economic development and ocean health as compatible. A place where economic activity is in balance with the long-term capacity of ocean ecosystems. It’s a fresh, exciting way of looking at everything from traditional marine sectors to new businesses focused on ocean resiliency, and it touches on activities related to climate change, fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, tourism and transportation.  

ESTABLISHED INDUSTRIES

EMERGING INDUSTRIES


Handmade Craft Fairs


Handmade Craft Fairs

Bring your family to all of the popular Handmade Craft Fairs on special event weekends at Town Hall in downtown Fort Bragg. Shop for a wide variety of amazing hand-crafted items, from quilts and toys, to iron works, pottery, knits and crochet, jewelry, paintings, tools, and puzzles. 

When: Special Event Weekends Starting at 10 AM On Saturday and Sunday. Closing Times Vary. 

Where: Town Hall – Corner of Main & Laurel in Downtown Fort Bragg

Handmade Craft Fairs: 

– WHALE FESTIVAL: 3rd Weekend of March

– SALMON BBQ: 1st Weekend of July

– PAUL BUNYAN DAYS: Labor Day Weekend

– HOLIDAY LIGHTS PARADE: 1st Weekend of December


Fort Bragg Independence Day Fireworks


Fort Bragg Independence Day Fireworks

Fort Bragg Independence Day Fireworks are on for this year! 

When: Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 9:30 PM

WATCH FROM:
• South Coastal Trail at Noyo Headlands*
• Pomo Bluffs Park
• Todd Point Parking Area


Fort Bragg Police will strictly enforce restrictions on illegal discharge of fireworks & open containers of alcohol in public.

*$20 PARKING FEE