Lovers of nature and all things aquatic, mark your calendars!
The community favourite Pacific Rim Whale Festival is coming to Tofino and Ucluelet from March 16th to 24th and is to celebrate marine life while also raising awareness for our ocean pals, the Grey whales.
This unmissable opportunity will include a wide variety of events—separated into ‘ticketed’ and ‘button’ events.
Button events only require a one-time purchase of a button to access a multitude of incredible activities and ticketed events will require a new ticket purchase each time!
The festivities will kick off with Spout Ball on March 16th at 10 a.m. in Ucluelet—a highlight-anticipated competition between firefighters as they go head-to-head in this exhilarating challenge.
Also in Ucluelet on March 16th will be the famous Chow Down from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a coastal culinary extravaganza in collaboration with the Pacific Rim Rotary Club where makers show off their skills and compete for the top chowder.
Other events include the Parade of Whales and Wonder, Eco-Market, Beach Seine with Ucluelet Aquarium, Pass of Melfort Shipwreck Walk, Whale Spotting From Shore at Amphitrite Point, and much more.
They’ll close out another amazing year with the Baleen Bash with Lazy Syrup Orchestra on Saturday, March 23rd from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., held at the Tofino Community Hall!
This is a ticketed event, and you can purchase tickets for $45 per person—it usually sells out, so don’t wait to grab yours!
To view the full list of events, you can visit the Pacific Rim Whale Festival website.
Pacific Rim Whale Festival is a non-profit society that began over 30 years ago between a group of concerned citizens who wanted to create awareness about our pristine ecosystem, the endangered Grey Whale population, and our coastal traditions.
The festivities organized for each spring have always been centered around whales and focusing on their migration and long-term protection.
Did you know that more than 14,500 Grey whales migrate every spring? Definitely something worth celebrating!
Each year the energy is contagious and everyone is waiting in anticipation of that first peak at the migration—perhaps you’ll even catch a full breach!
If you wish to be a little more involved with the set-up and organization of the festival, you can sign up to become a volunteer here.
Pacific Rim Whale Festival
- Where: Tofino and Ucluelet—exact locations vary
- When: March 16th to 23rd—event times and dates vary
