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The Flying Fish Festival: Catalina Island Ready for its Big Weekend
Archival Photo Courtesy of the Catalina Island Conservancy
Archival Photo Courtesy of the Catalina Island Conservancy
From the Taste of Avalon to Peddle Boat Race to a parade featuring Huell Howser, the 2nd Annual Flying Fish Festival in Catalina Island's main city, Avalon, is ready to pack a punch over the next four days. It begins tomorrow with a variety of activities including the Taste of Avalon where restaurants gather in the middle of town and dole out $1 or cheaper samples of their best dishes.
The festival also marks the official start of the flying fish season. "The flying fish are kind of like the swallows of Capistrano," explained Donna Harris of the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. "They come when the waters warm up, between May and September."
For 80 years now, Catalina has been a hub for flying fish sightings. They mainly come out at night and are best seen on a tour boat with a spotlight. The fish actually "fly" through the air, some as high as 30 to 40 feet that can also glide as far as a quarter mile. "We have the largest flying fish in the world and are the only place in North America that offer tours," Harris said.
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Old Flying Fish Postcard | Courtesy of the Catalina Island Conservancy
Those who can't make this weekend's festivities can catch tours throughout the summer until September.
This month also marks the 80th anniversary of the city's architectural icon, the Avalon Casino, which is actually a movie theatre originally built for talkies in 1929. On the second floor is one of the largest circular ballrooms in the world. The theatre is open year-round, but the festival will hold special events at it on Saturday.
A complete schedule of the weekend's events can be found here (scroll down).
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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