March 3, 2022 (Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA) — The City of Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Serenos de Point Vicente are thrilled to announce the return of Whale of a Day April 9 at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center.

The 37th annual festival celebrating the migration of the Pacific gray whale from its summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas in Alaska, to the winter breeding and calving grounds in Baja California, will be held in person for the first time since 2019 after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This free, community favorite event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at one of Southern California’s premier whale-watching locations. Whale of a Day will feature children’s games and crafts, tours of the Point Vicente Interpretive Center museum, live entertainment and an array of marine-themed vendors and organizations, plus food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and a silent auction and raffle.

Performances will include puppet shows by Los Serenos de Point Vicente, sea shanties by Jordan Bush, the Ted Atkatz Percussion Seminar (TAPS), rock and surf band the Aviators, and bluegrass group Smoky Hollow.

“As we continue to swim out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s so exciting to be able to once again host Whale of a Day here in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,” said Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Dave Bradley.

Whale of a Day was canceled in 2020 and held virtually in 2021. Since the last time the event took place in person, the Point Vicente Interpretive Center museum gained new interactive exhibits that take visitors alongside gray whales and birds as they journey along the coast of the Peninsula. The displays also explore the history of animal and human migration and navigation.

In celebration of Whale of a Day, kids grades TK-5 are invited to use their creativity to design an ocean- themed bookmark. Winners will be showcased online on April 9 and will receive 25 printed bookmarks to share with their friends and family. Entries are due March 25. Visit whaleofaday.com for contest details.

Tours of the Point Vicente Lighthouse will not be offered at this year’s event, as the lighthouse remains closed by the U.S. Coast Guard due to its COVID-19 protocols.

There will be no on-site parking for Whale of a Day. Parking and a shuttle service will be provided for free at Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall at 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard.

For more information, and for bonus virtual Whale of a Day content, visit whaleofaday.com. If you have questions about this event, please contact the Recreation and Parks Department at events@rpvca.gov or 310-544-5260.

About the City of Rancho Palos Verdes

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is located on a coastal peninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the South Bay of Los Angeles County. Incorporated in 1973, the City is home to 42,000 residents, 7 1/2 miles of coastline, a 1400-acre nature preserve, and hundreds more acres of open space. Residents and visitors enjoy expansive ocean views and ample opportunities for recreation, including golfing, hiking, beach access, and whale watching. Notable landmarks and points of interest include the Wayfarers Chapel designed by Lloyd Wright, the Point Vicente Lighthouse, the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, Terranea Resort, the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, and Trump National Golf Club.

About Los Serenos de Point Vicente

Los Serenos de Point Vicente is a nonprofit volunteer organization which assists and supports the City of Rancho Palos Verdes' objectives for the Point Vicente Interpretive Center (a museum which features exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Peninsula), Abalone Cove Park, the Forrestal Nature Reserve/Ladera Linda Community Park, and the Ocean Trails Reserve trails. Los Serenos docents and volunteers provide interpretive and educational services to the community regarding the unique features and natural and cultural history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and adjacent waters by means of docent- led tours, special events, workshops, and classes.

Contact

Megan Barnes

Senior Administrative Analyst, City of Rancho Palos Verdes

mbarnes@rpvca.gov | 310-544-5226

Ami Kurino

Publicity Chair, Los Serenos de Point Vicente

LSPublicityChair@gmail.com

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