What is the Maritime Festival?
Maritime Festival is one of Ocean Institute’s annual fundraisers. All proceeds from the entire weekend support Ocean Institute Education Programs. This festival celebrates California’s rich maritime history and our connection to the ocean! This is a fun-filled weekend event with visiting tall ships, cannon battles, a beer garden, mermaid swim shows, pirate school, live music, sailor reenactors, vendors, food trucks, and more!
About Ocean Institute:
The Ocean Institute is nationally known for its award-winning, hands-on marine science, environmental education, and maritime history programs. Students, families, and the general public become tall ship sailors, research scientists, oceanographers, and explorers while immersed in Ocean Institute programs.
The first annual Maritime Festival (previously Tall Ships Festival) was in 1984.
The Ocean Institute was established in 1977 as the Orange County Marine Institute. Today, it is a community-based, federally recognized 501(c)(3) organization nationally renowned for its ocean science and maritime history educational programs.
Under the leadership of its founder, Stan Cummings, the Ocean Institute was originally established under a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) that included the County of Orange, the Orange County Department of Education, Saddleback Community College District, Rancho Santiago Community College District, North Orange County Community College District, and Coast Community College District. In 1992, the agreement was redrafted to include the City of Dana Point.
In September 1996, OI’s Board of Directors transferred the assets and operating authority to a 501(c)(3) called the Friends of the Marine Institute in Orange County. In November 1999, the Board changed the name to Ocean Institute.