Ocean Festival Community Celebration
Mission Point Park June 14, 2026, 11:30am – 4pm
Join us for a free, family-friendly celebration of World Oceans Day, featuring ocean education, citizen science, stewardship, art, music, food, and hands-on activities hosted by an incredible group of ocean champions.
Featured activities
11:30 AM Opening Welcome.
Join us on the beach for a welcome to the Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival and opening words from Alfonso Salinas of the shíshálh Nation.
12:00 PM PODS Beach Walk. Explore the shoreline with the Pender Harbour Ocean Discovery Station (PODS) and discover the remarkable life of the intertidal zone.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Forage Fish Sampling Demonstration. Join Dianne Sanford and the Sunshine Coast Friends of Forage Fish for a live forage fish egg sampling demonstration and learn why these small fish are vital to the Salish Sea food web.
Community Hula. Join Dhyana Bartkow for an interactive hula experience celebrating our connection to the ocean, culture, and place.
Food & Refreshments
- Sun Dogs Eatery. Enjoy delicious food while taking in the sights and sounds of the festival.
- Little Spoon Ice Cream. Cool off with a sweet treat as you explore the celebration.
- Picnic & Gathering Area. Relax, enjoy lunch, connect with friends, and take in the festival atmosphere.
- Water Refill Station. Bring your reusable water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day.
Music & Festival Atmosphere
Enjoy music, community gathering, festival announcements, and celebration throughout the day with DJ BuzyB.
Ocean Sound Escape. Step inside Mission Point House and immerse yourself in whale songs and ocean-inspired soundscapes in a peaceful space for listening, reflection, and connection.
Festival Raffle. Thanks to generous local businesses and community supporters, festival visitors can enter a free raffle for a chance to win ocean-inspired prizes and local experiences. One raffle ticket is available per person at Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival film screenings and at the World Oceans Day Celebration. Prize winners will be drawn at 3:45 PM. Visit the raffle display to view prizes and learn more about the businesses and organizations that donated them.
DJ BuzyB. Providing music, announcements, and the day’s soundtrack, DJ BuzyB will help keep the celebration flowing between activities, performances, and community gatherings.
Additional live music and performances may be added as festival programming is finalized.
Meet our Ocean Champions
Ocean Science, Stewardship & Conservation
Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA). Learn about local efforts to protect watersheds, forests, marine ecosystems, and biodiversity on the Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast Friends of Forage Fish. Discover the importance of forage fish to the Salish Sea food web and learn about local spawning beach monitoring and conservation efforts.
BlueAct Marine Society / Tidepools Aquarium. Learn about marine life, ocean stewardship, and practical ways to take action for the ocean.
Sunshine Coast Seniors for Climate Action (SCAN) Learn about local climate action initiatives and community efforts to build a more resilient future.
My Sea to Sky Society. Discover community-led efforts to protect Howe Sound and coastal ecosystems.
Ocean Legacy Foundation. Learn about marine plastic pollution and the Dock Foam Recovery Pilot Project, which aims to prevent dock foam from entering coastal environments.
CPAWS-BC. Explore efforts to protect marine ecosystems, including BC’s globally unique glass sponge reefs.
Georgia Strait Alliance. Learn about Salish Sea conservation, Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery, and actions you can take to support healthy oceans.
Watershed Sentinel. Meet the team behind one of BC’s leading environmental magazines and explore stories of grassroots conservation and stewardship.
Pacific Wild. Learn about wildlife conservation, healthy ecosystems, and efforts to protect BC’s coast.
BC Wildfire Service. Learn about wildfire prevention, preparedness, reporting, and the connections between healthy forests, watersheds, and oceans.
Arts, Culture & Community
shíshálh Nation Men’s Paddling Group. Meet members of the paddling community and learn about the importance of ocean, culture, and connection to place.
Sunshine Coast Arts Council. Take part in ocean-inspired creative activities for all ages, including Play Sechelt and Deep Sea Creatures.
Red Cedar Woman. Experience traditional cedar weaving demonstrations and learn about the cultural importance of cedar.
Slow Coast qathet. Cyclists will be arriving from weekend-long Mini Shreddy bikepacking trip.
Sunshine Coast Tourism. Discover local experiences that connect people with the ocean and the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast.
Festival Sponsors & Partners. Learn more about the organizations helping make the Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival possible, including Sunshine Coast Credit Union, the Government of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, Ocean Week Canada, the District of Sechelt, the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, and many other community partners.
With gratitude, we proudly thank our funders, partners, and sponsors for making this celebration possible.
GET INVOLVED: This celebration is part of the week-long Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival running June 8 – 14, 2025. Discover more events—like NEMO Talks, films, citizen science projects, and shoreline clean-ups—on our events calendar.