AVALON — Mermaids, ocean-inspired art, and a few hundred rubber ducks will take over Avalon this fall as the Catalina Island Mermaid Festival returns for its second year with an expanded lineup of activities on land and water.
The family-friendly festival will bring two days of ocean-themed activities to Crescent Avenue, South Beach and other locations throughout Avalon, building on an inaugural event that organizers put together in just three months in 2025.
According to Lola DiMiele of the Catalina Art Association and the festival’s official “Mermaid Handler,” organizers are using what they learned during the first year to grow the event while maintaining its community focus.
“Like anything new, you have to start somewhere and pray it goes well,” DiMiele said. “I love how this event is evolving. This will be so much fun for our visitors and locals alike.”
This year, the mermaids will make their entrance in appropriately Catalina fashion: by golf cart.
A golf cart parade will kick off Saturday’s festivities before attention turns to South Beach, where an installation of hand-painted surfboards will combine art with fundraising for local organizations. Each board will represent a local organization, and festivalgoers can purchase votes for their favorite designs. Money generated through the voting will benefit the organization associated with each board.
The boards will later be auctioned, giving visitors an opportunity to take home their favorite while generating additional money for the participating organizations.
The Mermaid and Ocean-Themed Art Festival also will fill Crescent Avenue with artists, jewelry, crafts, and other sea-inspired work. Visitors can make ocean-themed crafts, have their faces painted, and visit booths designed to help transform even the most landlocked festivalgoer into a mermaid.
A Mermaid Grotto on the beach will provide a gathering and photo area for mermaids throughout the weekend.
“Mermaids and Catalina go together,” DiMiele said. “What a beautiful place to be a mermaid.”
One of Saturday’s more unusual aquatic competitions returns at high noon with the Rubber Ducky Derby. Festivalgoers can purchase ducks for the race, while local mermaid Madison will enter the water and swim alongside the competitors to help them make their way toward the finish.
A corporate duck race will follow, adding another round of competition to the afternoon.
The festival also will expand onto the water Saturday evening. At 5:00 p.m., the Sirens Ball will take place aboard the Catalina Cruise boat for a harbor cruise featuring a DJ, bar, and food available for purchase from Avalon Smokehouse. Costumes are optional; although on this particular weekend, arriving dressed as a mermaid is unlikely to raise many eyebrows.
Back on shore, a children’s movie will be shown on the beach Saturday evening.
Sunday will shift the focus toward younger mermaids and pirates, with the City of Avalon hosting a variety of family-friendly activities throughout the day on South Beach. Artists, craft booths, and face painting will continue along the waterfront, while participating Avalon businesses will offer mermaid-themed merchandise, food, drinks, and other specials.
The festival’s ocean theme will go beyond costumes and entertainment. DiMiele said educational organizations have been invited to participate and share information about water safety and the surrounding marine environment.
Visitors interested in taking the mermaid experience a step further can even pursue PADI mermaid certification while on Catalina Island.
The combination of education, art and activities reflects an effort to connect the mythical theme with the real marine environment surrounding Avalon. Catalina’s clear water, beaches, and long relationship with boating and ocean recreation provide a natural setting for an event centered on life beneath the surface, imaginary or otherwise.
The festival also provides another reason for visitors to make the channel crossing during the fall shoulder season and spend time at Avalon’s local shops, restaurants, and waterfront businesses after the busiest part of summer has passed.
DiMiele said organizers hope to continue building on the festival each year by adding activities and creating more ways for residents and visitors to participate.
“We are hoping every year to get bigger and have more activities as the years go on,” she said.
For now, the second year is already shaping up to be larger than the first, with a golf cart parade, charitable art auction, harbor cruise, educational programming, and plenty of mermaids joining the returning art and family activities.
And unlike most trips to Catalina, festivalgoers will not have to head offshore and stare at the horizon hoping to spot unusual marine life.
For one weekend in Avalon, the mermaids are coming to shore.
