The Gulf Coast Whale Festival brings environmental education and fun to Pensacola Beach on Saturday April 12. Educational exhibits and activities tell the story of Gulf whales and local marine life, and a puppet parade led by Birds of a Feather showcases the ecology of the Gulf. Sweet sounds will flow from the Casino Beach Pavilion with live music by Pensacola singer-songwriters, and the premier performance of Ode to the Rice’s Whale, written by Pensacola performer Bob Teague.

“Yes we have whales along the Gulf coast, and we’re excited to host the Gulf Coast Whale Festival to celebrate the whales and other natural riches of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Christian Wagley, Florida/Alabama Organizer at the nonprofit Healthy Gulf.

One of the organizations leading educational activities at the Festival is the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, where students are continuing their years of work around Gulf marine life.

“My students are really excited to share our work on marine mammals, especially Rice’s whales,” says Charlene Mauro, director of the Center. “We’ll have an inflatable whale to visit, and hands-on activities to make it fun and informative.”

The Whale Festival comes at an exciting time for whale lovers on the Gulf coast, as the Rice’s whale was identified as a new species of whale just four years ago. In addition, the recent journey of two highly endangered North Atlantic right whales along the Florida-Alabama coast has captured public attention.

Space for vendors interested in sharing environmental and marine life education is available for free, but space is limited. For more information and to register for booth space, please visit: https://healthygulf.org/get-involved/gulf-coast-whale-festival-2025/
Questions: Contact Christian Wagley at gulfcoastwhale@gmail.com