Right Whale Festival

09/02/2026

Their Future, Our Fight: Festival Feature.....Life-Size Inflatable Whales!

How big is a whale? Come see for yourself! You'll be amazed by just how BIG some of these animals really are!

Experience the incredible size of these marine mammals by standing next to a whales, and even walking through our life-size inflatable right whale, at the Right Whale Festival.

Come see North Atlantic right whales, a right whale calf, a Rice’s whale, a s***m whale, a pilot whale, and a manatee. These larger than life displays give visitors a unique opportunity to compare species, learn about their biology and adaptations, and discover more about the marine mammals that live along our coast and beyond.

Join us at the 2026 Right Whale Festival on Nov. 7th & 8th at Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach, Florida for this fun, hands on educational experience for all ages and one of the best ways to truly appreciate the incredible size of whales.

08/31/2026

Their Future, Our Fight: Festival Feature…Clearwater Maine Aquarium H20 Mobile Exhibit

Want to take an interactive journey into Florida’s coastal ecosystem? You can do just that with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Healthy Habitats and Oceans (H2O) Mobile Exhibit at the Right Whale Festival!

This immersive experience will teach attendees how their actions make a difference in protecting the marine ecosystem and its inhabitants. Learn about the life of a sea turtle and human impacts on the Florida coast while challenging your brain by critically thinking about conservation.

Join us at the 2026 Right Whale Festival on Nov. 7th & 8th at Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach, Florida and visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s tent to take part in this unique, educational adventure through Florida’s marine environment!

08/31/2026

Their Future, Our Fight….Let your voice be heard!!!!!

A GIANT reminder that humans are a fraction of the size of North Atlantic right whales but are wholly responsible for the decline in their population.

Entanglements are one of their leading causes of death, and the bill Congress is voting on, on Monday (H.R. 9436) delays any additional protections to right whales from accidental entanglements until 2035. That's 9 more years!! How many more right whales have to suffer the agonizing death of entanglements before action is taken?

Speak out against H.R. 9436!! If this bill passes it could be the final nail in the coffin for this species. With less than 400 remaining and 70 breeding females, this population cannot wait another 9 years.

Contact your rep here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/urge-congress-to-reject-rep-lawlers-attack-on-north-atlantic-right-whales

Humans are only ONE species out of MILLIONS that exist on this Earth, and we have a responsibility to protect those who are directly impacted and endangered by our actions.

08/31/2026

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth. With fewer than 400 individuals remaining, every whale matters. Now, a dangerous proposal threatens to undermine efforts to save this iconic species. Representative Mike Lawler of New York teamed up with Rep. Jared...

08/28/2026

The Right Whale Festival is FREE! Do you know why? Because of our amazing and generous sponsors who believe in our mission and help make this educational community event possible year after year!

We are incredibly grateful for the businesses, organizations, and individuals who support the festival and help us educate thousands of people about North Atlantic right whales and what we can all do to protect them. Check out our website to see all of the incredible sponsors making this year’s festival possible: https://buff.ly/gIfMKQD

And there’s still time to join them! Become a 2026 Right Whale Festival sponsor as an individual, organization, or business. Commit by September 1 and, depending on your sponsorship level, you can have your logo featured on our festival T-shirts and posters!

Help us keep the Right Whale Festival FREE, educational, and accessible to everyone while supporting the fight to save one of the world’s most endangered large whales. Their Future, Our Fight. Become a sponsor and be part of it!

08/28/2026

There are two days left to register for our premiere of Spindrift Images' The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope! Register for your FREE ticket now (link below)! There's still time!

These amazing whales grace the shores of the southeast U.S. each winter with their newborn calves. Learn why there are fewer than 400 left and what you can do to help them. Enjoy a silent auction, light snacks, and an expert Q&A panel with members of Blue World Research Institute and their Right Whale Sighting Network; Nick and Cheryl Dean, the filmmakers; and Steve Burton, the Director of the Marine Mammal Stranding and Assessment Program at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University.

We hope to see you there!

Register at https://givebutter.com/the-right-whale-tales-of-resilience-and-hope-gxe85y

08/26/2026

Their Future, Our Fight: View Whales Responsibly

The best and safest way to view North Atlantic right whales is from shore! Right whales are often seen just offshore of Amelia Island calving season (November through April), offering an incredible opportunity to see these critically endangered whales without disturbing them. Keep an eye out for their distinctive V shaped blow, one of the best ways to recognize a right whale at the surface.

If you are operating a vessel, help protect right whales by following these guidelines, especially in the calving area from North Carolina through Northeast Florida, where mothers give birth to and nurse their young.

🐋 Slow down to 10 knots or less in areas where right whales are present.
👀 Keep a sharp lookout for whales and other marine life, especially during poor visibility, including at night, sunrise and sunset, and during storms.
🕶️ Wear polarized glasses while operating a vessel to improve visibility.
📻 Monitor VHF Channel 16 and local news for right whale sightings.
🚤 Stay at least 500 yards away. If you encounter a right whale, move away slowly and maintain the required 500-yard distance by sea and by air.
📞 Report right whale sightings to 1-877-WHALE-HELP (1-877-942-5343).

Learn more about simple ways to help: https://buff.ly/uTBg5ry

Join us at the 2026 Right Whale Festival on November 7–8 at Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach, Florida, and discover more ways you can help protect right whales.

08/25/2026

Info for the ST AUGUSTINE screening of Spindrift Images’ award winning film, “The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope”:

Wednesday, August 26 at 6:00pm at Spinster Abbott’s

Defenders of Wildlife
Oceana
Oceana in the Southeast

08/21/2026

Their Future, Our Fight: In the Spotlight – Terran McGinnis, Marineland Right Whale Project

Terran McGinnis has dedicated her career to marine conservation and education. For more than 32 years, she has inspired communities to appreciate marine life and understand the vital role healthy oceans play in our world. Her life's work has centered on connecting people with the ocean and encouraging them to take an active role in conservation.

In 2002, Terran started with the Marineland Right Whale Project as a dedicated volunteer, where she has played a key role in protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. Today, she serves as the organization's Project Coordinator, overseeing a network of approximately 300 volunteer citizen scientists who monitor and report right whale sightings along Florida's coast.

Through decades of education, volunteer leadership, and conservation advocacy, Terran exemplifies how one person's passion and commitment can inspire others and make a lasting difference for marine wildlife.

""When one of the great, and most endangered, whales of the world comes to OUR coastline to give birth and nurse their precious calves, it's something worth celebrating and honoring. We can be the generation that turns things around for North Atlantic right whales; or we can be the generation that does nothing. Let's choose well."" -Terran McGinnis, Marineland Right Whale Project

Join us at the 2026 Right Whale Festival on November 7–8 at Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach, Florida, and meet the people making a difference for right whales every day.