August to October, 2024

AVALON, Calif. – August 6, 2024 – As summer transitions to fall, Catalina Island becomes an even more enchanting destination with long summer nights, cooling temperatures, and fewer visitors. To celebrate this idyllic time, Love Catalina, the island’s tourism board, will soon launch its 'Second Summer' promotion in September, offering guests three nights for the price of two. Highlights of the upcoming months include the lively Catalina Island Concert Series on August 10 and September 14, and the festive Two Harbors Brew Fest also on September 14, which will ensure an unforgettable experience for all visitors.

Events:

Catalina Island Concert Series
August 10 and September 14

  • In partnership with The Perfect Event, the family-friendly Catalina Island Concert Series returns for another series of incredible free live music at Wrigley Stage. Concerts are held from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a 21+ beer, wine, and spirits garden located adjacent to the stage, featuring raffle and prize opportunities throughout the evening. This year’s lineup includes:
  • Taimane (August 10) – Whether delicately finger-picking through Bach or radically ripping through Led Zeppelin, Taimane has the ability to morph genres – from classical to rock to flamenco, all performed on a ukulele.
  • Xceptional Tribute to ABBA (September 14) – A fan-favorite performance highlighting the best of ABBA.  

Dinner and a Movie with Elvis
August 17, 2024

  • The evening begins at 6 p.m. with dinner and a show in the Schreiner Family Plaza. Guests will enjoy a buffet dinner and the best Elvis Presley impersonator in the Los Angeles area, James Kruck. Following dinner and entertainment, guests will make their way to the Ackerman Family Amphitheater for a screening of the 1969 Elvis movie, Change of Habit, starring Presley, Mary Tyler Moore, and Barbara McNair. 

Annual Catalina Channel Crossing U.S. Outrigger Championships
September 7-8, 2024

  • The Annual Catalina Channel Crossing – US Outrigger Championships is a two-day event and features outrigger canoe races between Catalina Island and Newport Beach. The races showcase the paddlers' athleticism and endurance as they compete in scenic waters. The event also includes Hawaiian festivities after the races, plus an awards ceremony, music, and beer garden.

Two Harbors Brew Fest
September 14, 2024

  • Enjoy microbrews on the beach on Catalina Island’s west end at the 22nd annual Two Harbors Brew Fest. Beer lovers from everywhere will delight in this end-of-summer event on September 14. Join the party and sample a selection of brews poured by more than 20 breweries with a live band, DJ, and appetizers. General admission tickets are $89 and include live entertainment, tastings from all participating breweries, a souvenir beer glass, complimentary appetizers, and silent auction access. This is a 21+ event.

The Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Catalina Walk and Paddle
September 14, 2024

Starts at Wrigley Stage

  • Join us for the Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Catalina Walk and Paddle on September 14, 2024, as we come together to support the fight against breast cancer. Participants can choose to walk or paddleboard, starting adjacent to Avalon’s Wrigley Stage and taking in the scenic beauty of Catalina Island. This inspiring event aims to raise awareness and much-needed funds for breast cancer research, patient care, and community outreach. Let's walk, paddle, and make a difference together. Mammograms will be offered in a nearby mobile unit.  

Mexican Independence Day Celebration
September 16, 2024

Wrigley Stage, Crescent Ave. 

  • Celebrate the premier of this new event on Catalina Island.  Sponsored by Love Catalina and presented by the CIty of Avalon in honor of Mexican Independence Day in Avalon with live music including Sin Frontera and the Tierra Bella Folklorico Dance troupe. 

65th Annual Catalina Festival of Art
September 20-22, 2024

  • One of the longest running and most acclaimed art festivals in California! Artists from all over the country exhibit along the pedestrian friendly, oceanfront Crescent Avenue and sell their works of fine art, jewelry, pottery, stoneware, sculpture, fine crafts & photography. Highlights include a charity art auction and kids art show.

Oktoberfest
September 27, 2024

Catalina Island Museum

  • The Catalina Museum for Art & History is bringing Bavarian culture to Avalon during Oktoberfest on Friday, September 27 from 6–9 p.m. The family-friendly event features live music, traditional singing, food, an Oktoberfest-themed art project for kids and German beer for adults. In the true spirit of Oktoberfest, guests are encouraged to dress in their finest lederhosen and dirndls, and B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Stein) to enjoy a drink.

Catalina Film Festival 
September 27-29, 2024

  • Catalina Film Institute Hosts Its 14th Annual Catalina Film Festival. Voted by filmmakers as one of the top 50 film festivals in the world on the FilmFreeway.com, the Catalina Film Institute celebrates IMAGINATION - EDUCATION - DESTINATION with year-round film workshops, industry panels and inspiring events. Catalina Film Institute's Annual Catalina Film Festival features almost 200 films, nightly events and entertainment. 

OctoberFlx 
September 28, 2024

  • Celebrate Oktoberfest at Avalon’s only beer garden, Flx Biergarten, on September 28th! Experience the island's twist on this traditional Bavarian festival with a special Oktoberfest-inspired menu, featuring hearty German fare and a wide selection of craft beers. Enjoy the lively atmosphere with friends and family, participate in fun lawn games, and savor non-alcoholic options for the younger crowd. Come dressed in your finest lederhosen and dirndls to fully embrace the festive spirit. 

Buccaneer Days
October 3 - 5, 2024

  • Shake your pirate booty to live music in Two Harbors at the 34th annual Buccaneer Days. Enjoy fantastic gruel & grog (that’s pirate for food & drink). Don your favorite pirate attire and enter the costume contest. Hunt for buried treasure and much more at Buccaneer Days. Tickets for this event are $89. This is a 21+ event.

Catalina Island JazzTrax
October 10-13, and October 17-20, 2024

  • Longest running Smooth Jazz festival in the World...since 1987. Each JazzTrax Weekend opens with Thursdays Unplugged Under the Stars (outdoors) at Descanso Beach Club.  Each JazzTrax Weekend then continues Friday Through Sunday inside the 1929 Casino Ballroom.

Dining Scene:

Pier 24 

  • Avalon’s newest waterfront restaurant is an homage to the original Steamer Pier, once home to William Wrigley’s cross-channel vessels, including the S.S. Catalina, commissioned in 1924. Today, Pier 24 is a contemporary restaurant celebrating the enthusiasm of so many visitors and iconic ships that have crossed the channel. Join us at the newest addition to Avalon’s dining scene for a variety of salads, fresh seafood, specialty pizzas, pasta, burgers, paninis, and sandwiches. Also available are specialty cocktails, craft beers, and delicious wines – and, of course, you’ll want to save room for Pier 24’s delightful desserts. Kids will delight in classics, including pizza and chicken tenders. There is something for everyone at our beautiful harborfront location.

Lobster Trap 

  • The Lobster Trap reopened in mid-June after a multi-month renovation that more than doubled the dining space and added a sushi bar. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Flx Biergarten 

  • The Flx Biergarten is now family-friendly! Flx opened in 2023, serving the 21+ crowd as the island's only beer garden. New in late July, all ages are welcome at Flx Biergarten. The under-21 crowd will enjoy lawn games, snacks, and non-alcoholic options.

Arts and Culture:

Avalon Theatre & Catalina Casino

  • The Avalon Theatre marked its two year reopening anniversary in June. The Theatre features films on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Catalina Casino is open daily for general admission. Visitors are invited to meander through the historic building at their own pace and visit the Avalon Theatre, the mezzanine and marine bar, the iconic ballroom and the ocean air promenade.

Summer Nights in the Wrigley Ballroom
Until September 22, 2024

  • Experience an enchanting evening in the Catalina Casino's Wrigley Ballroom, Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm - 11pm. Pizza, hotdogs, and beverages available for purchase.

Catalina Museum for Art & History

  • The Museum will host several events this summer like the monthly First Fridays at the Museum: Mixology featuring specialty cocktails and a chance to visit new exhibits like Rare Air, an exhibition of the work of Sarah Kaizar. As well, a summer Director's Film Series, a four part series, kicked off  on June 21 with the showing of "Some Like It Hot" and they will continue through September 12. The Museum's Summer Documentary Series will take place August 23 and September 13 and features videos from the Museum's Catalina Story Project, highlighting the stories of longtime island residents.
  • Catalina Museum for Art & History is thrilled to welcome their first-ever resident artist through 2025, Sonia Romero. Known for her combination of printmaking, paper-cutting, painting and sculpture, Romero's public artworks are displayed throughout LA. Her father is a prominent Chicano artist whose public works also celebrate the cultural diversity of Los Angeles communities. 

Activities:

Catalina Explorer 
Maverick Helicopters 

  • Maverick Helicopters has introduced the Catalina Explorer, a new daily aerial tour over Catalina Island. Guests can enjoy a 20-minute sightseeing experience over the 22-mile-long island sanctuary, discovering its natural beauty from above. Departing from Avalon, passengers will take off over the vibrant heart of the island, renowned for its rich history and culture. Guests will marvel at iconic landmarks, including the Catalina Casino, Descanso Beach Club, and Hamilton Cove. Passengers may witness roaming buffalo, soaring eagles, and playful dolphins as the helicopter passes Two Harbors, the remote interior, and the Airport in the Sky. The adventure culminates with a breathtaking pass over the Botanic Garden, the historic Catalina Island Golf Course, and Mount Orizaba before descending over Avalon Bay.

Adaptive Scuba Diving - 30% off
Scuba by Design

  • Design your own adventure and dive FREE on your birthday! Scuba by Design offers a private, no stress day of diving with all the amenities – even catered lunches.  The Casino Point Dive Park is a world-class diving location that’s great for families. Whether it's a day of fun, trying scuba for the first time or taking the plunge to get certified, everything is customized for your group. Right now, all experiences are discounted up to 30% off and everything is included from quality high-end gear to shade, mats and chairs - even locked storage for your valuables and fresh water to rinse off. If you have physical challenges or need support for stress and anxiety, Scuba by Design is the only company on the island offering adaptive scuba diving. Underwater, everyone is equal!

About Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority: 

With 230 members, the non-profit organization Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority is the champion of the island’s business community. The organization fosters a successful economy through the promotion of the island as an attractive destination for travel with a focus on sustainability. For more information, please visit www.lovecatalina.com. Travelers can also join the conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lovecatalinaisland) Instagram (@LoveCatalinaIsland) and Twitter (@LoveCatalina_).

About Catalina Island: 

A picture-perfect island paradise just 22 miles off the coast of Southern California, Catalina is a beautiful, dynamic, eclectic destination with a rich history, wide open spaces, and fresh ocean breezes. Catalina offers 25 lodging properties and 300 vacation rentals, including bed and breakfast inns, seaside condominiums, charming bungalows and hotels. The Island boasts 33 palate-pleasing restaurants, lively seaside bars, and an abundance of on- and off-water activities and amenities. Also, home to eight marine sanctuaries and the Catalina Island Conservancy (with 48,000 acres of pristine protected wilderness), these island treasures offer endless year-round outdoor recreation possibilities. Catalina is the perfect getaway all visitors will love. For more information, please visit www.LoveCatalina.com.

CONTACT:      

62ABOVE on behalf of Catalina Island

Alex Herron at AlexH@62above.com | catalina@62above.com