WHAT:
OC Coastkeeper, an environmental nonprofit specializing in oyster restoration, is hosting Orange County’s first-ever oyster festival at the Sunset Beach Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 29. Oysterpalooza will bring together local restaurants, sustainable vendors, Indigenous leaders, environmental advocates, and community members for a day celebrating oysters and their important role in healthy waterways.

The event begins with a beach cleanup from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by the main festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include oyster tastings, local beer, an eco-friendly vendor market, kids’ crafts, live music, and science talks about oyster restoration.

WHEN:
Saturday, August 29, 2026

• Beach Cleanup: 9 to 11 a.m.
• Festival: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:
Sunset Beach Community Center and Greenbelt

• 16861 12 St, Sunset Beach, CA 90742
• Beach Cleanup: Sunset Beach Tower 12
• Map and parking information: coastkeeper.org/oysterpalooza/#details

WHO:

• 15 nonprofit and educational partners
• Local seafood restaurants and breweries, including Roe Seafood and Riip Beer Co
• Indigenous leaders, environmental advocates, and oyster restoration experts

BACKGROUND:
Oysters are essential to healthy waterways, resilient coastlines, and thriving ecosystems, yet they rarely get the spotlight they deserve. Oysterpalooza aims to change that by bringing the community together to learn about oysters, enjoy local food and drinks, and celebrate the work underway to restore native oyster habitat.

Since 2024, Coastkeeper has recycled more than 32,000 pounds of oyster shell from local restaurants and restored more than 1,800 native oysters throughout Alamitos Bay, Huntington Harbour, Seal Beach, and Newport Bay.

Oysterpalooza is made possible with support from the Port of Long Beach, dozens of partner organizations, and members of the Seal Beach community. The free event will showcase the connection between oyster restoration, clean water, and a healthy coastal environment, and give the community a chance to celebrate these often-overlooked environmental heroes.

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ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY COASTKEEPER: Orange County Coastkeeper is a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, which supports more than 350 organizations across 47 countries. Founded in 1999, Coastkeeper’s mission is to protect swimmable, drinkable, fishable waters and promote watershed resilience throughout Southern California. Through education, advocacy, restoration, research, enforcement, and conservation programs, Coastkeeper works to protect and restore the region’s waterways and coastal ecosystems. Learn more at coastkeeper.org.