While festivals with names such as Festival of Whales or Kelpfest offer fun days to touch starfish, build sand castles and watch musical groups dance and sing, these events were actually created as educational opportunities and outreach by nonprofit groups hoping that the public will learn about and explore what's in the Pacific Ocean. Here are a few of the best ocean festivals to see in California:

• DANA POINT Festival of Whales on March While this two-weekend festival annually entertains with cars shows, art shows and a parade at the Dana Point harbor, each and every day you can explore the Pacific Ocean on a Dana Harbor whale watching cruise.
• LAGUNA BEACH Kelpfest April. The annual event is a passion for a marine biologist and founder Nancy Caruso, who founded a project restoring the kelp forest ecosystem by getting the community involved in the hands on restoration.
• LONG BEACH Urban Ocean Festival May. At Aquarium of the Pacific the event explores impacts of urban populations on the ocean. Boat tours, an ocean poetry contest, ocean trash fashion show and the aquarium setting make this a fun festival with lots to see and explore.
• RANCHO PALOS VERDES Whale of a Day Celebration April. Los Serrenos hosts this event at Point Vicente Interpretive Center, one of the best Southern California vistas for whale migrations.
• LITTLE RIVER Whale Festival March. Festival includes kayaking and whale watch walk.
• SAN CLEMENTE Ocean Festival July. This festival actually takes place on the beach and in the ocean with sports contests and beach fun.
• FORT BRAGG Whale Festival March, includes chowder cook-off, fun run and a whale walk on the new coastal trail! fortbragg.com

• MENDOCINO Whale Festival held in early March
• SAN PEDRO Whale Fiesta held in early March at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.