Avalon’s calendar is filled with events from art festivals to concerts on the beach. Enjoy museum exhibits and many sporting events. Here’s a look at what’s happening.
Please note all events are subject to change.

September 2019

9/1-30  Hatch Chili Festival at Mia Casita
Fresh hatch green chilies from New Mexico, extensive menu selections made with this famous tasty chili available only in late August and September of each year at Mia Casita. Available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

9/6-7  Catalina Wine Mixer
Do you like to drink wine? Do you like to have live music and a great time? Head over to Descanso Beach Club for the Annual Catalina Wine Mixer! The two-day extravaganza features live bands, DJs, fun cocktails, delicious food, crafts, dancing, a Step Brothers movie screening, beach parties, various activities, and of course lots of wine from West Coast wineries for you to sample and purchase.

9/6  First Friday at the Museum (First Friday of each month)
6pm-8pm. First Fridays encourage residents and visitors to explore the museum’s galleries and digital theater, enjoy refreshments and snacks in the outdoor plazas and shop in the Museum Store. Events may include music and dance performances, lectures, gallery talks, or films. Catalina Island Museum

9/7-8  Annual Catalina Channel Crossing - US Outrigger Championships
Come out and see the women finish the longest Polynesian canoe race in the continental U.S., 26 miles from Newport Beach to Avalon, on Saturday, at Casino Point. Then enjoy the after race Hawaiian festivities at the center of town; including the awards ceremony, music and beer garden. On Sunday watch the men start their race back to Newport Beach from Lovers Cove. More Info

9/7  DC-3's End of Summer BBQ
Indulge in the Airport in the Skys' famous menu of all you can eat BBQ Tri Tip & Chicken, Caesar Salad, Parmesan Potatoes, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Homemade Garlic Bread and Hot Apple Pie a la mode. At the Airport in the Sky. Appetizers start at 4:30pm, dinner at 5pm. Reservations Required.

9/14  Windward Beach Cleanup (2nd Saturday each month)
Volunteer in the great outdoors while combing the sand for debris to help keep our windward beaches pristine. Clean-up locations (Shark Harbor, Little Harbor, Ben Weston and Cottonwood) rotate throughout the year. Catalina Island Conservancy.

9/20-22  61st Annual Catalina Festival of Art
One of the longest running and most acclaimed art festivals in California! Artists from all over the country exhibit along Crescent Avenue and sell their works of fine art, sculpture, fine crafts & photography. Highlights include a charity art auction and kids art show. More Info

9/21  National Museum Day
In conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day Live and in celebration of National Museum Day, the Catalina Island Museum offers free admission to its history galleries and digital theater. 10am-5pm.

9/21  Catalina Island Women's Forum Wine Festival
Held in concert with the weekend long annual Festival of Art, the 23rd annual Catalina Island Women's Wine Festival fundraiser features over 70 wineries, delectable hors d’oeuvres and live music. Net proceeds help support mentoring and scholarship programs.

9/21  National Museum Day Celebration
In conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day and in celebration of National Museum Day, the Catalina Island Museum offers free admission to its exhibition galleries, open-air plazas and digital theater.

9/25-29  Catalina Film Festival
The Catalina Film Institute’s annual celebration of film features more than 100 films, nightly events and entertainment. The first few days of our event are launched from the mainland cities during our “Catalina Launch Week”. This is a competitive festival with awards in up to 10 categories, including the prestigious Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation “Great Communicator” Award, Charlie Chaplin ICON Award, and Stanley Kramer “Social Artist” Award. More Info

9/27-30  Groove Island
Groove Island 2019 is a first of its kind immersive dance music experience on Catalina Island. On the weekend of September 27-30, 2019, the blissful and picture-perfect paradise of Catalina Island will become a carefully curated and all-encompassing celebration of life, positivity, and dance music.

October 2019

10/1-31  Lobsterfest & Octoberfest at El Galleon
Head over to El Galleon for freshly caught local lobster dinners, traditional style with shrimp cornbread stuffing, fresh corn & rice pilaf. Enjoy with your choice of Paulaner Beers from Munich.

10/4  First Friday at the Museum (First Friday of each month)
6pm-8pm. First Fridays encourage residents and visitors to explore the museum’s galleries and digital theater, enjoy refreshments and snacks in the outdoor plazas and shop in the Museum Store. Events may include music and dance performances, lectures, gallery talks, or films. Catalina Island Museum

10/10-13 & 10/17-20  33rd Annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival
The Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival is the longest-running Smooth Jazz festival in America since 1987. On an island…26 miles off the southern California coastline in a tiny seaport village…In the historic 1929 Casino Ballroom…25 different stars of Smooth Jazz – 2 consecutive October weekends…Smooth Jazz lovers arriving from all over the world. Thursday night “Unplugged” at Descanso Beach Club and Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Casino Ballroom.

10/12  Windward Beach Cleanup (2nd Saturday each month)
Volunteer in the great outdoors while combing the sand for debris to help keep our windward beaches pristine. Clean-up locations (Shark Harbor, Little Harbor, Ben Weston and Cottonwood) rotate throughout the year. Catalina Island Conservancy.

10/17  Fall Fest
Live music, food, games, hayrides, pumpkin patch on the beach, and much more! Join the Avalon community from 5pm - 9pm along Crescent Avenue (Front Street) as they raise money for local charities and kick off the Fall season. Fun for the whole family!

10/31  Annual Halloween Costume Parade
Don your favorite costume and join Island school kids and residents alike for the Annual Halloween Parade down Crescent Avenue starting at 4pm.

10/31  Halloween Costume Party at El Galleon
Join the wacky and outrageous fun at El Galleon’s annual Halloween Karaoke Costume Party. Karaoke party starts at 9pm, where you can sing all the monster favorites with over 20,000 songs to choose from! Vote on your favorite costumes with 1st prize winning a Lobster Dinner for Two. Happy Hour from 3pm-6pm and Sunset Dinner Specials available from 5pm-7pm. No cover charge, must be 21 and over.

November 2019

11/1  First Friday at the Museum (First Friday of each month)
6pm-8pm. First Fridays encourage residents and visitors to explore the museum’s galleries and digital theater, enjoy refreshments and snacks in the outdoor plazas and shop in the Museum Store. Events may include music and dance performances, lectures, gallery talks, or films. Catalina Island Museum

11/2  35th Annual Catalina Island Triathlon & Duathlon
Catalina Island is one of the most beautiful and unique settings to host a triathlon. The Catalina Island Triathlon & Duathlon attracts athletes who are looking to compete in that last race before the winter season break. This is a unique and beautiful setting that will challenge the beginner and thrill the veteran.

11/9  Windward Beach Cleanup (2nd Saturday each month)
Volunteer in the great outdoors while combing the sand for debris to help keep our windward beaches pristine. Clean-up locations (Shark Harbor, Little Harbor, Ben Weston and Cottonwood) rotate throughout the year. Catalina Island Conservancy.

11/16  Catalina Half-Marathon & 10K
Experience the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the Island's wildlife. Sign up for wither 13.1 miles and run some of the most beautiful, rugged and breathtaking trails you will ever experience! All half marathon finishers receive a medal & training shirt! All 10K runners receive a shirt and the overall finishers & top three in each age group receive a medal. All kids will receive a finisher medal.

December 2019

12/6  First Friday at the Museum (First Friday of each month)
6pm-8pm. First Fridays encourage residents and visitors to explore the museum’s galleries and digital theater, enjoy refreshments and snacks in the outdoor plazas and shop in the Museum Store. Events may include music and dance performances, lectures, gallery talks, or films. Catalina Island Museum

12/7  26th Annual "Shop Catalina" Night
A one-night shopping extravaganza with holiday discounts (10-50% savings), musical entertainment and prize drawings from 5pm-9pm. Shop Catalina Night kicks off with a holiday tree lighting ceremony on Wrigley Stage at 5pm. Have your picture taken with Santa when you bring two canned goods to the food drive at El Galleon from 6pm - 8:30pm.

12/14  Windward Beach Cleanup (2nd Saturday each month)
Volunteer in the great outdoors while combing the sand for debris to help keep our windward beaches pristine. Clean-up locations (Shark Harbor, Little Harbor, Ben Weston and Cottonwood) rotate throughout the year. Catalina Island Conservancy.

12/31  47th Annual New Year's Eve Celebration
Dance in the New Year at this black-tie optional event in the world-famous Casino Ballroom. Includes gourmet buffet dinner, dancing, champagne split to toast the New Year and party favors. Reservations go on sale August 1st, 2019. 

12/31  New Year's Eve Annual Mardi Gras Karaoke Party
Outrageous fun New Year’s Eve at El Galleon’s Mardi Gras Karaoke Party from 9:30 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.  Admission to the party is $20 per person, general seating, includes party favors, hats, Mardi Gras beads, a glass of champagne, balloon drop at midnight and all the fun of Karaoke with over 20,000 songs to choose from in their song library. 

Ongoing Events 

Elizabeth Turk: Tipping Point
MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship Awardee Elizabeth Turk highlights various attributes of this continent's birds, Turk developed an alphabet of symbols. Using these unique symbols, she explores the greater concept – Extinction. The “Sound Columns” juxtapose the ephemeral with the eternal. Inspired by recordings of extinct birds (cataloged by the Ornithology Lab at Cornell University) Turk created evocative sculptural forms. Catalina Island Museum.

Wrigley's Catalina: A Centennial Celebration
This special exhibition commemorates William Wrigley Jr. and the execution of his vision for Catalina Island - especially during his first year of ownership: 1919.  The exhibition reveals his remarkable and ambitious plan using photographs, letters, original documents, plans, blueprints, maps, steamship artifacts, advertisements, tools and objects relating to the various projects and industries. Catalina Island Museum.

The History of Catalina Island Exhibition - Permanent Installation
From the island’s discovery some 8,000 years ago to William Wrigley’s purchase of the island and the rise of Avalon as Hollywood’s favorite vacation spot, Catalina Island has a history that is rich in events and personalities. 10am-5pm daily. Catalina Island Museum

Thursday Morning at Native Plant Nursery in Middle Ranch
Volunteering at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery provides an excellent opportunity to gain access to the interior of Catalina Island and become more familiar with Island ecology and plant species while helping the nursery achieve its goals. Enjoy the tranquil morning in Middle Ranch while working with plants in a casual, social environment. Volunteers receive training in the horticulture and ecology of Catalina's varied flora and tasks are tailored to all ability levels. Volunteers are welcome every Thursday year-round from 7:30am-12pm. Catalina Conservancy