New Years Eve Deluxe Dinner at El Galleon

Looking for a good time on New Years Eve? Stop by El Galleon and join the party for party favors as well as a great dinner special. With a variety of meal options, there is something everyone can enjoy. Call today to make reservations at 310-510-1188. Dinner will be served from 6PM to 10PM, but the fun will be served all night.

43rd Annual New Year's Eve Celebration at the Catalina Island Casino Ballroom

Plan now to attend the 43rd Annual New Year's Eve Gala, Thursday, December 31, 2015, in the world-famous Casino Ballroom. RESERVATIONS ARE NOW ON SALE!  Reservations for this year's Gala are $180.00 per person. Packages that include Gala tickets and overnight accommodations are also available - see options & booking information here. Make your reservations soon as we are anticipating the event will sell-out this year. 

Entertainment will be provided by The Xceptional Music Company Band, featuring ten incredible musicians who have appeared on Austin CIty Limits, The Tonight Show, the Joan Rivers show, and at the Royal Albert Hall and elsewhere and who have opened for Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Edgar Winter, Bad Company, UB40, Davy Jones of the Monkees, Peter Noone of Hermans Hermits, and others, bringing a solid hour of Big Band Music from Duke Ellington to In The Mood to Sing Sing Sing, and then the best music from the sixties till now to appeal to guests of all ages.

For more information visit the WEBSITE.

Catalina Island Holiday Home Tour

Catalina Island Holiday Home Tour
The Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation is proud to be hosting the 1st Annual HOLIDAY HOME TOUR!  This is an awesome opportunity to explore inside some of Catalina Island's most iconic homes! Come view some of the finest California home construction projects and gaze into the lives of Catalina Island's local home owners.   

The Tour will start with a Reception at the Catalina Island Yacht Club starting at 1:30 PM.

From there you will embark on a tour of 4 Catalina Island Homes as well as a Secret Hidden Wine Cave!

• Home #1:    316 Marilla

• Home #2:    315 Sumner

• Home #3:    355 Descanso

• Home #4:  345 Catalina Ave

• Stop #5:      A Secret Wine Cave!

Date:  December 12, 2015

Time:  1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Cost Per Person:  $50

All of the proceeds goes to the Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation!

Winter Wonderland at Descanso Beach Club

 

Winter Wonderland at Descanso Beach Club

When:
Friday, December 4th from 2pm to 9pm
Saturday, December 5th from 11am to 10pm
Sunday, December 6th from 11am to 3pm

Where:Descanso Beach, Catalina Island
Kick off the winter season island style! Join us as we turn Descanso Beach Club into a Winter Wonderland complete with ice skating, a bounce house, snowboarding, and a life-size snow globe! You’ll even have the chance to take a photo with Santa! Winter Wonderland has fun for the whole family.

Bring one new unwrapped toy or a bag of food with a value of $10 or more to receive 10 complimentary raffle tickets. More Info

Also, don't forget about the 22nd Annual Shop at Home Night on Saturday, December 5th from 5-9pm! 

Thanksgiving Dinner at El Galleon

Thanksgiving Dinner at El Galleon

 When: 26th November 2015 from 12:00 to 9:00PM

Where: El Galleon

Come to El Galleon for a unique Thanksgiving Dining experience. With a large variety of specialty items, enjoy all the traditional Thanksgiving meals and sides with even more activities after 9:00PM. Make a reservation today and let El Galleon take care of all the meal preparation so you can enjoy the holiday!

Catalina Trail Venture Weekend - November 6th and 7th, 2015

Catalina Trail Venture Weekend

Experience Catalina Island. Swim it. Bike it. Run it. Tri it!

Experience the beauty of Catalina Island and the City of Avalon with the perfect end of the season triathlon. Come for the weekend or for the day and experience all that Catalina has to offer.

WEEKEND RACE SCHEDULE

Friday November 6th
4-9 pm, Packet pickup (Shops at the Atwater)

Saturday, November 7th
7:30 am, Packet pickup (Wrigley Stage)
8:30 am, Course Talk (Transition Area)
9:00 am, First Wave Triathlon (Avalon Pier) 5 Triathlon Waves leaving every 3 minutes (see schedule)
9:15 am, Duathlon & 5K Start (adjacent to Wrigley Stage)

Annual Halloween Parade

Annual Halloween Parade - October 31st, 2015

Don your favorite costume and join island school kids and residents alike for the Annual Halloween Parade down Crescent Avenue starting at 4pm Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. 

For more information call310-510-1520, or visit the website at www.CatalinaChamber.com.

Fall Fest

Fall Fest - October 22, 2015

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

For more information call 310-510-0220 ext. 231, or visit the website at www.cityofavalon.com.

29th Annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

 

 29th Annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

When: October 8^th – 11^th,  and 15^th – 18^th

Where: Descanso Beach Club/Casino Ballroom

Admission: Click here for tickets

The longest running smooth jazz festival in America features smooth jazz stars performing “Unplugged at Descanso Beach Club” on Thursday evening and in the historic Casino Ballroom on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Catalina Island JazzTrax. 866-872-9849, www.jazztrax.com

National Museum Day Celebration

National Museum Day Celebration

When: Sat 26 Sep 2015 from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Where: Catalina Island Museum #1 Casino Way, Casino Building

Admission: Free

American museums enjoy approximately 850 million visits each year. That number surpasses the total attendance for all major league sporting events and theme parks combined!

Museums tell important stories by collecting, preserving, researching and interpreting objects, living specimens and historical records. According to a study by Indiana University, museums are considered a more reliable source of historical information than books, teachers or even personal accounts by relatives.

National Museum Day honors America`s institutions dedicated to art, culture and history. The Catalina Island Museum annually celebrates this day by offering free admission - one of only 2 days each year in which admission is free of charge. All museum members, island residents and visitors are invited.

For more information visit the Website.

It’s the %$#&*@^ Catalina Wine Mixer! 

Join us Sunday, September 13, 2015 for the 1st Annual Catalina Wine Mixer at Descanso Beach Club! Experience the classic event from Step Brothers, full of fun, live bands, DJs, gourmet food and fine wine on Catalina Island. You don't want to miss this event. Mark your calendar! - See more at the website

56th Annual Catalina Channel Crossing – US Outrigger Championships

  

56th 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 music and beer garden. On Sunday watch the men start their race back to Newport Beach from Lovers Cove. Proceeds of the event go to support local charities. Southern California Outrigger Racing Association.
For more information, visit  www.catalinacrossing.org or call 858-442-2536

Group Marathon Swim from Laguna Beach to Catalina Island

Group Marathon Swim from Laguna Beach to Catalina Island

On Saturday, August 8th, Hale, his daughter Faith, 18; Patsee Ober, 65; Lynn Kubasek, 57; Roddy Teeple, 50; and Brett Rose, 51, became the first group ever to cross the channel between Santa Catalina Island and Laguna Beach in a marathon swim that took them 19:44:09 to complete.

With that record, he and his daughter also became the first father-daughter duo to do the Catalina-Laguna Beach swim. Faith Hale, a Laguna Beach lifeguard, became the first female lifeguard to make the swim.

The six Laguna Beach swimmers were followed by three kayakers and a 48-foot-long dive boat that carried food, water and offered swimmers a place to rest between legs of the marathon.

Swimmers only got snacks and rest during their relay legs. Any other assistance would disqualify the record. The actual distance was 33.5 miles end to end; with currents, wind and drifts, that distance became greater. The feat was recorded by Dan Simonelli with the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation.

Rose was the first to splash into the water just north of Avalon at Long Point Beach at 7:09 p.m. Friday. Tom Hale and Rose swam four legs of the marathon relay. The others each swam three legs.

Tom Hale said he selected his team because each member is a strong swimmer. There were stinging jelly fish, strong currents and the knowledge of recent shark sightings. The swimmers knew sharks were a possibility but didn’t worry about them.

“You don’t get a second bite at the apple,” Hale said. “With record shark sightings, I knew the stakes were high, but I knew everyone here would perform. They are strong-minded swimmers. We knew if even one person freaks out, it blows the whole swim.“

Hale, who moved to Laguna Beach from Arizona in 2004, said he has long had his sights set on conquering a swim no one else has done before.

“I’ve been staring at the channel since 2004 and thought how awesome it would be to swim across it,” he said. “Now, we can actually say we did it. We will have that record forever and ever.”

Hale said it was especially rewarding to have Faith with him on the adventure. He taught her to swim in the ocean when she was 4 years old. Since then, the duo have competed in other open-water swims nationally.

“Hopefully, she’ll apply that same effort throughout her life,” he said.

By ERIKA I. RITCHIE

Bargian Helecopter Packages

 Got time for a quick escape? Consider a sweeping 15-minute helicopter ride to Catalina Island, where an immersive spa experience or a private beach cabana awaits. Island Express Helicopters’ new “Tower Suite at Island Spa Catalina for Two” featuring $150 spa vouchers and “Descanso Beach Club Cabana Package” with complimentary water, smoothies and towels starts at $378 per person. The price includes roundtrip transportation from Long Beach, San Pedro or Santa Ana to Avalon and then on to your destination of choice, any Monday through Thursday year-round.

For more information about these and other day tour packages, call 800-228-2566 or visit www.islandexpress.com.

Article written by  Sandra Barrera, Los Angeles Daily News

Catalina Island Summer Concert Series - 2015

Catalina Island Summer Concert Series - 2015
FREE Family Friendly Concerts on Wrigley Plaza Stage
The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Xceptional Music Company are pleased to present this free, family friendly Summer Concert Series, next to the Bay on Wrigley Plaza Stage.  Concerts are from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. A Beer & Wine Garden will be available at all concerts.

Saturday, 8/8 - The Xceptional Tribute to Woodstock

Castaway - Catalina Island Concerts

Castaway - Catalina Island Concerts

Who: Zac, Jack and the Jimmys

When: August 14th from 6:30pm-10:30pm

Zac, Jack and the Jimmys is a world class traveling tribute act playing some of your favorite songs from Zac Brown Band, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band and Jimmy Buffet! This act featuring some artists that have toured/opened with the real deal are sure to give you an unforgettable experience. 

Ticket information can be found here

Catalina Island 4th of July Celebration 2015

4th of July Seaside Celebration and Fireworks over Avalon Bay will be Sponsored by the City of Avalon. Join us for Avalon's Independence Day activities! All events are free to the public, with the exception of theBuffet Dinner with the USC Marching Band Concert & 4th of July Fireworks Celebration, Casino Ballroom. Golf Cart Parade down Crescent Avenue featuring the USC Marching Band at 1:00pm.

 The Avalon Bay Dinghy Parade will be at 4:00 pm. A Buffet Dinner with the USC Marching Band Concert & 4th of July Fireworks Celebration in the Casino Ballroom will begin at 6:15pm

The Annual 4th of July Celebration at the world famous Avalon Casino Ballroom
USC Marching Band Concert, Buffet Dinner, and Fireworks viewing from the grand Casino Balcony.
Dinner will be from 6:30 to 8:30 pm with the USC Marching Band concert from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. Fireworks begin will begin at 9:00 pm 

Join us in continuing the celebration of Independence Day Weekend with the following events on Sunday, July 5 with the USC Marching Band Performance at Wrigley Stage at 3pm and the Community Picnic, Joe Machado Field at 5pm. Bring your own meat or entree to grill, and a chair or blanket. Stay tuned for more details!

For more information visit the Website: LINK

Catalina Island Summer Concert Series

Catalina Island Summer Concert Series - 2015

FREE Family Friendly Concerts on Wrigley Plaza Stage
The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Xceptional Music Company are pleased to present this free, family friendly Summer Concert Series, next to the Bay on Wrigley Plaza Stage.  Concerts are from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. A Beer & Wine Garden will be available at all concerts.

Saturday, 6/27 - The Xceptional Tribute to Motowns and The Supremes

Thursday, 7/9 - Catalina All-Star

Avalon Ball

When: 16 May 2015
Where: Avalon, Catalina Island CA

The 13th Annual Avalon Ball will allow you a glimpse of a glamorous bygone era. Enjoy the ocean breezes high above the moonlit waves, admire the sea-themed medallions set into rose-colored walls under an arching fifty-foot ceiling studded with Tiffany chandeliers, or join the dancers on a 10,000 square foot circular floor as Dean Mora and his Avalon Ball Orchestra play hits from the 1920s and 30s. Art Deco Society of Los Angeles. 310- 659-3326

For more information visit the Website

11th Annual Taste Around of Avalon 

When: 13 May 2015 5:00PM to 9:00PM

Where:Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau 

Enjoy the most scrumptious tastes of delectable food or beverages from 5pm-9pm at some of Avalon’s finest dining establishments. Vote for your favorite “tastes” of food, drink and dessert as the Best Taste of the Year! Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. 310-510-1520, Visit the Website

Kentucky Derby Days at El Galleon

Celebrate the race from 2pm-6pm, with mint juleps, hats, happy hour and early bird dinner specials. Contest for best men & women’s hats with 1st prize - Steak & Lobster Dinner! View the race on 11 large flat screen TVs and stay for the karaoke party after the race. El Galleon Restaurant, 411 Crescent Ave. 310-510-1188

Rubber Ducky Derby - Catalina Island

Come and join the Annual fundraising event to support the local children’s theatre company “Kids At Play”! The derby begins at noon on South Beach. Adoption of ducks: You get Solo Ducks for 5 bucks; 5 Quackers for 20 smackers or 30 Racing Thrills for two 50 dollar bills. Corporate sponsorships are $100 (extra large duck). Have fun with and at the same time help the Kids At Play. Call 310-510-0288 for more information.

Catalina Island Marathon

The Catalina Island Marathon will feature the exciting and historic course that has been used ever since the first year on the Catalina Island Conservancy's Lands. With rugged terrain, spectacular vistas, and special challenges, it is sure to be fun for all ages and skill levels. The marathon runners will receive a long sleeve "Finisher" shirt and Finisher Medal! Come join the fun on March 14 2015 in Avalon and get in shape at the same time. Register here!