In celebration of United Nations World Ocean Day, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA) is thrilled to announce our 6th annual Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival in collaboration with RhizomeUP! Media. This year, the festival will run from June 1 to June 8, 2025, offering a week-long celebration of the ocean’s beauty, diversity, and vital connection to all life on Earth. Whether you’re a lifelong ocean lover or curious to learn more, we invite you to join us!
DIVE IN, EXPLORE, and CONNECT
Watch the beautiful short video Life Beneath the Surface on YouTube, to experience this stunning world, that needs our protection. It’s bound to inspire you!
Festival Highlights
This year’s Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival offers a diverse array of activities for everyone to enjoy:
- NEMO Talks: Join engaging virtual discussions with ocean conservation experts. Topics will range from marine biodiversity to the impact of climate change on our ocean.
- Film Screenings: Enjoy powerful films on issues related to our ocean, both online and in person. We will be showcasing shorts and feature-length documentaries that highlight the wonders of the marine world.
- Citizen Science Activities: Participate in hands-on projects designed to collect valuable data to support ocean conservation.
- Shoreline Cleanup: Help protect marine habitats by removing debris from our beautiful local beaches.
- World Ocean Day Celebration: Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 8 as we come together for a special day of festivities on United Nations World Ocean Day.
Explore recordings of NEMO Talks and films from past festivals on our Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival website. These resources are perfect for immersing yourself in the ocean’s wonders and getting excited for this year’s festival.
Why Celebrate World Ocean Day?
Every year on June 8, people worldwide honour the ocean’s essential role in sustaining life. Our ocean provides oxygen, regulates our climate, and serves as a lifeline for humanity. But our ocean faces significant threats from pollution, overfishing, climate change, and more.
This year’s UN World Ocean Day theme, “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us” asks us to celebrate the wonders our ocean consists of and ignite in us. As a global community, we are calling on decision-makers to honor the ocean’s wonder when determining its fate. As the United Nations reminds us:
“We can no longer take the ocean for granted. It is critical so that future generations can have the chance to revel in its wonders, instead of wondering what’s been lost.”
Let’s take this opportunity to turn wonder into action. Join us in celebrating and advocating for the health of our ocean.
Orcas in the Salish Sea by Evan Lee-Dodek for the SCCA
**Make Waves with Your Support**
Our week-long Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival is completely free, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate. As a non-profit organization, we rely on grants and the generosity of our community to host an event of this scale.
Even a small contribution can make a significant impact:
- $20 can provide materials for citizen science activities.
- $50 can help host expert speakers for our NEMO Talks.
- $100 can assist in covering the costs of in-person film and celebration events.
Your donation—regardless of its size—helps us inspire action and protect our ocean for generations to come. Please consider contributing today through our donation page.
2024 Shoreline Clean-up. Photo by Evan Lee-Dodek
Share Your Thoughts
As we gear up for this year’s festival, we’d love to hear from you! If you attended last year’s events, we’d appreciate your feedback:
- What did you like most and least about the 2024 festival?
- Is there an issue, project, or group you would like to see featured as part of our 2025 NEMO Talks series?
- Is there an ocean-related film you would love to see as part of this year’s film festival?
Are you part of a nonprofit working on ocean-related conservation projects? We are always looking for collaborators to join the festival and present at this year’s NEMO Talks. Let’s join forces to amplify the impact of our work!
Share your feedback and ideas by emailing us at communications@thescca.ca
Some of our dedicated volunteers at our Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival 2024
Join the Celebration
The Sunshine Coast Ocean Festival is part of Ocean Week Canada, connecting us with communities across the nation. Together, we’re building a collective movement to celebrate and protect our marine environment. Let’s make this year’s festival bigger and better than ever. Spread the word, invite your friends and family, sign up to volunteer, and be a part of the excitement!
Join us June 1-8, 2025, and let’s make waves for the future of our ocean!
For updates on the festival in the lead-up to World Ocean Day make sure you’re signed up for our emails.