This Year the Event Honors Conservation Legend, Dr. James “Buddy” Powell
Clearwater, Florida. (October 23, 2025) — The beloved Right Whale Festival returns to Main Beach Park on Amelia Island this Nov. 1–2, bringing a weekend packed with fun, education, and conservation-focused activities for all ages. Kicking off at 10 a.m. daily, this year’s festival will feature over 100 exhibitors, live music, hands-on ocean-themed activities, arts and crafts, food trucks, and life-sized whale models provided by Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
This year’s theme, “Untangling the Truth,” shines a spotlight on the urgent need to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, with as few as 380 individuals remaining, while also debunking common myths and misconceptions about right whale behavior, habitat, and conservation.
The 2025 festival will honor a conservations legend, as it will be dedicated to the late Dr. James “Buddy” Powell, a founding force behind the Right Whale Festival and a respected marine conservationist. Dr. Powell served as Chief Zoological Officer at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Executive Director of Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, and was founder of Sea2Shore Alliance. He passed away in July 2025, leaving behind a legacy of ocean advocacy and whale conservation.
“Buddy’s leadership and passion for marine conservation shaped the very heart of this event. His belief that education can inspire protection continues to guide our mission and will forever be part of the festival’s legacy,” said Cheryl Munday, Right Whale Festival Coordinator.
Festival-goers will take part in a growing celebration with a critical mission, as they enjoy a lineup of whale-themed events hosted by local businesses throughout the community, including a river cruise, skateboard contest, and the popular lecture luncheon. This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Michael J. Moore, internationally renowned right whale expert, professor emeritus at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and author of We Are All Whalers.
During Right Whale Week (Oct. 24 – Nov. 2), many Amelia Island shops and restaurants will showcase whale-related merchandise and décor in support of the cause.
The festival also marks the beginning of Right Whale calving season, which runs from mid-November through March. North Atlantic right whales migrate each year to the southeast U.S. coast, from North Carolina to Northeast Florida, the only known calving grounds for the species. The public may even spot mother-calf pairs from the shoreline.
With fewer than 70 reproductive females remaining, there is a race against extinction, with the survival of every single whale is critical to the species’ recovery. Right whales remain at risk due to vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.
“Saving the North Atlantic right whale takes science, advocacy, and the collective will of people who care,” said Kathleen Collins, senior marine campaign manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). “The Right Whale Festival celebrates how communities can come together to protect what matters, and that shared sense of purpose is vital in the race against extinction.”
The Right Whale Festival is presented by NOAA Fisheries and Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with major support from the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). A full list of sponsors and a complete schedule of events can be found at www.RightWhaleFestival.com.
For a schedule of activities and detailed information of activities, visit RightWhaleFestival.com. A complete list of sponsors is available on the website: https://rightwhalefestival.com/sponsors.
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Media Contact: Marsha Strickhouser | mstrickhouser@CMAquarium.org | (727) 242-0770
- About Clearwater Marine Aquarium
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working marine rescue center dedicated to inspiring the human spirit through leadership in education, research, rescue, rehabilitation and release. With a mission to preserve the environment and its marine life, CMA is home to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, a nurse shark and more. Through Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, CMA conducts important global research focused on protecting manatees, North Atlantic right whales and sea turtles. Major motion picture Dolphin Tale (2011) and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) features the true stories of rescued resident dolphins Winter and Hope, inspiring millions around the world. The mission and potential to change people’s lives differentiates Clearwater Marine Aquarium from any other aquarium in the world.
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We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.
A Florida non-profit 501(c)(3) organization