Few people know that the Mendocino Whale Festival started not as a party, but as a war: the Mendocino Whale War. In 1975, when Greenpeace captured footage of a Russian vessel slaughtering whales off Cape Mendocino, it prompted a small group of concerned citizens to launch a dramatic anti-whaling campaign off the coast. The first Whale Festival was held in March, 1976  to educate the public about the plight of the endangered whales and to raise money for the campaign.

Visit the Kelley House Museum during March to view posters, photographs, and news clippings in an exhibit curated by Mendocino High School student Sebastian Allen. “The Boy Who Talks to Whales,” a film based loosely on one of the festival founders, will be viewable at the Kelley House Museum during March. Gowan’s Cider and cookies will be served on March 2, 1pm-3pm, during the Mendocino Whale Festival.