Summertime is quickly approaching, and I can’t wait to see residents and visitors flock to the harbor and beaches. Our businesses have been gearing up for another busy season and there’s no doubt plenty of memories will be made.

There are several fun June events happening that you and your family should plan for.

Bring your beach chair or blanket, snacks, sunscreen and children and head down to Harbor View Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 5^th. Gypsies in a Trunk, an all-volunteer group of actors, will perform “Zorro Meets Merida” during the Fairy Tales in the Park series. The show is designed to last 45 minutes, which matches well with the attention span of the target age group – 3–10-year-olds.

If Fairy Tales in the Park isn’t your speed, Father’s Day Weekend might be enticing. That’s because there will be two car shows at the Harbor on Father’s Day!

The Channel Islands Harbor Father’s Day Car Show, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Harbor View Park, will feature 150-200 cars, a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, live music and much more. Proceeds from this event will benefit Food Share of Ventura County.

The Channel Islands Maritime Museum will also be a hub of activity and fun on Father’s Day, as it celebrates the day with “Classics by the Sea.” This family-friendly event will feature a wonderful display of woodies and classic cars of all vintages, many one-of-a-kind, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Museum will also be hosting its unique annual maritime treasure sale including used books, ship models and art. The event will feature live music and food (for purchase) will also be available.

Development Updates

While there will be plenty of activities to participate in the Harbor in June, the Harbor Department is hard at work trying to move new development forward.

The scheduled demolition of the Casa Sirena & Lobster Trap property is complete. We are in the process of hiring a contractor to reconstruct the revetment around the peninsula. We anticipate the revetment work to be complete in early 2023, which allow the construction of the new Hyatt House to move forward.

Two Requests for Proposals (RFP) processes were active in May, with one closing and one just being sent out.

In April 2022 the Harbor Department issued an RFP to attract developers to redevelop the parcel where the Whale’s Tail restaurant formerly operated. The RFP closed on May 26, 2022, and we received three proposals. We will be asking the applicants to provide more information to determine if these projects are viable.

Two days prior to the Whale’s Tail RFP being closed, the Harbor Department sent another RFP out seeking applicants to redevelop the Fisherman’s Wharf property. I’m hoping to see proposals submitted that have a visitor-serving focus. The RFPs for the Fisherman’s Wharf parcel are due on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Once the RFPs are received, they will be reviewed by the Harbor Department and a Harbor Advisory Committee. It is possible that one or more proposals will be selected for follow-up information. It is also possible all proposals are rejected.

Michael Tripp, Harbor Director
Ventura County Harbor Department

Editor’s Note: this story was published on May 31, 2022.