Events

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Big Blue Film Fest
January 23–24, 2026 • Newport, OR

We Simply Liked It: Steinbeck, Ricketts, & the Return of the Western Flyer

  • Dates: January 23–24, 2026

  • Screening: Friday, January 23, 2026 | 5:00–8:00 PM (Reception Night)

  • Location: Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, Oregon

  • What to Expect: Screening of our Best Film–honored short documentary, followed by a live panel discussion with filmmakers and Western Flyer Foundation representatives

  • Festival Hours:

    • Friday, January 23 | 5:00–8:00 PM

    • Saturday, January 24 | 10:00 AM–6:30 PM

This screening coincides with the Western Flyer Foundation’s plans to return the historic vessel to Pacific Northwest waters in 2026. Learn More. 

Details & Tickets

Movie Night with the Western Flyer
Two Films. One Legendary Vessel.
April 17, 2026 • Pacific Grove

This community gathering brings together two short films and a live, onstage conversation with the people who made them—and lived the story.

Friday, April 17 | 6:30–8:30 PM

Lighthouse Cinema, 525 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA

Doors Open: 6:30 PM
Mingling, food, and drinks (no-host bar; food available for purchase).

Program Begins: 7:00 PM

What to Expect

  • Welcome remarks from the Western Flyer Foundation and filmmaker Aaron Straight of SoulCraft Allstars

  • Opening Film: The Western Flyer (12 minutes), narrated by Emmy Award–winning actor and comedian Nick Offerman, introducing the vessel’s history and enduring legacy

  • Featured Screening: We Simply Liked It: Steinbeck, Ricketts, & the Return of the Western Flyer (23 minutes), the award-winning short documentary filmed during the Flyer’s 85th Anniversary return voyage to Mexico’s Gulf of California

  • Live onstage conversation and audience Q&A with the filmmakers, expedition crew, and the Western Flyer Foundation team

Get Tickets