Free community celebration welcomes thousands for a day of music, food, family fun, and a behind-the-scenes look at Ventura County’s diverse working waterfront
PORT HUENEME — The Port of Hueneme will once again open its gates to the community on Saturday, September 26, for the 13th Annual Banana Festival, a free celebration of the Port, its customers, and the community it serves.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to attract thousands of visitors for a full day of live entertainment, food, family activities, local vendors, and opportunities to experience the working Port up close through bus and boat tours. Admission and event parking are free. Guests are encouraged to park at Hueneme Beach.
The Banana Festival was created as a way to celebrate the Port’s role as a major gateway for imported bananas and other refrigerated agricultural products. The banana trade came to Hueneme in 1993 as the Port developed the largest cold storage capacity on the West Coast. Today, the Port of Hueneme ranks 5th in the nation for both automobiles and refrigerated cargo.While it imports 5 billion bananas per year, it also brings in Peruvian blueberries, avocados, mangos, and much more.
“Bananas are what started this festival, but the Banana Festival has grown into something much bigger,” said Kristin Decas, CEO of the Port of Hueneme. “The Port is a secure and regulated facility, but this is our opportunity to open the gates, welcome our neighbors, and share about the longshore workers, amazing customers, and community organizations that make the Port such a vital part of Ventura County. We’re grateful to the City of Port Hueneme and all of our sponsors for helping make today possible.”
Attendees will enjoy live local music, a variety of food and beverages, banana-themed treats, family-friendly activities, and interactive experiences. This year’s entertainment lineup includes Ocho Estrellas Mariachi, Gabrielito y La Verdad, In Stone, and festival headliner Twisted Gypsy.
The popular Classic Car Show returns, and new offerings include a Silent Disco, an International Pavilion, and a Banana Festival App that will be available in the Apple and Google Play stores shortly before the event.
This year’s theme, Gateway to the World, highlights the Port’s central role in connecting Ventura County consumers to global markets. Visitors can visit special stations to learn about the Port’s top trading countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Guatemala, and Peru.
The Port has a special connection with Peru through a U.S. State Department Sister Ports agreement with the Port of Paita. Attendees are encouraged to bring new and like-new items (Coats, blankets, toiletries, toys, no food) to fill a shipping container that the Port of Hueneme is sending to supply four villages and one orphanage in Cuzco.
The Port’s specialized operations will be part of the experience as well. Guests can learn about the automobiles, fresh produce, agricultural equipment and other essential cargo that move through the Port while seeing some of the equipment and infrastructure that keep the region’s supply chain moving.
“We’re so fortunate to be part of a truly special place where a working waterfront, our local community, and our beautiful environment come together,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Jason Hodge. “The Banana Festival is the perfect way to celebrate those connections and share our commitment to protecting the environment while making cargo move to keep this vital gateway working for generations to come.”
Port operations support 25,000 family-sustaining jobs and generate $236 million in state and local taxes each year.
The Banana Festival is made possible through the support of Port customers, local businesses, community organizations and event sponsors such as Driscoll’s, Hyundai Glovis, The City of Port Hueneme, Chiquita, Del Monte, Dole, Gold Coast Broadcasting, and Pegasus Transport.
For the complete entertainment schedule, event information, parking details and updates, visit BananaPortFest.com. Follow us on Instagram @bananaportfest and @theportofhueneme
About the Port of Hueneme: The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast. Five locally elected Port Commissioners govern the Port. The Port consistently ranks among the top ten U.S. Ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations support the community by bringing $2.8 billion in economic activity and creating 25,000 trade-related jobs. Trade through the Port of Hueneme generates more than $236 million in direct and related state and local taxes, which fund vital community services. In 2017, the Port of Hueneme became the first port in California to become Green Marine certified and was voted the Greenest Port in the U.S. at the Green Shipping Summit.