Something fishy is always going on at Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. But stop by during the annual Fishy Fest for tricks and treats, between 12:30 and 5 p.m. Oct. 24 - 25 at 1600 Ocean Front Walk. Check out the glow-in-the-dark fun in the mad scientists' lab and sit in on a spine tingling talk about creatures of the deep, scheduled for 1:30 p.m., both days. Visitors can decorate their faces at the face painting station or make a Dia de Los Muertos mask at the crafting table. Visit Saturday for a spooktacular story time at 2 p.m.
On Sunday, join a ghoulish trick-or-treating parade around the Pier that steps off in front of the aquarium at 3 p.m. Come in costume, or check out the costume giveaway the aquarium will hold that day. And every Sunday is Shark Sunday; at 3:30 p.m. watch the sharks chow down and learn fun facts about these misunderstood fish. For more details, call (310) 3993-6149 or visit www.healthebay.org/event/frightfully-fintastic-fishy-fest-day-1.
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is Heal the Bay's marine education facility located beach-level, just below the carousel at the Santa Monica Pier. The aquarium is open to the general public (http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/plan-your-visit/location-hours-fees) and attracts more than 85,000 visitors per year. Since Heal the Bay acquired the aquarium in 2003 from UCLA, more than half a million visitors have been welcomed during public hours and nearly 140,000 students have been educated during in-house education programs. For more information visit, http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/education.
- Submitted by Randi Parent, Santa Monica Pier Aquarium outreach manager
