Fundraiser for Whalefest Monterey and Marine Life Studies at Cibo Ristorante Italiano

Don’t miss the “Fundraiser for Whalefest Monterey and Marine Life Studies at Cibo Ristorante Italiano” on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 pm. There will be no cover charge. The award-winning Cibo Ristorante Italiano is located at 301 Alvarado in Downtown Monterey (www.cibo.com) at the corner of Del Monte with ample parking in the adjacent parking garage.   

The Cibo $3 Happy Hour will be available in the Cibo Bar from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.  The regular Cibo dinner menu will be served from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. with additions.  Live Jazz will be performed by Andrea’s Fault Quartet and special guests from 7 p.m. -10 p.m.  Cibo will donate 20% of the revenue from the dinner to Whalefest Monterey and Marine Life Studies.

There will be brief remarks made at 6:30 pm and a free drawing for prizes. Families are welcome and there is also a children’s menu.

Reservations are suggested and please mention Whalefest/Marine Life Studies. For reservations and more information, please visit www.cibo.com or call (831) 649-8151.   

About Whalefest Monterey

Monterey’s Old Fisherman's Wharf Association recently presented the 10th Annual Whalefest Monterey that was held at and around Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Custom House Plaza – Monterey State Historic Park and inside the Monterey Conference on Saturday, January 25th and Sunday, January 26th, 2020. Whalefest Monterey benefits many local and national marine organizations that educate, inspire, and empower the public to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS).

This free, annual fun and educational interactive family event for all ages celebrates the biodiversity of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and much more! The event featured a 2-day Symposium with world-renowned marine experts including Julie Packard, Founder of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Peggy Stap, Executive Director of Marine Life Studies, Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D., author of The Blue Mind, and Sarah Conner, Producer of BBC Planet Earth II and other documentaries. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was represented by Paul Michel, Superintendent, and researcher Chad King. Other presenters included Brandon Southall, Ph.D., Steve Mandel of Oceans 360, Rear Admiral (ret.) Jon White, Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Colleen Flanigan from Living Sea Sculpture and UCSC, and William Oestreich, Shirel Rachel Kahane-Rapport, James Andrew Fahlbusch, and Will Taylor Gough, students from Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University. 

Over 40 enlightening and edutaining interactive exhibits were on display from numerous marine-themed non-profit organizations, schools, and more. Dee, the 43-foot inflatable whale model people can go inside of and see its internal organs, was on display and there were photo ops with costumed creatures roaming the area. There were several boats at the California Dock at Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf, including the Current’Sea (Marine Life Studies research and WET® vessel) and The Pearl (Monterey Fire Boat).

At Whalefest Monterey, there were also fun Abalone Races, scrimshaw-making using soap, cooking demos by ACF Chef Tene Shake, and Gyotaku, the Japanese art of stenciling fish. Both Princess Monterey Whale Watching and Monterey Bay Whale Watch had informative booths about whales and whale watching on the Wharf.  There were also the U.S. Coast Guard 29’ foot boat, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary exhibit, COASTIE, the Safety Boat, sailboats from the Monterey Yacht Club and the Science Seafloor ROV. Maritime Historian Tim Thomas conducted two free Wharf Walks on Saturday and Sunday.  There was also The Marine Mammal Center release at Monterey State Beach of "Mitchell" the sea lion and a Street and Beach Clean Up conducted by Marine Life Studies.

Whalefest Monterey also included a variety of live musical entertainment at the head of the Wharf, including the Orchestra in the Schools String Quartet, Stevenson School Bands, Del Monte Brass, Klevr Band, Monterey High Jazz Bands, Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band and Jonah & the Whale Watchers. Inside the Monterey Conference Center this year, there were more musicians, including Richard Carr, Michael Martinez, Mads Tolling, Derrol Keith, Mark Richardson, Stu Heydon and Nicholas Fettis & His "Orca"stra. 

The 11th Annual Whalefest Monterey will be held on January 30^th and 31^st, 2021. For more information, go to the Whalefest Monterey event page on www.montereywharf.com.

About Marine Life Studies

Marine Life Studies is a local nonprofit organization committed to protecting our ocean, whales, dolphins and other marine wildlife. Their mission is to acquire and share knowledge and inspire the next generation of whale, dolphin and ocean conservationists. They acquire knowledge through on-going research, share and utilize that knowledge to encourage conservation, and inspire the public, especially children, with their educational programs.

They teach research techniques to college and high school interns, as well as people from all walks of life, while conducting research on killer whales and other whales and dolphins in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. They collect photographic ID’s, along with written data and video footage of animal behavior. Their research facilitates a better understanding of the animals inhabiting and visiting the bay, is shared with other researchers and students, provides the baseline data necessary to implement effective conservation strategies, and is used to develop educational programs.

Their research also feeds into ongoing conservation measures. Specific conservation activities include the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® for central and northern California. WET® responds to whales entangled in fisheries gear or marine debris and provides a toll free public response number (877) SOS-WHALE (767-9425), plus provide outreach to educate the public about WET®, campaigning about the dangers of plastic pollution and marine debris, such as balloons, and plastic bags, promote the development and use of alternatives to single use disposable plastic with our initiative, Plastic Police, partnership with the California Department of Health Services in water collection for their public Health Program along the coast, pro-active conservation program Take it to the Streets™ to work on the source of pollution by picking up trash at local malls, schools, parks, etc. eliminating marine pollution before it can reach the ocean through our storm drains and local watersheds.

Their educational programs encourage the public, especially children, to learn about and care for our oceans and the whales, dolphins and other marine wildlife that depend on it. Specific programs include a Research Scientist Program, teaching the skills required to be a marine researcher, which includes a training program for new volunteers of the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)® as well as hold refresher trainings for existing members of WET®, free programs for the public and children in the community including special programs specific for the children at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County, both Seaside and Salinas Units, programs on topics such as whales and dolphins, marine debris, whale entanglement and pollution.

For more information, go to www.Marinelifestudies.org.

About Cibo Ristorante Italiano

Cibo Ristorante Italiano (www.cibo.com) offers Italian cuisine, gourmet pizzas, cocktails, fine wines, cordials, and more. Cibo (pronounced chee-bo) means food in Italian, but it’s more of a feast for the senses. This beautiful, spacious and comfortable restaurant features an intimate yet vibrant atmosphere which is accentuated with expressive art in the form of photography, paintings, sculpture, hand-blown glass and live jazz. Fusing the best of old and new world Italian cuisine, Cibo offers an eclectic menu ranging from gourmet pizzas to multi-course dinners. Families are welcome and there is a special children’s menu. Cibo has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike since 1990.

Cibo is open every evening with dinner served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Cibo Bar is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is a popular “pre-event” and “after-party” destination. The bar features a $3 Happy Hour with special appetizers daily from 4 p.m.  – 7 p.m. They offer an extensive high quality local and international wine and beer list, cordials, microbrews, rare and small batch Bourbons, Scotches, Ports, Grappa and liqueurs, as well as espresso, coffee drinks and a full menu of cocktails.

Cibo also presents live music 6 nights a week. On Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the cool sound of Jazz accompanies dinner from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. The restaurant features a lively and fun atmosphere with Reggae, R&B, Rock or Salsa dance music on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. with no cover charge.  Cibo is now “wired” with free Internet service and has a large comfortable heated outdoor patio for dining and cocktails.

With 150 seats, including intimate booths for dining and room for over 50 people in the attractive bar area, plus room for dining or mingling on their outdoor heated patio, Cibo also accommodates large groups for business functions, wedding rehearsals and receptions, special group dining events, and customized private parties. 

Cibo Restaurant is the winner of numerous awards including California Writers Association Recommended Dining, Monterey Herald Readers' Choice Local Favorite, Best Place to Meet Singles in Their 30's and 40's, Gold Key Award for Interior Design, Best Place to Enjoy a Martini, Best Place for Live Jazz, Best Italian Restaurant, Best Place to Dance, Best Martini and one of the Top 10 Happy Hours in Monterey.

For more information, go to www.cibo.com or call (831) 649-8151.