For Immediate Release Publicity Contact: Wendy Brickman (831) 594-1500 or [email protected]

Fun Musical Fundraiser for Whalefest Monterey to be held on Thursday, May 28th

Carmel, CA. May 21, 2020. “Whale”…it’s certainly time to support a great annual event and enjoy a virtual evening concert event.  A fun musical fundraiser for the 11^th Annual Whalefest Monterey will be held on Thursday, May 28th from 7:00 – 8:00 pm via Facebook Live on the Facebook page; www.Facebook.comWhalefestMonterey. Respected musician, pianist and composer, Nicholas Fettis and his “Orca”stra, will be performing many of his own compositions that incorporate beautiful whale sounds. There will also be a presentation by Mary Alice Cerrito Fettis, Chair of Whalefest Monterey. It is free to virtually attend and donations to Whalefest Monterey will be very much appreciated!

According to Mary Alice Cerrito Fettis, “We are looking forward to a ‘whale’ of a good time listening to this special performance and learning much more about Whalefest Monterey.  We deeply appreciate all donations for Whalefest. Everyone is invited to join us …you might as “whale”. Get comfortable, relax and tune in via Facebook Live for a very enjoyable evening with the Fettis family that benefits a great event!”

About Whalefest Monterey

During this challenging time of fewer grants and cutbacks on sponsorship for non-profit events, it is important that funds are raised to be able to successfully hold the outstanding educational 2-day Whalefest Monterey™ and Symposium hosted by Presenting Sponsor Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf Association. The 11^th Annual Whalefest Monterey will be held at and around Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Custom House Plaza – Monterey State Historic Park in Monterey, California, The Whale Watching Capital of the World on Saturday, January 30th and Sunday, January 31st, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 

Whalefest Monterey is a free, fun and educational interactive family event for all ages on Old Fisherman’s Wharf that celebrates the biodiversity of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and much more! The event, which features a 2-day Symposium with world-renowned marine experts and dozens of exhibit booths, benefits many local and national marine organizations that educate, inspire, and empower the public to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). There will also be a variety of live musical entertainment at the head of the Wharf.

Whale watchers come from around the world to view hundreds of whales, orcas, dolphins and pelicans that continue to feast on a “krill and anchovy buffet” in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Throughout the year, this Whale Watching Capital of the World offers sightings of 15 species of whales, 10 species of dolphins, 2 species of porpoise, 6 species of pinnipeds and 1 species of Fissiped (sea otter)

About Nicholas Fettis

A California native, Nicholas Fettis has been composing and playing music since his early teens in 1965. By 1968 he wrote a string quartet in memory of Robert Kennedy. His family life encapsulated by Greek culture, greatly influences him through music, philosophy and spirituality. He attributes his upbringing to the inspiration he finds in life: a love for the natural world, the theosophical heritages of mankind, and the value of every living being, including whales! Nicholas graduated from UC Berkeley in 1973 as a music major and continued to compose primarily for piano. In addition, he has worked with synthesizers, the cello, and choral singing in the Greek Orthodox Church. He was the first soloist to perform at the grand opening of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1994 and one of three musicians preforming at the grand opening of Tenderdyn Arts in Colorado last year. Since 2001 he has serenaded walkers and runners at the Big Sur International Marathon, the longest “running” soloist there! He recently gave a Facebook Live concert, “Remembering”, for the Greek Orthodox philanthropic organization, Philoptochos. Nicholas’ concerts and recordings can be found on You Tube and at nicholasfettismusic.com. He has been part of the first Whalefest since its inception in 2011 and Music Director ever since. He combines his original music with his “Orca”stra of whale songs. These unique recordings of whale and other marine life of Monterey Bay are courtesy of Dr. John Ryan of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI).

Corporate Sponsors and Donations

Donations can be made and corporate sponsorships are available now for the 11^th Annual Whalefest Monterey at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=AMQLUTW8CA3M4&source=url

Please contact Mary Alice Cerrito Fettis at [email protected] for more details. Marine Life Studies is the 501(c)3 non-profit fiscal sponsor of Whalefest Monterey.    

For more information about Whalefest Monterey, go to the Whalefest page on www.montereywharf.com or call (831) 238-0777.