Pre-pandemic crowds return to Fort Bragg’s whale fest for races, beer and celebrating all things whale

FORT BRAGG., 3/17/24 —More than 750 runners and walkers filled Fort Bragg’s Coastal Trail on Saturday, with competitive 5k and 10k races plus many people doing fun walk/runs and even a kiddie race to start the day. The Rotary Club’s Beer Festival attracted a big crowd for live music and tasting of beers and ciders from more than a dozen craft beer makers. It was one of the best turnouts of brewers ever and a complete comeback from cancellations during the pandemic. Skunk Train expeditions were packed. Organizers of the events were thrilled to see that after the pandemic ended all the fun for two years, people have finally come back. Locals found traffic backups from Noyo Harbor to Pudding Creek that equaled those of the two biggest traditional events in Fort Bragg, the World’s Largest Salmon Barbecue on the first Saturday in July and the Paul Bunyan Days on Labor Day weekend.

The beer festival was held in the same historic place it had been for years, the old Eagles Hall-Comrades Hall, Socialist Hall, Union Hall building on Corry Street in Fort Bragg. That building was purchased as a private residence in 2022 by Miranda and Stathi Pappas. The family lives upstairs and offers community groups the auditorium with its stage and famous madrone floors. Miranda Pappas said their two kids have the greatest fun room ever when the hall is not being used for events.