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 Join us Saturday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for PortFest 2024!

Welcome to portfest
A Redwood City Tradition

PortFest is a free community celebration and waterfront festival that takes place the first Saturday in October. The annual event welcomes the community to learn about Redwood City’s maritime heritage and the history of our industrial working waterfront.  

 

The family-friendly event also includes live music, children’s recreational activities, food trucks, vendor booths and a day of fun overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

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Event location: 475 Seaport Court, Redwood City

Thank you to our event sponsors! 

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Plan Your Day
Marine Science Institute Boat on the Por

Plan your day at
portfest

Plan your day at PortFest! Find some fun for everyone during this one-day family festival.  From boat rides, to children’s activities, and plenty of music in between, the event will host various interactive and hands-on activities for all ages.  

 

Activities on the water:​

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Food and drink:

  • Bar hosted by Devil's Canyon Brewing

  • Food and treat vendors

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Activities on the waterfront:

  • Live music from Jokers and Thieves Band ​​

    • 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m​

  • U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary​ booth

  • Redwood City Police and Fire booth

  • Open house at Sequoia Yacht Club

  • Working waterfront behind-the-scenes trolley tour

    • ​Go behind the scenes for a guided half-hour tour of the Port’s industrial businesses.

    • Tours will begin every hour from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    • Tours are first come first served. Line will form at the Portside Business Park next to the canopy and balloons.

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Kid zone:​​​

  • Face Painting

    • Get your face painted with fun designs like pirates, mermaids and sea creatures.

    • Face painting is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Redwood City Library

    • Marine-themed story time and crafts

      • Enjoy hourly story time sessions with sea-themed stories, followed by ocean-inspired crafts.

      • Story time starts at 11 a.m. and runs every hour until 2 p.m.

  • Inflatable Slides

  • Frisbee Spin Art

    • Create your own unique frisbee designs using vibrant spin art.

  • Fishing Pool

    • Test your fishing skills in the kiddie fishing pool near Spinnaker Sailing. Catch fish and win a marine animal-themed building set.

  • Touch-A-Truck

    • Explore real-life vehicles like a fire engine, police car and construction trucks from Cemex.

    • Complete the Touch-A-Truck Passport to win a vehicle-themed building set.

  • Video Game Truck

    • Kids can hang out and play fun video games in the Kids’ Cool Game Truck

  • Visit from S.J. Sharkie, the official mascot of the San Jose Sharks at 11 a.m. 

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Portfest
Sponsors

Sponsoring PortFest is a unique and exciting opportunity to promote your business to the entire Peninsula and greater Bay Area community! 

 

This well-attended, all-day, free public festival is held on the waterfront at the Port of Redwood City. We welcome the community to learn about the maritime heritage of the Port, the industrial working waterfront, and invite them to participate in recreational activities on the San Francisco Bay. There is fun for all at PortFest featuring live music, children’s activities, food trucks and booths, and more. 

 

2024 sponsorship application

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FAQ
Slide at PortFest 2019

FAQ

  • What does the Port do?
    The Port of Redwood City is the only deep-water port in the South San Francisco Bay. It provides berths for dry bulk, liquid bulk, and other cargoes. It offers public access to the San Francisco Bay and water recreational opportunities to the region. The Port is home to over 100 tenants and businesses, 5 wharves, and much more. Learn more about the history of the Port visit our History page. To learn about other business aspects of the Port, visit our Business page.
  • Where is the Port?
    The Port Administration Building and Harbormaster's office for Recreational Boating & Marian and Public Access Area information is located at 675 Seaport Blvd., Redwood City, CA. 94063. To contact the Harbormaster's office, please call (650) 306-4153. To learn more about the Port, visit our About Us page. Visit our Contact page for more on how to contact us.
  • Who governs the Port?
    The Port is governed by a five member board of commissioners, appointed by the Redwood City, City Council to serve terms of four years each. To learn more, visit our Port Commission page.
  • Can anyone attend a Port Commission meeting?
    Yes, the Port Commission meetings are open to the public. Meetings take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m. Visit our Port Comission page for more information on meetings.
  • Can I go to the Port?
    Yes, the Port offers more than one mile of public waterfront access and a variety of recreational amenities for the community to enjoy, including picnic areas, recreational boat launch and a fishing pier. Learn more about the Port and how it supports the local community on our Community page!
  • Does the Port recieve funding from the City of Redwood City?
    No, the Port does not recieve funding from the City to operate the Port, in fact, 75% of the Port's revenue is generated from maritime operations and the remainder is from commercial rentals and other land-use agreements. The finances of the Port are maintained as a separate budget from the City, and the Port Commission oversees the management of the budget. The Port supports City services through providing an annual subvention and supports additional City services through contract services annually. Visit our Finance page for more about the Port's financial outlook.
  • What is the proposed Redwood City Ferry Terminal Project?
    The Redwood City Ferry Terminal Project is a plan to create public ferry service to the mid-peninsula with Redwood City representing the southernmost hub for the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. This potential service would provide a new transportation alternative connecting the mid-peninsula to San Francisco and the East Bay, reduce automobile traffic, and enhance emergency preparedness for the movement of first responders and supplies by water after a catastrophic event. To learn more, click here.
  • How does the Port support the local and regional economy?
    The Port of Redwood City is the only deep-water port in the South San Francisco Bay, with a channel depth of 30 feet mean lower low water (MLLW), offering three deep water berths and five wharves to support international foreign trade and maritime activities to the Silicon Valley region and west coast of the United States. The Port specializes in bulk, neo-bulk and liquid cargoes. Visit our Economic Impact page for more information.
  • Does the Port maintain a FEMA designation?
    The Port is one of only four Bay Area ports identified as a FEMA Designated Federal Staging Area (FSA). The Port is also designated as a Bulk Fuel Distribution Point and commodity staging for federal disaster response to a regional catastrophic earthquake. The Port conducts full-scale interagency emergency response and recovery drills with the City of Redwood City, San Mateo County, U.S. Coast Guard, and other regional first responders to validate FSA activation. Visit our Partners page for more about the Port's regional and federal partners.

Want to know more?

 If you need to contact us, please do so here.

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