Avocado & Margarita Festival
Plan ahead for this iconic Morro Bay street festival celebrating the green fruit Californians love, and the city's most prominent land crop.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Whether you’re a foodie, a lover of live tunes, or just in need of a coastal escape, this year’s Avocado & Margarita Street Festival is the perfect excuse to book a stay in Morro Bay.
Located right on Morro Bay’s iconic waterfront Embarcadero, between Harbor and Pacific Streets.
General Admission tickets are $15, but hotel rooms fill up quickly. Plan ahead, book your room, and get ready for a weekend of avos, margs, music, and Morro Rock views!
Grab Your Tickets!
Why Morro Bay Avocados Hit Different
Morro Bay produces some of the most sought-after avocados in California thanks to our cool coastal fog and gentle ocean breezes. Here, avocados hang on the trees longer and ripen slower, locking in higher natural oils to create a rich, buttery texture. When you taste the food at Avocado Margarita Festival, you’re enjoying peak-season fruit grown just miles from where you’re standing!
Festival Highlights & Entertainment
This is beyond a food festival, this is a waterfront street party celebrating local flavor, music, and community spirit. Located right between Harbor and Pacific Streets, you'll be steps away from harbor breezes and local shops. Drinks must stay at the event, but re-entry is permitted.
AVO EATS AT THE GROVE
Every food vendor on-site features fresh, California-grown avocados in their street eats. Central Coast Women for Fisheries (CCWF) returns with its fan-favorite albacore stuffed avocado and Baby Bear Biscuits is serving up Southern-fried avocado biscuit sliders and creamy baked mac and cheese loaded with avocado. Dozens of other vendors will be dishing out everything from fresh guacamole and tacos to sweet and savory avocado creations.
SPECIALTY DRINKS BY THE BAY
Sip on ice-cold cocktail drinks and mocktails, with sweeping views of the bay and Morro Rock. The festival's signature Avocado Margarita is blended with a whole avocado, creating a rich creamy margarita. Lost Isle will be pouring tropical creations like the Pineapple Margarita, Tikirita, and the crowd-favorite Sex on the Spit. The Margarita Man returns with frozen and on-the-rocks flavored margaritas, plus Coronitas and ice-cold tall boys for beer lovers.
ACTIVITIES & FAMILY-FRIENDLY 'GROM ZONE'
The festival features a dedicated activity and games area for young adventurers (and kids 10 and under get in FREE!). Take center stage in crowd-favorite contests like the Strongest Avo-Arm Challenge, Avo Juggling, and the always-rowdy Crowdapalooza.
LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
The festival soundtrack features an incredible lineup of live bands keeping the energy going from morning until evening!
- 10:00 am - B and the Hive: Prolific California indie rock to alt pop.
- 12:00 pm - Resination: Long time Central Coast reggae favorites.
- 2:00 pm Vince Cimo's Hot Fire: High-energy funk funk, soul, and R&B.
- 3:30 pm - Samba Loca: Epic Samba, Afro-Brazilian, drum-line.
- 4:00 pm - The Molly Ringwald Project: Totally rad 80's takeover.
Make a Weekend of It
Stay in Morro Bay! While the festival runs from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, there’s no need to rush home. Book a stay at one of Morro Bay's charming waterfront hotels or cozy inns, and you can simply walk to the festival and turn a single day of fun into a relaxing coastal weekend getaway.
- Arrive Friday, check into your hotel and explore Downtown Morro Bay. Browse the artisan shops and grab a casual Italian or Thai food dinner.
- Saturday morning choose from 12 cafes for your morning coffee. Then, head to the festival! Dance, eat, and enjoy all the avocado goodness.
- On Sunday, get your brunch on at great breakfast spots or seafood places for clam chowder and fish and chips. After, take a 45-minute boat tour around the harbor with a crisp refreshment in hand or get your toes sandy at Morro Rock Beach.
Browse Places to Stay
Other Great Things to Do in September
The Avocado & Margarita Festival is perfectly timed in September, offering some of the clearest, warmest, and sunniest coastal weather of the entire year! You'll find less crowds and all the great dining, shopping, events, and beach days Morro Bay has to offer pre and post festival:
Explore the Water: Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to tour the calm bay waters and spot sea otters, harbor seals, and sea lions.
Sunset at Morro Rock: Take a stroll along the beach or harbor boardwalk to watch the sun drop behind our iconic 576-foot volcanic landmark.
Fresh Seafood & Dining: Enjoy dinner at one of the Embarcadero’s catch-of-the-day seafood spots or cozy up at a bay-view outdoor patio.
Other Events: Catch a live concert at The Siren, visit one of the Waterfront Markets, or check out the Thursday night Tunes at Tidelands music series.
Retail Therapy: Pick out a gift to take home at specialty surf, vintage, and art boutiques on the Embarcadero or Downtown Morro Bay.
Morro Bay Avocado Fun Facts
The Leading Land Crop in Morro Bay
When it comes to dirt-in-the-ground farming, avocados are indeed the signature crop of the tiny valley pockets surrounding the town (like along Morro Creek Road). However, if you measure by volume, history, and economic footprint right inside Morro Bay, oysters are actually the primary "crop."
Coastal Microclimate Magic
Nestled between the ocean breezes and the Santa Lucia mountains, local orchards (like the historic Morro Creek Ranch) benefit from natural "ocean air conditioning". This protects the fruit from extreme summer heat spikes, giving them ideal conditions to flourish.
Grown Just 2 Miles From the Waves
Unlike inland agricultural hubs, Morro Bay's family-owned groves are perched just a couple of miles from the Embarcadero, meaning that local fruit travels minimal miles from tree to festival taco!
Slow-Grown Super Flavor
Because Morro Bay sits at the northernmost edge of California's primary avocado-growing region, the fruit experiences a longer, cooler growing season. Hanging on the trees longer allows the avocados to develop higher oil content, giving Morro Bay avocados their legendary rich, buttery texture and creamy nuttiness.
The Last Harvest of the Season
While southern California wraps up its avocado harvest early in the summer, Morro Bay’s unique microclimate keeps fruit ripening clear into September. September festival-goers are enjoying avocados picked right at peak perfection!
