Avocado & Margarita Festival
This iconic waterfront street festival returns to the Morro Bay Embarcadero.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
If you’ve been looking for the ultimate late-summer festival filled with two things Californians love, then mark your calendar for Morro Bay's Avocado & Margarita Street Festival. This event is officially returning to its original home right on Morro Bay’s iconic waterfront Embarcadero, located right between Harbor and Pacific Streets.
Whether you’re a foodie, a lover of live tunes, or just in need of a coastal escape, this year’s festival is the perfect excuse to book a weekend stay in Morro Bay.
General Admission tickets are $15, but hotel rooms for festival weekend 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 Early
Why Morro Bay Avocados Hit Different
Did you know Morro Bay produces some of the most sought-after avocados in California? Thanks to our cool coastal fog and gentle ocean breezes, local avocados hang on the trees longer than almost anywhere else. This slow-ripening process locks in higher natural oils, creating an exceptionally rich, buttery texture. When you taste the food at AvoMargFest, 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.
Avo-Everything Eats: Every food vendor on-site features fresh, California-grown avocados in their street eats... from traditional tacos and guacamole to creative culinary twists.
Legendary Avocado Margaritas: Sip on signature ice-cold avocado margaritas, other specialty cocktails, mocktails, and more with sweeping views of the bay and Morro Rock.
Family-Friendly "Grom Zone": The festival features a dedicated activity and games area for young adventurers (and kids 10 and under get in FREE!).
Waterfront Block Party Vibes: 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.
Live Music All Day: The festival soundtrack features a full lineup of live bands keeping the energy going from morning until evening.
- 10:00 am - B and the Hive
- 12:00 pm - Resination
- 2:00 pm Vince Cimo's Hot Fire
- 3:30 pm - Samba Loca
- 4:00 pm - The Molly Ringwald Project
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. By booking a stay at one of Morro Bay's charming waterfront hotels or cozy inns, you can catch the sunset and turn a single day of fun into a relaxing coastal weekend getaway.
A perfect Morro Bay weekend means: dining on classic seafood dishes like clam chowder and fish and chips, sipping wine overlooking the harbor, shopping artisan galleries and secondhand vintage, taking a 45-minute boat tour around the harbor, or getting your toes sandy at Morro Rock Beach.
September is known on the Central Coast as "Secret Summer" offering some of the clearest, warmest, and sunniest coastal weather of the entire year!
Browse Places to Stay
Other Great Things to Do in September
The Avocado & Margarita Festival is perfectly timed in September, with many other great events and generally good weather. It's also centrally located just steps away from fantastic harbor front excursions, restaurants, art and home galleries, olive oil and wine tasting, and boutique gift shops.
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 an evening stroll along the beach or harbor boardwalk to watch the sun drop behind Morro Bay's iconic 576-foot volcanic rock 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: Shop an eclectic collection of specialty surf, vintage, and art boutiques on the Embarcadero or Downtown Morro Bay for yourself, for gifts, or just for the memories.
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!