San Diegans are invited to an enchanting evening where they can dine alongside a diversity of wildlife, including slithering snakes, swimming sharks, eagle-eyed hawks, and jumping jellyfish.
This unique event takes place at Chula Vista’s Living Coast Discovery Center, set against the stunning backdrop of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The Farm to Bay dinner, now a cherished summer tradition, will be held on August 2, providing guests an extraordinary experience for its 16th consecutive year.
The highlight of this event is its impressive guest list — a collection of native species that contribute to San Diego’s status as the most biologically diverse county in the continental United States.
Attendees will have the chance to interact with the center’s animal ambassadors while exploring numerous local food and wine booths that will be set up for this memorable evening.
Emerald, the resident Atlantic green sea turtle, takes center stage as the star of the show, representing the endangered species that inhabit San Diego Bay.
Beyond the enjoyment of local cuisine and wildlife, Farm to Bay serves a critical purpose as the nonprofit center’s largest annual fundraiser.
All proceeds from ticket sales and auctions will directly support the welfare of the animals showcased during the dinner, as well as fund educational camps, school trips, and workshops aimed at raising awareness about the coast’s vibrant ecosystem.
Last year, Farm to Bay successfully raised over $128,000 for its animal guests, and this upcoming event is deemed even more crucial due to significant funding cuts by the Trump administration.
With more than $80 million stripped from local nonprofit funding in recent months, many organizations have been forced to reevaluate or reduce their services.
The Living Coast Discovery Center, like many others, is actively seeking local donors to bridge the gap left by these federal funding cuts.
Sadie Klughers, the center’s marketing and communications manager, emphasized the importance of this event, stating, “The pot is getting smaller for grants, and it’s becoming reliant on the fundraising that we’re doing and getting our name out there and making sure people are aware of our mission.”
She added, “So, this event is really crucial to spreading the word about the mission and hopefully subsidizing some of the grants that we might not be able to acquire in the coming year.”
The funds raised from Farm to Bay will ensure the continuity of field trips and other educational programs, which many local schools rely on for little to no cost.
As guests enjoy the glorious sunset over San Diego Bay, a dedicated team of workers and volunteers will be hard at work managing the waste generated by the dinner.
Their goal is to recycle and compost as much of this waste as possible, striving for a zero-waste event where less than ten percent of trash items end up in landfills.
The Farm to Bay vendors, which include popular local businesses such as House of Bao and Babycakes, will be serving meals on reusable materials, aligning with the center’s commitment to honoring the coastal environment.
For 16 years, Farm to Bay has consistently met the zero-waste benchmark, and last year, the event surpassed this goal, with only one in 20 items going to the landfill.
The Living Coast Discovery Center invites everyone to partake in this invaluable experience, enriching their understanding of the natural world while supporting the mission of wildlife conservation and education.
image source from：timesofsandiego
