Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Blue Water Ball 2026

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is pleased to present Blue Water Ball 2026, an elegant evening celebrating 25 years of protecting and restoring the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds.

The event will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the seaside Cabrillo Pavilion.

The Blue Water Ball is Channelkeeper’s premier annual fundraiser, raising critical funds that support programs advancing clean water, healthy habitats, and thriving coastal communities throughout the region.

This highly anticipated event brings together ocean advocates and activists, civic leaders, business owners, and public officials for a lively and meaningful evening in support of environmental stewardship.

Tickets are on sale now.

This year’s event is an especially important one as the organization celebrates a milestone.

For 25 years, Channelkeeper has been on the front lines of environmental protection along the California coast.

Through a blend of education, advocacy, fieldwork, enforcement, and community engagement, the organization has worked to ensure that the Santa Barbara Channel remains a thriving home for marine life and a clean, safe resource for everyone who lives, works, and plays here.

The Blue Water Ball will feature remarks by the Honorable Jane Lubchenco, PhD, a world-renowned marine ecologist and one of the most influential ocean leaders of our time.

Dr. Lubchenco was the first woman to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from 2009–2013 and an inaugural member of President Obama’s “Science Dream Team.”

At NOAA, she introduced science-based policies that helped to restore U.S. fisheries, guided the nation through major environmental crises, and helped shape the first U.S. National Ocean Policy.

Dr. Lubchenco also served as the first U.S. Science Envoy for the Ocean and later led the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Climate and Environment team.

A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and one of the most highly cited ecologists in the world, she is currently the Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology at Oregon State University.

Channelkeeper is honored to welcome Dr. Lubchenco as a keynote speaker whose vision closely aligns with the organization’s mission to protect and restore the Channel and its watersheds.

The evening will be emceed by non-profit community leader Geoff Green and will include a special welcome from Chumash representative Mia Lopez.

Guests will enjoy a multicourse dinner, local wines and brews, live music, and an exciting auction featuring art, outdoor gear, and unforgettable coastal adventures.

This year’s silent auction will be virtual and open to everyone in the community to place bids.

Community members are invited to join Channelkeeper for this landmark celebration and play a vital role in advancing the next 25 years of clean water, healthy habitats, and thriving coastal communities.

Event Details
Blue Water Ball 2026
Saturday, March 14, 2026
5:00–9:00 PM
Cabrillo Pavilion
1118 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, CA 

Tickets go on sale January 20, 2026.

For event details, ticket information, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.bluewaterball.org.