Attendees to enjoy Baja-inspired cuisine from top regional chefs, local craft beer, and live music while raising funds for coastal habitat and marine wildlife conservation
On Saturday, June 22, WILDCOAST, an international conservation organization protecting some of the most beautiful and biologically significant coastal areas in the Californias and Latin America, will hold its 7th annual Baja Bash to support the organization’s important conservation programs. Held at the Coronado Cays Yacht Club from 5pm-9pm, the event always puts the “fun” in “fundraiser”, and will be a celebration of Baja California’s natural beauty and the opportunity for adventure it holds. The organization’s work preserving the peninsula’s most beautiful and wild beaches, islands, and lagoons will be spotlighted and the festivities will feature Baja-inspired sustainable cuisine, a silent auction, and music. Proceeds from the event will benefit WILDCOAST’s continued efforts to conserve the most threatened coastal habitats and wildlife in the California’s and Southern Mexico, and Latin America.
These days, everyone loves Baja, especially her beaches and coastal areas. In fact, people love Baja so much, that much of her once mostly-deserted 1900 miles of coastlines have fallen under targeted assault from increased development and industrial growth. Coral reefs and mangrove forests teeming with sea life, pristine beaches where endangered sea turtles nest, and bays that are the birthing areas for gentle California grey whales—all are in danger of disappearing, and the marine species and other fauna that depend on these fragile ecosystems are also in peril.
Luckily, 19 years ago WILDCOAST (aka COSTASALVAJE in Spanish) began working to watchdog and protect the marine ecosystems and wildlife on Baja’s coasts, as well as coastal areas in San Diego and other Mexican and Latin American regions.
Founded in 2000 by Serge Dedina, currently mayor of Imperial Beach, CA,. WILDCOAST has boasted many successes over the year. Some of these include helping to conserve:
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more than 9.2 million acres of globally significant bays, beaches, lagoons, coral reefs and islands
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17,536 acres of Marine Protected Areas in Southern California
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1,125 acres of coral reefs in Mexico
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74,689 acres of mangrove forests undergoing protection
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5,720 acres of carbon-sequestering mangroves protected in Bhaia Magdelana and the Gulf of California
WILDCOAST’s programs benefit such species as sea turtles, grey whales, sharks and other sea life, as well as California condors and coastal birds, pronghorn antelope, and desert big horn sheep .
The pre-gala festivities for Baja Bash will kick off earlier in the afternoon, with an Electric Boat Fundraising Challenge, in which 6 teams will compete for trophies, and in the process raise a projected $45,000 to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife.
The Gala itself begins at 5pm, during which guests will enjoy delicious bites from several of Baja and San Diego’s most celebrated chefs:
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Drew Deckman of Deckman’s En El Mogor in Valle de Guadalupe
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Bianca Castro Cerio, Pastry Cheff at Biscotti’s Venuzzi Reposteria in Tijuana.
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Ben Bechelli of Dija Mara in Oceanside, CA
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Angelo Sosa of Death By Tequila in Encinitas, CA
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Ken Irvine of SEA180 in Imperial Beach, CA
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Christopher Aguirre of Loews Coronado in Coronado, CA
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Kevin Templeman of Barleymash in San Diego
Live music will be provided by Buena Vista SoCal Club (dancing is encouraged!!), and brews by Baja Brewing Company will help put everyone in the party spirit.
Tickets are on sale now! $95 per person or $700 for a table of 8. Purchase Tickets Here! or at the door.
If you love our coastlines, no matter which side of the border you favor, and the creatures that are trying to survive in and nearby them, please consider donating to WILDCOAST, even if you aren’t able to attend Baja Bash.
Colorado Cays Yacht Club is located at 30 Caribe Cay Boulevard, Coronado, CA 92118.
