Moompetam American Indian Festival

In celebration of the local American Indian cultures, the Aquarium of the Pacific will host its annual Moompetam American Indian Festival.

You are invited to join the Aquarium of the Pacific for its twenty-second annual Moompetam American Indian Festival. Moompetam (pronounced \’mohm peh tahm), meaning “People of the Ocean,” is derived from the word for ‘saltwater’ in the Tongva language. For the California Indigenous coastal peoples, the ocean has always been a sacred entity.

The festival celebrates Indigenous California maritime cultures, including Tongva, Acjachemen, Chumash, Costanoan, Kumeyaay, and Luiseño. This celebration features traditional cultural craft demonstrations, storytelling, music, and dance, and an award ceremony.

Live festival presentations are scheduled for the following times in the following locations. All programs subject to change and weather dependent. Festival programming is 15-20 minutes

• 10:00 a.m. Honda Blue Cavern
• 10:45 a.m. Honda Blue Cavern
• 11:30 a.m. Honda Pacific Visions Theater
• 12:15 p.m. Honda Blue Cavern
• 1:00 p.m. Honda Pacific Visions Theater
• 1:45 p.m. Honda Blue Cavern
• 2:30 p.m. Honda Pacific Visions Theater
• 3:15 p.m. Honda Blue Cavern
• 4:00 p.m. Honda Pacific Visions Theater

 

TICKETS

Purchase Tickets
General admission is required.
Member Reservations
Free for Aquarium members with reservations.

DATE

Saturday
September 12, 2026
9:00 am–5:00 pm PT

Sunday
September 13, 2026
9:00 am–5:00 pm PT

COST

Included with general admission: $44.95 per adult (ages 12+), $34.95 per child (ages 3-11), $41.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Reservations required.