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 Join us Saturday, October 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for PortFest 2023!

Learn About PortFest

Welcome to portfest
A Redwood City Tradition

PortFest is a free community celebration and waterfront festival that takes place the first Saturday in October. The annual event welcomes the community to learn about Redwood City’s maritime heritage and the history of our industrial working waterfront.  

 

The family-friendly event also includes live music, children’s recreational activities, food trucks, vendor booths and a day of fun overlooking the San Francisco Bay.

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Event location: 475 Seaport Ct., Redwood City

Thank you to our event sponsors! 

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Plan Your Day
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Marine Science Institute Boat on the Por

Plan your day at
portfest

Plan your day at PortFest! Find some fun for everyone during this one-day family festival.  From boat rides, to children’s activities, and plenty of music in between, the event will host various interactive and hands-on activities for all ages.  

 

This year's activities include: ​


Be sure to go on one of the working waterfront bus tours this year! 

  • This tour takes you behind the scenes at the Port. Participants will go "beyond the fenceline" for a rare inside look at the working waterfront. Learn about local industry and international trade in Redwood City.

  • Tours will begin every hour, on the hour, at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., Noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and last for 40 minutes.

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Fun and educational for adults and kids. 

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We can't wait to make more memories in 2023!

Booths at PortFest 2019

Vendor
information

PortFest is a great venue to connect with the community, and a good opportunity to highlight your handmade products unique to Redwood City. Our guests are most interested in high quality arts and crafts and will always come with an appetite to support unique food and beverage selections.  

 

If you are interested in becoming a vendor, please complete the vendor application form. 

 

Booth sites are assigned on a first-come first served basis and at the festival producer's discretion. We provide publicity for event vendors. Sign up soon, so we can promote your business. 

 

A Note About Insurance 

Food vendors are required to carry $1 million in liability insurance and provide a Certificate of Insurance naming the Port of Redwood City and its Board, the City of Redwood City and its Council, Messenger Events and their respective boards, officers, agents, and employees. 

 

Food and beverage vendors and interactive vendors are also required to provide an Additional Insured Endorsement which names the Port of Redwood City and its Board, the City of Redwood City and its Council, and Messenger Events and their respective boards, officers, agents, and employees as additional insured. 

Vendor Information
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Portfest
Sponsors

Sponsoring PortFest is a unique and exciting opportunity to promote your business to the entire Peninsula and greater Bay Area community! 

 

This well-attended, all-day, free public festival is held on the waterfront at the Port of Redwood City. We welcome the community to learn about the maritime heritage of the Port, the industrial working waterfront, and invite them to participate in recreational activities on the San Francisco Bay. There is fun for all at PortFest featuring live music, children’s activities, food trucks and booths, and more. 

 

2023 sponsorship application

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Sponsors
Slide at PortFest 2019

FAQ

  • What does the Port do?
    The Port of Redwood City is the only deep-water port in the South San Francisco Bay. It provides berths for dry bulk, liquid bulk, and other cargoes. It offers public access to the San Francisco Bay and water recreational opportunities to the region. The Port is home to over 100 tenants and businesses, 5 wharves, and much more. Learn more about the history of the Port visit our History page. To learn about other business aspects of the Port, visit our Business page.
  • Where is the Port?
    The Port Administration Building and Harbormaster's office for Recreational Boating & Marian and Public Access Area information is located at 675 Seaport Blvd., Redwood City, CA. 94063. To contact the Harbormaster's office, please call (650) 306-4153. To learn more about the Port, visit our About Us page. Visit our Contact page for more on how to contact us.
  • Who governs the Port?
    The Port is governed by a five member board of commissioners, appointed by the Redwood City, City Council to serve terms of four years each. To learn more, visit our Port Commission page.
  • Can anyone attend a Port Commission meeting?
    Yes, the Port Commission meetings are open to the public. Meetings take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m. Visit our Port Comission page for more information on meetings.
  • Can I go to the Port?
    Yes, the Port offers more than one mile of public waterfront access and a variety of recreational amenities for the community to enjoy, including picnic areas, recreational boat launch and a fishing pier. Learn more about the Port and how it supports the local community on our Community page!
  • Does the Port recieve funding from the City of Redwood City?
    No, the Port does not recieve funding from the City to operate the Port, in fact, 75% of the Port's revenue is generated from maritime operations and the remainder is from commercial rentals and other land-use agreements. The finances of the Port are maintained as a separate budget from the City, and the Port Commission oversees the management of the budget. The Port supports City services through providing an annual subvention and supports additional City services through contract services annually. Visit our Finance page for more about the Port's financial outlook.
  • What is the proposed Redwood City Ferry Terminal Project?
    The Redwood City Ferry Terminal Project is a plan to create public ferry service to the mid-peninsula with Redwood City representing the southernmost hub for the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. This potential service would provide a new transportation alternative connecting the mid-peninsula to San Francisco and the East Bay, reduce automobile traffic, and enhance emergency preparedness for the movement of first responders and supplies by water after a catastrophic event. To learn more, click here.
  • How does the Port support the local and regional economy?
    The Port of Redwood City is the only deep-water port in the South San Francisco Bay, with a channel depth of 30 feet mean lower low water (MLLW), offering three deep water berths and five wharves to support international foreign trade and maritime activities to the Silicon Valley region and west coast of the United States. The Port specializes in bulk, neo-bulk and liquid cargoes. Visit our Economic Impact page for more information.
  • Does the Port maintain a FEMA designation?
    The Port is one of only four Bay Area ports identified as a FEMA Designated Federal Staging Area (FSA). The Port is also designated as a Bulk Fuel Distribution Point and commodity staging for federal disaster response to a regional catastrophic earthquake. The Port conducts full-scale interagency emergency response and recovery drills with the City of Redwood City, San Mateo County, U.S. Coast Guard, and other regional first responders to validate FSA activation. Visit our Partners page for more about the Port's regional and federal partners.
FAQ
Event Schedule

Want to know more?

 If you need to contact us, please do so here.

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