Spring weather is starting to unfold in Kodiak, which really means that its’ almost time for the 68th Annual Kodiak Crab Festival! This year’s theme for Crab Fest 2026 is “You, Me, & The Sea”. We hope our theme will inspire you to dive into all of the wonder and fun of living on an island while getting out and enjoying all that the Kodiak Crab Festival has to offer. This year we have an excellent variety of new and familiar food and merchandise vendors as well as entertainment options for Crab Fest. Every year as the month of May winds down, school is close to getting out and green grass is peeking out all around us, Kodiak’s 68 year tradition of celebrating the changing seasons and our incredible seafood industry at Crab Fest is so important to the morale and well being our island residents. From the hope and promise of better weather and seasonal abundance plus brighter, greener days, to the food, crab, parade, events, activities, music, the excitement of it all…..and each other. Crab Fest is an incredible way to connect with one another, to enjoy yourself and just have fun.
What can you look forward to at Crab Fest 2026? With tremendous thanks to Matson, the Chamber is excited to announce that we’re bringing back 509 Jumpers LLC again this year. 509 Jumpers is an inflatables entertainment company from Yakima, Washington. They’ll be at Crab Fest for all five days! 509 Jumpers is bringing the party to Crab Fest with a great selection of slides, bounce houses, obstacle courses and a host of awesome games for kids and even parents can get in on the action! Back this year we’ll have the Climbing Elevation Rock Wall, the Bungee Bounce and the Kodiak Christian School’s Hamster Balls! We hope you’ll love all of these great opportunities for your kids to really enjoy themselves! Also back this year is our photo contest and a survey for attendees, look for the signs and information around the festival to participate. Please share your Crab Fest photos & memories with us.
Bring the kids to Crab Fest for Slides, Bounce Houses, Obstacle Courses, the Gelly Ball Arena, the Bungee Bounce, the Hamster Balls, Kiwanis Nail Benders, the Kodiak Lions Club Sawdust pile, ice cream, burgers, hot dogs, The Soda Jerk, Grand Slam Toys & Games and so much more. There’s plenty for adults to appreciate as well. Thursday at 5pm join Senator Dan Sullivan and 2025 Miss Alaska Suparat Prasannet will be pardoning the Crab in front of the Crab Fest Stage. On the Crab Fest Stage will be the Alutiiq Dancers, the Boot Scootin’ Babes Family Line Dancing with Miss Alaska on Friday and Saturday and plan on multiple bands taking the stage Crab Fest weekend!
This year Kodiak’s cultural heritage shines when the Alutiiq Dancers Perform on Saturday at noon, while our fishing industry is showcased with the Norm Holm Memorial Survival Suit Race, the USCG Search & Rescue Demo, the Fisherman’s Memorial Service on Sunday at 3pm, and the Blessing of the Fleet by the gazebo on the spit on Monday. Each of these events shine a light on some of the heart of what makes Kodiak our home and shapes who we are as a community.
And if you’re not going to be in it, please come watch the Parade Saturday morning at 10am on Mill Bay Road. 2025 Miss Alaska will be joining us for most of Crab Fest & in the Parade this year. The Pillar Mountain Race & the Crab Fest Bike Race Finish Lines will finish downtown in front of the Harbor Master Building again. The Cannery Row Crab Fest Mile will be on Monday at 9am! For all the details on events and vendors be sure to check out our schedule of events and our list of vendors for this year’s CrabFest in the Kodiak Daily Mirror and at kodiakcrabfest.com.
Come say hello to us at our booth, we’re selling raffle tickets again this year for $25 each or 5 for $100. Get yourself a ticket and you could be this year’s $10,000 winner on Memorial Day! While you’re there pick up tshirts, hoodies, stickers or a poster, we love this year’s logo by Valory Canfield and the 2026 print/poster by Kodiak Artist Bruce Nelson. From 509 Jumpers, to the parade, to the food, crab, raffles, races, bands, and dancers, to our many wonderful Crab Fest Vendors, we hope you enjoy as much as possible at Crab Fest this year, and find all the ways, and time to fully embrace the heart of this year’s theme….”You, Me, & the Sea. We might be an Alaskan one, but we are Each year at the end of May, as a community we gather to celebrate the end of colder, darker days, and the beginning of a new season of abundance and possibility as we head into summer. Kodiak Crab Festival has evolved a lot over the past 68 years but we do it every year, with new flare, drive and hope. So, get dressed for the weather, then come celebrate and enjoy it with us and the people you love, these five great days in May!
Quyanaa!
Ellen Simeonoff, Ericka Thompson, Jen Culton, Alexxandra Carter & Alexa San Juan
Your Kodiak Chamber of Commerce CrabFest 2026 Crew!
You, Me, & The Sea—Crab Fest 2026!
