Shark Festival Coming to Southern California

Ocean Conservation Organization invites Public to its Fun-Raiser

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Non-profit organization Iemanya Oceanica (pronounced ya-MON-ja) announces the GREAT SHARK Affaire, a festival, to be held at the Long Beach Rainbow Lagoon, October 2-3, 2010. This charitable event will teach about ocean conservation as well as protecting sharks and their habitats. The GREAT SHARK Affaire™ will be set in a festival-like atmosphere teaching how every action taken on the land affects the oceans, coastlines, and reef systems, and how incorporating an Eco-BLUE™ mind-set into our already green lifestyle will help to preserve the largest part of our planet.

Celebrating So Cal's laid-back beach lifestyle, the SHARK Affaire will feature live music from "The Surf City AllStars," consisting of performers from "The Beach Boys," "Jan & Dean" and "The Wilson Philips" bands. Body Glove will host surf videos with surf champions on-hand to narrate, while renowned marine artist & conservationist Wyland makes a special appearance to sign autographs. The JAYO Foundation will host its popular Celebrity/Pro Volleyball Invitational matches and a kids' clinic, and trendy gourmet lunch trucks will provide treats for families to enjoy while playing and shopping.

"This will be the hottest beach party since the '60s, so we've planned activities the entire family will enjoy all weekend long," stated Laleh Mohajerani, CEO of Iemanya Oceanica.

The GREAT SHARK Affaire™ will be a forum for other ocean-related experts to teach about their specialties, including The Aquarium of the Pacific, UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Ocean Institute of Dana Point and Reef Check.  Event host Iemanya will familiarize the public with some of the 400 species of sharks in the ocean. Attendees will learn to deal with daily issues such as how to know which seafood is safe to eat, how to swim 'shark safe' and how everything we use and eat ends up in the ocean.

Generously sponsored & supported by Body Glove™, Neutrogena®, The Long Beach Aquarium of The Pacific, Trader Joe's, Clif Bar, The Wyland  Foundation and Motorola, the two-day SHARK Affaire™ estimates 20,000 attendees.

Tickets for the GREAT SHARK Affaire™ may be purchased on www.TicketWeb.com. All  proceeds from the event will help to further Iemanya Oceanica's conservation, research & education efforts.

To learn more about Iemanya Oceanica and the GREAT SHARK Affaire, visit www.adoptashark.com/gsa-home.html.

SOURCE Iemanya Oceanica