Officially, it’s called the Seal Beach Lions Club Community Fish Fry. But it is now better known to the Seal Beach locals simply as “Fish Fry”. For weeks leading up to the weekend event, all the buzz in town is about the Lions Fish Fry. Of course, the local papers and TV station provide great coverage both before and after the event.
The Lions Fish Fry is the longest running, never-interrupted, event in the community of Seal Beach having run continuously for what will soon be 80 years (July 2024). The Lions organized a Fish Fry during the pandemic. Fish Fry 2024 will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, July 13, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 14.
What started originally as a replication of a Midwest tradition has grown into one of the areas most popular summer events. For two full days Lions cook and serve fish and other foods in the park overlooking the Seal Beach Pier (same location for all 80 years). Besides food and spirits, local bands play continuously at the event from 11 in the morning until the sun goes down. The bands all play for free as their way of “giving back” to the community.
Fish Fry 2023 served more than 6,800 meals and nearly 13,000 drinks. It takes more than 200 Lions, Prospective Lions and Leos to run this event. Everything is done by Lions and Leos – there are no outside vendors or paid workers. The Leos man the soft drink and BBQ booth as well as provide balloons for the children by our costumed “Leo the Lion”.
In addition to food and music, there are t-shirt sales and merchant raffle drawings.
What makes this event unique is that it truly draws the community together. There is a huge local attendance over the weekend with attendees that include nearly every city official as well as most of the movers and shakers in town. There is no charge to attend this event but as you can see, the residents and guests who attend generously support the Lions efforts through donations and food & drink purchases. In 1951 Lions club secretary Buell Brown wrote the club minutes: “The fish fry was originated as a social event … It is the only event of the year that brings the people of the town together for a good old fashioned visit, and that one item make our Fish Fry a truly worthwhile Lions activity. The Fish Fry has never been operated with the idea of making any money, just friends, yet it has never failed to pay us for our effort, with a nice sum for the treasury.”
The Saturday, July 13, music will be performed by:
• Xntrics at 11 a.m.
• Jennifer Corday at 1 p.m.
• Lucky Jack at 3 p.m.
• Bobby Armstrong at 5 p.m.
The Sunday, July 14 music will be performed by:
• The Rumrunners at 11 a.m.
• OSW All Stars at 12:15 p.m.
• Auto Pilot and the PBJ Trio at 2:30 p.m.
• Joe Schmoe at 4:30 p.m.
This tradition lives on with the Seal Beach Lions Club’s annual Community Fish Fry.
