Our fan-favorite returns and is both bigger — and smaller — than ever!
September 12
12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
General Public: $22│OSU Alumni: $10│Students & Youth: Free
The only shark dissection accompanied by live music in the world!
TAIL-Gate with LIVE Music, Food Trucks, Family Fun
Please Note: Due to Big Fish Fest's popularity, seating is General Admission and first-come, first-served. Your ticket guarantees entry but cannot guarantee a seat.
Stop by, buy a beer from one of our several bars available — indoor or outdoor!
Enjoy local food fare favorites: 3 Potato More, Sabor Tamales and Beaver Creamery.
Festival Schedule: PRAx TAIL-Gate
What is Big Fish Fest (III)?
Back for a third year after PRAx-record attendance, the world’s only live-music-accompanied educational shark dissection gets bigger — and smaller! This year, OSU’s Big Fish Lab partners with the Little Bird Lab to stage a comparative anatomical study of sharks and birds.
Adaptation and evolution are as much a part of music performance and music history as they are of natural history. We wrap the dissection in the rich sounds of the Afro-Fusion group Fikira. Led by Fiaindratovo (Mimy) Manavihare, a drummer and composer from the south of Madagascar, Fikira blends piano, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, xylophone, mbira and vocals in the Malagasy language.
70% of the shark species in the oceans are endangered or threatened, and the purpose of Big Fish Fest is to create an environment where biology, conservation and human creativity meet to mutually reinforce our care for the planet and for one another.
Plan to walk, bike, scoot or skate to PRAx for Big Fish Fest III? Enjoy a fun afternoon in the September sun and $2 off drinks, on us!
SHUTTLES:
Free parking will be available at Corvallis High School beginning at noon, with free shuttles directly to PRAx! Rides will be available pre- and post-event, running approx. every 20 minutes and ending at 5:30 p.m.
ON-SITE PARKING:
Parking will be free for event patrons in select lots, beginning at noon. Two lots will be available:
- Kerr Admin South Lot
- Jefferson Way and 14th St Lot
Patrons may be required to show Big Fish Fest III tickets as proof of attendance. Spots are limited and will be first come, first served.
Who is Fikira?
The diverse instrumentation of Afro-Fusion band Fikira showcases a mix of piano, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, xylophone, mbira (thumb piano), and vocals in the Malagasy language of Madagascar.
Exceptional performers, Mimy Manavihare and the musicians of Fikira are as dedicated to nurturing the next wave of musicians and composers, urging them to embrace innovation in their musical endeavors. For Fikira, a mixture of genres and styles enrich the creative journey.
Check Out The Water Column Throughout PRAx
Big Sharks, Big Experiences: See The Water Column: Paintings of Depth, Light, and Migration
Dr. Natalie Arnoldi is an artist and marine scientist whose work bridges contemporary painting and marine ecology.
Her striking and intriguing pieces emerged from years spent tagging animals at sea, SCUBA diving and observing the movements of marine predators that spend their lives hidden beneath the surface.
See her work throughout the PRAx Arts Corridor and Mezzanine during the Big Fish Fest III festivities!
OSU Football Timeline & Details
Oregon State Football kicks off the 2026 season with its home opener versus #10 Texas Tech at 4:30 p.m.!
Only a 10-minute walk, our dissection and events end just in time to cheer on the Beavs. Check out the football festivities for more info:
1 p.m.│Beaver Block Party Begins
2 p.m.│Beaver Walk with Team & Coaches
4 p.m.│Beaver Block Party Ends
4:30 p.m.│Kickoff in Reser Stadium
Learn More
About Big Fish Lab
The Big Fish Lab centers on marine apex predator conservation, especially sharks. They have built a team of international collaborators and a unique community, bringing complementary expertise in climate science, ecology, behavior, and physiology that are critical to advancing the mission to conserve sharks and the ecosystems they inhabit.
About Little Bird Lab
Animals and humans must adapt to changing environments if we are to persist on earth. The Jamie Cornelius Lab investigates different behavioral and physiological strategies that birds use to cope with unpredictable change in their environments. They hope to learn why some animals survive better than others when the going gets tough.
Questions or concerns? Reach out to our Box Office for assistance: tickets.prax@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-7729 (PRAX)
