from Mandurah Mayor Amber Kearns
As we reflect on the success of the 25th Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest, it’s a timely moment to step back and look at what this event means for our city beyond a single weekend.
Each year, once the crowds have gone home and the foreshore returns to its familiar rhythm, we review what the event delivered for Mandurah and what it tells us about our community, our economy and our future. And each year, the message is clear. Crab Fest plays a far bigger role in our city than just a few days on the calendar.
Crab Fest is a celebration of the Mandurah lifestyle, our waterways and our community, and it continues to be one of the moments that best captures who we are as a city and what we value.
This weekend each year, Mandurah turns into a hive of energy as the foreshore comes alive with great food, live entertainment and family fun to celebrate our famous blue manna crab.
For 25 years now, the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest has shone a light on the vibrant coastal city we are lucky to call home, and this was especially evident at this year’s milestone event.
Cafés are filled to the brim with people enjoying a treat, pubs and bars are bustling, local accommodation providers book out, and retailers report some of their busiest sales days.
Of course, an event of this scale brings with it some challenges, and I know not everyone feels that same excitement right away. Roads close. Parking gets harder. Traffic increases. I appreciate that disruption can certainly be frustrating for some of our locals.
But when we look at the full picture, we see that Crab Fest is more than just a couple of days of big crowds and big energy. These kinds of events are delivered with a clear focus on return on investment, ensuring that every dollar spent supports local businesses, jobs and our visitor economy. It is one weekend that continues to deliver value for Mandurah long after the event has finished.
A powerful boost for local businesses
Crab Fest increases spending across Mandurah, flowing directly into local cafés, pubs, shops, accommodation providers, food vendors, suppliers and service businesses across our city.
Each year, a wide range of local businesses take part in Crab Fest, with many experiencing some of their busiest and most successful trading periods. For some, the festival weekend provides the opportunity to reinvest in their business, support staff and build confidence during a time when cost pressures remain high.
Over the course of the weekend, I had the opportunity to speak directly with local business owners and stallholders, many of whom shared positive stories about the experience, the trade they saw, and the value Crab Fest brings to their business. This is real revenue boost for many local operators, and it is spending that would not occur without an event of this scale.
And the impact of Crab Fest does not end when the tents come down. The event attracts visitors who travel to Mandurah, stay overnight, eat and shop locally, and experience our city first‑hand. For some, it is their first visit. For others, it is a reminder of why they love coming back.
Crab Fest helps keep Mandurah top of mind as a great Western Australian destination throughout the year, turning first‑time visitors into long-time fans.
Visitors who discover a favourite café, enjoy a stay in a local hotel or spend time along our waterfront often return later in the year, bringing friends, family and future spending with them. That is how a single weekend creates long‑term value for our city.
A strong return for the whole community
Crab Fest also creates opportunities for community groups and volunteers, with charity parking alone raising more than $22,000 for local organisations in 2025.
For the first time in 2026, Crab Fest featured Containers for Change across the event, turning bottles and cans into new opportunities. More than 9,500 containers were collected over the weekend, with funds supporting the Peel Multicultural Association Inc, whose dedicated volunteers staffed the Containers for Change bins and helped festival‑goers recycle responsibly.
Crab Fest reflects genuine collaboration. Local and state government work side by side with emergency services, volunteers and local businesses, all driven by the same motivation. Wanting what’s best for Mandurah.
A shared investment in Mandurah
Crab Fest is about more than food and entertainment. It’s about confidence in our city. Confidence that Mandurah can host major events, attract visitors, support local businesses and deliver real economic value for our community.
I’m incredibly proud of everyone who helps make Crab Fest possible each year, and I thank our community for their patience, their support and their pride in our city.
We’ll continue to lessen the impact where we can with improved traffic management and communication with the community. But I hope you can appreciate why Crab Fest matters when we see how one weekend supports local livelihoods for many months and helps shape a strong and confident future for Mandurah.
Because when Mandurah thrives, we all benefit.
Mayor Amber Kearns
City of Mandurah
