About

Mandurah has always been a special part of the West Australian story.

We're proud of our history rich with stories of fun times crabbing & fishing in our waterways, spending time on our beautiful beaches or enjoying one of great events.

Mandurah has undergone a huge amount of change over the years - growing from a small seaside village to now being Western Australia’s largest regional city.

Like our city’s journey, this fantastic event has gone from strength to strength over its years.

The Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest showcases what we all know, that Mandurah is such a special place with plenty on offer, from our waterways, our people and our relaxed alfresco lifestyle.

Set against a backdrop of magnificent waterways including an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour, Crab Fest has a long history of offering unique food experiences for all ages and tastes.

Crab Fest celebrates the very best of our mandjoogoordap & this year we're cooking up an awesome range of experiences for all to enjoy.

Our award-winning Crab Fest is an absolute highlight of WA’s event calendar.

Growth of the Mandurah Crab Fest...

The event was originally a development of the Kanyana Carnival, which was a major community festival held in Mandurah for thirty years. Following the demise of the Kanyana Carnival, as well as a decline in weekend visitor numbers, the City of Mandurah worked to develop an annual festival for Mandurah, encouraging awareness and visitation to the Peel area.

The City of Mandurah envisaged an annual event with a strong marketing campaign, which would be used to raise awareness of Mandurah, encourage visitation and creating a sense of community pride for our residents.

The City worked with local businesses, community members and tourists to gain an understanding of the type of event that was needed. These discussions lead to a shared and widely spread memory of crabbing in Mandurah, which then became the theme of the event.

Since its inception in 1999, the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest has gone from strength to strength.

The economic benefit of Crab Fest is seen as one of the primary measures of success, as the event was initially introduced to extend the tourism season and boost the local economy.

From these humble beginnings with 3,000 people attending, Crab Fest has grown to become one of WA’s largest free events, attracting more than 100,000 people.

The calibre of the Crab Fest has gone from strength to strength over the years and this award-winning event is contemporary, popular and has evolved with our community.

Mandurah Crab Fest as we know it today - there's something for everyone...

The Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest showcases what we all know, that Mandurah is such a special place with plenty on offer - from our waterways, our people and our relaxed alfresco lifestyle.

As one of WA's largest free events and with more than 100,000 people in attendance the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest has a long history of offering a unique experience for all ages and tastes. There’s plenty of delicious seafood-inspired dishes and local produce to try over the weekend.

There’s more than 100 hours of free, live entertainment during Crab Fest. During the festival weekend, event-goers can experience local and national acts across different events stages and areas, celebrities as well as great local talent, unique food experiences, waterway activations, live music, a spectacular fireworks display and great regional produce… plus a few surprises!

The festival is an integral part of the state’s annual event calendar and delivers economic and social benefits to local businesses and the community.

Our award-winning Crab Fest...

Mandurah’s signature annual event, the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest, was awarded back-to-back Gold in the Major Festivals and Events category at the 2016 and 2017 Perth Airport Western Australian Tourism Awards, hosted by the Tourism Council of WA.

The 2016 event claimed Bronze in the Major Festivals and Events category at the 2017 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards against a field of strong contenders and was a finalist for 2017 event.

In 2019, Crab Fest was inducted into the Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards Hall of Fame.

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame cements that Crab Fest is a much-loved event not only among our community, but for visitors from across the state and around the country.

The award also recognises the dedication of our community and City of Mandurah staff in bringing this event to life for the last two decades, as we continue to honour our culture and heritage while showcasing the best of our region.