Something genuinely exciting is happening in the Bay and this time, it's not just Sophia the Seahorse practicing her victory dance.

You know that feeling when you're planning a party and suddenly someone offers you two actual castles to host it in? That's us right now. Except instead of castles, we have aquariums. Which, honestly, might be even better.

As we swim closer to SplashFest! 2026, our festival dedicated to creative storytelling about oceans, water and our magnificently blue planet, the family around it is growing in ways that still make us pinch ourselves a little.

The Grown-Ups Are Impressed (We're Still Processing)

We are genuinely honored to announce that Save the Children Italia has granted its official patronage to SplashFest!

Credit: Francesca Leonardi for Save the Children.

This isn't just a shiny badge for our website - though yes, it does look rather splendid up there. This patronage is a meaningful sign of trust and shared values. It recognizes the heart of the festival: using creativity, stories and imagination to help children understand the world around them and feel empowered to care for it.

When an organization that has championed children's rights for over 100 years chooses to stand beside an initiative, it tells us we're swimming in the right direction. (Or at least not swimming in circles, which honestly happens more often than we'd care to admit.)

The Mediterranean Sends Its Best Venues

And then (and this is where it gets properly exciting) the ocean itself decided to open its doors.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Cretaquarium – The Aquarium of Crete and the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes (Aquarium of Rhodes) are not just joining SplashFest! as partners.

They're hosting the festival at their facilities.

Let that sink in for a moment. Children learning about the ocean inside actual aquariums, surrounded by the very creatures and ecosystems the festival celebrates. Educational workshops happening between tanks of living Mediterranean marine life. Young filmmakers and artists presenting their work while seahorses, octopuses, and yes, even sharks, swim quietly in the background.

Cretaquarium offers a stunning 1,600m² exhibition space with modern audiovisual systems and can host up to 150 people in its multipurpose room - all while 2,000 marine organisms representing 200 Mediterranean species go about their day in 1.6 million liters of seawater. The Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes brings its own magic: an underwater cave system that draws water directly from the sea, unique exhibits including protected endemic species, and a deep connection to marine research and education.

These aren't just venues with nice décor. These are living, breathing marine science centers that transform how children experience the festival: from something abstract to something they can feel, smell, and almost touch.

What This Actually Means

Together, these partnerships reflect exactly what SplashFest! is about: connecting children, creativity, science and genuine care for our planet across countries, cultures and coastlines.

But now there's something more. From Greece to Italy, from the UK to Germany, SplashFest! 2026 is becoming not just a festival, but a journey. A journey where stories don't just ripple outward: they dive deep. Where young voices aren't just encouraged to imagine a kinder future for water and life on Earth they're invited to do it surrounded by the very life they're trying to protect.

The Bay is getting busier.

The waves are getting louder.

And our festival just got two of the most spectacular venues you could possibly dream of.

Honestly? We couldn't make this up if we tried.

More to come soon. (Hopefully.)