2007's 17th Annual Wenatchee River Salmon Festival
Kids and hands-on activities.
17th Annual Salmon Festival Tons of Fun!
From September 20 to the 23rd, the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery hosted the 17th annual Wenatchee River Salmon Festival. The festival is a free four-day natural resource education event that attracts 8,000 to 10,000 visitors each year. The first two days are committed to elementary school students from all over North Central Washington and the weekend days are open to the general public. All four days offer hands-on activities that give visitors opportunities to learn about many different aspects of salmon, our natural environmental, art and Native American culture. The festival is hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.
Highlights from this year
The festival broadened its horizons by adding the Outdoor Recreation exhibit featuring demos and information on a wide variety of activities. Local and nationally known organizations and businesses set up booths and activities, answered questions and offered information on recreation options in the Wenatchee Valley. Visitors were able to try a kayak in the pond, ride a bike adapted for physically challenged riders, check out local mountain bike trails, get info on alpine snowboarding and skiing, obtain cross country skiing and hiking info and many other adventurous activities. It was concluded that outdoor recreation is a big hit at the Salmon Festival and the planning team will continue to offer the exhibit next year.
Sculptor Gretchen Rhode with a young helper.
Another new exhibit was the Inspirations from Nature art and cultural exhibit that took place in the hatchery park near the food court. Icicle Arts partnered with Salmon Fest to produce a hands-on, up close and personal view of artists, their genres and their creative process. Sculpting, painting, drawing, pastels, bronze casting, woodworking, recycled art projects and nature journaling were some of the different types of art represented. Visitors were encouraged to flow through the informal exhibit and experiment with their own creative powers by observing, interacting with the artist and actually taking part in the process. Watching a child trying to sculpt a rock by learning how to use a jackhammer is worth a lot of smiles! With all of the positive feedback from both artists and visitor, Inspirations from Nature will be back at the festival next year!
Icicle Arts at Salmonfest.
Tried and True
Great success was also evident in the festival's other activities that are offered every year. Some of the local favorites such as chalk art, kids in the creek, creativity corner, the storytelling tent and costume parade, the Salmon Run, Gyotaku, the Native American Encampment and many others are as popular as ever. Sardis Raptor Center and The Reptile Man also pack the stage area with fun and educational presentations. Who wouldn’t like to see a bald eagle or an albino python up close and personal?
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival is a shining star of fun and education for all who venture to the Upper Valley in September. Fundraising efforts continue all year to insure the quality and depth of experience it has always offered. For information on becoming a contributor to this award winning event, call the Friends of Northwest Hatcheries at 548-6662, ext. 271. We’re always ready to talk Salmon! And don’t forget to put September 18 - 21 on your 2008 calendar so you can enjoy the fun next year!
