Salmon Fest Family Day Has Returned!
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival (Salmon Fest) & Friends of NW Hatcheries Find Support from Local Wenatchee Valley Communities
Great news! Some of you may have heard this past winter that the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival, also known as Salmon Fest, and their major supporter, the Friends of Northwest Hatcheries, were in need of some help from the community. Several long-term board members were retiring leaving a large hole to fill for this typically under-the-radar organization and their more widely-known and popular Salmon Fest – focused annual event. A community meeting was held at the Leavenworth Fire Hall in January 2018, where remaining board members and representatives from the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, discussed the dire situation and what would be needed to continue to put on this 28-year old award winning outdoor recreation and education event at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery along Icicle Creek.
That night, the call was answered when several members of the Leavenworth community stepped forward and committed to helping ensure a bright future for Salmon Fest and the Friends of NW Hatcheries. In February, a new Salmon Fest board was formed as a separate board, solely focused on the success of this annual event. With this new structure, the Friends group is well suited to grow and diversify its support for wildlife education and outdoor recreation programs throughout the northwest and the Salmon Fest team can work on providing the best possible experiences for students and the public during the 3 day annual event in Leavenworth. Plan to bring your family and friends to this free event happening during the days of September 20 – 22, 2018, with the return of the popular public Family Day on Saturday the 22nd.
Salmon Fest is a two-day natural resource education event held every fall to celebrate the return of the salmon to the Wenatchee River. The Festival is held on the grounds of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, located at the mouth of the scenic Icicle Canyon near Leavenworth, Washington. An exciting menu of hands-on activities and “edutainment” gives students from throughout North Central Washington a unique opportunity to discover and appreciate the complexities of the natural world and the significance of salmon to people of the northwest. Since its inception in 1991, the Festival has remained true to its natural resource education mission while updating and augmenting activities to keep the messages fresh, timely and engaging. In response, the event has become nationally recognized for its educational excellence.
In mid-June, the new Friends Board was joined by representatives from a dozen fishery hatcheries and conservation offices from across the Pacific Northwest plus two nationally recognized Friends Group Mentors for a 2-day workshop to build a plan for the future. By all initial accounts, this important Mentorship meeting was a huge success and a plan is in now in place to help the Friends group support more programs and projects throughout the region. While the new Board members are getting settled into their new roles, the call for additional assistance from the community continues.
The Friends of NW Hatcheries is looking for people and organizations who would like to support the Friends mission by signing up to become members and several more passionate individuals who would be interested in joining committees. Based in Leavenworth, Washington, the Friends of NW Hatcheries is a 501c3 nonprofit that supports wildlife education and outdoor recreation opportunities that promote responsible environmental conservation and stewardship in connection with fisheries and hatcheries around the Pacific Northwest. Funding for these programs come from grants, sponsorships, fundraising events, and membership fees.
Salmon Fest is also looking for volunteers who are available to help with this year’s event on September 20 – 22, 2018 at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Please call 509-548-6662 ext. 226 for more information.
If you would be interested in helping the Friends group, or the Salmon Fest team, please contact:
- info@friendsofnwhatcheries.org for the Friends of NW Hatcheries, or
- corky.salmonfest@gmail.com for the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival
Signing up to be a member of the Friends group is easy! Download the membership application and mail a completed copy with your membership dues. Membership is only $5/year for seniors and students, $10/year for individuals, and $15 for families through the end of 2018.
From all of us to all of you, thank you for your continued support of natural resource education and environmental stewardship and conservation!