By Julia Pinnix, Visitor Services Manager, Leavenworth Fisheries Complex

Photo: Dancers at River Ramble demonstrating the “eel dance” (lamprey dance). Credit: USFWS 

Blogger’s note: There was a lot to celebrate earlier this month as friends, partners, and hundreds of fish fans from around the state of Washington gathered for a long-standing, beloved event at the Leavenworth Fisheries Complex. Julia Pinnix, our visitor services specialist for the complex, shared her experience with us from the fun-filled, community focused weekend.

Last month, we celebrated the 2019 the 29^th anniversary of the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival!  Co-directors were Hailey Croci and Corky Broaddus. Corky is the founder of Salmon Fest and has been involved every year.

 Photos: Co-directors Corky Broaddus and Hailey Croci (left); Service volunteer Johnna Roy displays the art at the popular gyotaku (fish painting) station, Credit: USFWS

The organizer of Salmon Fest is the Friends of Northwest Hatcheries.  They hire the directors and serve as the non-profit recipient of funds to support the event. Funds needed for this large annual festival are significant: roughly $120,000 in cash is required; and in-kind donations increase the sum to around $350,000. Partners providing funds include: USFWS Regional Office ($10,000), Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery ($20,000), U.S. Forest Service ($15,000), Chelan County Public Utility District (over $50,000), Friends of Northwest Hatcheries ($24,000), and community sponsors.

 Volunteers are essential to the event.  High school volunteers numbered 132 this year, putting in 1,061 hours of service over the three days of the event. More than 110 adult volunteers participated, contributing some 1,630 hours of service.

Photos: Student examining a model of a traditional Upper Columbia sturgeon-nosed canoe (left); MCFWCO Student Conservation Association interns helping students explore Icicle Creek macroinvertebrates. Credit: USFWS

Salmon Fest covers three days, Thursday through Saturday.  The first two days are for students.  Elementary school students (mostly fourth graders, corresponding with the Washington State curriculum) arrive from all over NorthCentral Washington, and rotate through a wide variety of classes.  There were 87 classes this year, representing twenty school districts. Some travelled over two hours to be at the event.  Teachers must receive training before they can sign up their classes; and Marjie Lodwick, Visitor Services Ranger for Leavenworth Fisheries Complex, conducted all of the training sessions.  Marjie also scheduled all of the classes, an immense undertaking.  1,384 students and teachers arrived on Thursday; and 1,870 on Friday.

The third day is open to the public.  Partners and vendors are scattered over the hatchery grounds, occupying the park, the lawns around the main building, the lab, the nursery, the pollinator garden, the grassy verges of the old Foster-Lucas ponds, the edges of the roads and trails, and the meadow out on the island.  Some 4,000 people enjoyed the day, mostly in family groups.

This year’s event was especially huge.  Chelan County PUD decided to fold their annual River Ramble event into Salmon Fest.  River Ramble is a Native American event showcasing tribal cultures.  Thirty individuals were featured this year, including dancers, storytellers, elders, and artisans.

Next year will be Salmon Fest’s 30^th anniversary.  We hope to be able to meet or exceed this year’s success.