Please note that Thursday and Friday are student days, and there are no Saturday activities this year.
HOWEVER, following our student field trips on Thursday Sept. 28, we will be holding a free Salmon Festival Open House from 3PM to 6PM.
The Open House is open to students, families, and adults, and there will be activities for ALL ages. Please join us!
-Press Release-
LEAVENWORTH, Washington– The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival invites you to our 27th year of School Days and an Open House being held on Sept. 28th and 29th. Don’t miss this unique nature festival that has been awarded many achievements, throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the “Best Children’s Program” by the International Festivals and Events Association.
The Wenatchee River Salmon Fest is an annual event held at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery near Leavenworth, Washington. Over 3,000 area school children attend ‘School Days’, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, September 28-29th, 2017, with a special Open House after-school program Sept.28th from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Salmon Fest is an award winning event devoted to engaging visitors in fun-filled “edu-tainment”, a venue that is both educational and fun at the same time. Salmon Fest’s mission is to connect people of all ages to nature and help to build discovery and appreciation of the diversity and importance of the great outdoors. Our location within the stunning Icicle Valley is a prime spot to enjoy both nature’s beauty and the interconnectivity of nature within our lives, and to gain an understanding of the cultural significance of salmon to all people.
Recognized internationally for its educational excellence, Salmon Fest is located just off of Icicle Road at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, just two miles south of the “Bavarian Village” of Leavenworth, Washington. Parking and entrance are free!
This year’s event will not feature a full Saturday program, so once again, we encourage you to join us for the School Days Open House. Help us celebrate the return of the wild summer Chinook Salmon to the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival, September 28th and 29th, 2017.
For more information, swim to our website: www.salmonfest.org or call 509.548.6662.
Hosted by the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests, Chelan County PUD and Friends of Northwest Hatcheries.
2017 Calendar Advisory Press Release (.doc) 
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Your efforts provided a worthwhile education experience for the teachers, students, and open-house participants that attended our 27th Annual Wenatchee River Salmon Festival.
We look forward to 2018’s 28th Annual Salmon Fest!
Visit this page for more information and to download the 2018 Nancy Duree Natural Resource Scholarship Application Form.
The much-beloved Wenatchee River Salmon Festival needs help to move into the future. Friends of Northwest Hatcheries (Friends), a group which has supported Salmon Fest since 1996, needs new members to carry on its award-winning, natural resource-themed event.
The long-term director of Salmon Fest and President of Friends, Betsy McIndoe, steps down January 30. Sheila Bergren, the only treasurer Friends has ever had, also retires in 2018. That leaves just four board members still involved. Corky Broaddus, founder of Salmon Fest, hopes to see community members who have enjoyed the event in past years join in the management and upcoming transition of this iconic local festival.
The Friends group has been the primary coordinator of Salmon Fest, bringing in federal, state, and county agencies, non-profits, tribes, local businesses, schools, and other partners to provide a high quality educational field trip experience for school students throughout the region, plus a free day of outdoor fun and education for the public. It’s a big job, and an exciting one—but it’s not all that Friends does.
“The Friends of Northwest Hatcheries, a non-government non-profit organization, supports seven hatcheries throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said Corky, naming national fish hatcheries from the Columbia Gorge to Idaho to the Olympic Peninsula. The Friends group is in place for these facilities to provide crucial funding, volunteer staffing, and help with grant applications for events and educational activities. Leavenworth, Winthrop, and Entiat hatcheries are also included.
“I’d like to see us do more to improve our Hatchery system trails and youth outdoor programs,” said Natalie Briody, Vice President of Friends, who enjoys the miles of public trails at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. The board agrees that there are many great projects to work on—but it’s time for new members, new ideas, and new energy to keep the ball rolling.
To learn more, please attend the open public meeting on Wednesday, January 17 from 6-8 p.m. Or contact Corky Broaddus at corky.salmonfest@gmail.com, 509-548-6662; or Julia Pinnix at Julia_pinnix@fws.gov, 509-548-7641.
Download the Salmon Festival “We Need You!” Poster
Download the Salmon Festival “We Need You!” News Release
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
Friends of Northwest Hatcheries is a non-profit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization whose mission is to support natural resource stewardship and education, in cooperation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries of the Northwest. Friends of Northwest Hatcheries is associated with the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery, as well as other hatcheries in Washington State and Idaho. Through outreach programs, workshops, and seminars, Friends works to increase awareness of the relationships between people and the environment.With financial support and volunteer service, Friends supports a variety of public activities for Washington and Idaho communities. Friends is a major supporter of the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival. Want more information about Friends? Visit the Friends of Northwest Hatcheries information page.
In the event of a national government shutdown, the Friends of National Wildlife Refuges Facebook page will be inactive. The last time this happened, the Friends of National Wildlife Refuges started their own Facebook page so that they could continue to interact and support each other through the shutdown and beyond. Would you please remind your Friends groups that there is this resource for them both in case of a shutdown and on a continuing basis?
The direct link to the temporary Facebook page is HERE . If people are not already members of this closed group, they can request membership and will be approved by the administrators.
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival (Salmon Fest) & Friends of NW Hatcheries Find Support from Local Wenatchee Valley Communities. Free Family Day is September 22, 2018!
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.
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. This year’s theme is Salmon on the Move! Please call 509-548-6662 ext. 226 for more information or follow Salmon Fest on Facebook.
If you would be interested in helping the Friends group, or the Salmon Fest team, please contact:
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!
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival is currently accepting Outdoor Recreation & Natural Resource Exhibitor Applications through Aug 31st
The Festival focuses on natural resource education, outdoor recreation and shares the cultural significance of the salmon to people of the Northwest. What an ideal time to and share your mission by having an interactive educational exhibit in our exhibit tent area! There is no fee associated with being a general exhibitor or an outdoor recreation or natural resource exhibitor.
Exhibitor Application Forms are available on the Exhibitor page for General Exhibitors, Food Vendors, and Outdoor Recreation or Natural Resource Exhibitors. This year our operating days will be Thursday Sept. 20 through Saturday Sept. 22, 2018.
Visit the Nancy Duree Scholarship page for more information and to download the 2019 Nancy Duree Natural Resource Scholarship Application Form. The deadline is April 28, 2019.
Salmon Fest is excited to partner with the Chelan County PUD and their River Ramble Activities for the 2019 Salmon Fest events on Sept 19 – 21, 2019 at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Teachers will be able to sign up for the following River Ramble activities during the teacher signup process and many of these same activities will be a part of the Free Family Day on Saturday.
Salmon Storytelling Tent
In this colorful 30-foot long nylon inflatable salmon tent, students hear Native American legends conveying the importance of salmon, wildlife, and rivers to their culture from a renowned Native American storyteller.
Tipi Significance and Set-Up
Build a tipi on the banks of the Nsíq’el’t (Icicle Creek). It will take everyone helping out to get your tipi standing. Learn about tipi customs and how they are used in a variety of ways.
Traditional Canoe Use and Legacy of the Inland NW
The Columbia river is the lifeline for plateau tribes. Before the advent of cars and roads, rivers provided easy and swift transportation. Learn about traditional canoe building and heritage from an expert.
Traditional Drumming Demonstration
Feel the pound and hear the rhythm of drums. How are drums used in ceremonies and events. Practice your own drumming skills.
Traditional Salmon Bake Demonstration and Presentation
One of the most significant First Foods of Columbia plateau tribes, salmon are preserved, cooked, and eaten in a number of different ways. Learn about the cultural, economical, and nutritional significance of salmon.
Traditional Salmon Fishing Technology and Demonstration of the Inland NW
Look out across Nsíq’el’t (Icicle creek) at the traditional salmon fishing grounds of the Wenatchii people. Today the Wenatchii band still returns to Nsíq’el’t every year to fish. Learn about traditional and modern fishing tools and methods, and how salmon play an important role as a First Food for Columbia plateau tribes.
Tribal Lithic Technology Demonstration: Atlatl throw & Flintknapping
How did we make tools before machines? See how flintknapping can make a variety of tools and instruments. Practice using tools, including throwing an atlatl.
Thanks to the Chelan PUD for joining the event!
The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival and the Friends of Northwest Hatcheries are excited to once again offer Nancy Duree Natural Resource Scholarship of $1,500 to a high school student pursuing a higher education in natural resources (i.e. fisheries, forestry, wildlife, botany, geology, soil sciences, watershed sciences, ecology, and environmental education/recreation). Learn more about the requirements and how to apply here.
Leavenworth, Washington: Due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic affecting all of us in many ways, the much-beloved award- winning Wenatchee River Salmon Festival (Salmon Fest) has been cancelled in 2020. This year’s event was scheduled to be held at the beautiful Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery on the days of September 17th – 19th. The popular north-central Washington nature festival will now begin looking forward to creating a special 30th Anniversary celebration, “Salmon of the Future,” to be held September 15-18, 2021. Festival organizers will follow all required guidelines for public health and safety concerns during all phases of planning during these most challenging times.
An educational event on the scale of Salmon Fest hosts approximately 2,500 students and pulls in hundreds of volunteers. Natural resource and recreation specialists, community exhibitors, multi-cultural tribal educators, and other participants from throughout the entire Pacific Northwest are included. The public day can draw more than 4,000 attendees.
“The health and welfare of our festival visitors, students, volunteers, and community residents are top priority for the Salmon Fest planning team,” Festival Co-Directors Corky Broaddus and Hailey Croci clearly state. “During this coronavirus time of our lives, we truly are concerned about the health and safety of all of our dedicated festival staff that work in every capacity of Salmon Fest management and operations. We thank our festival agency and non-profit partners and community contributors in helping us come to this hard cancellation decision.”
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service managers of Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery agree. “Hosting a big public event this year presents far too many obstacles and concerns,” Visitor Services Manager Julia Pinnix noted. “Our first priority must be health and safety. Postponing the event until 2021 is a wise choice.”
The Salmon Fest is a hands-on outdoor event whose mission is to connect people and nature by providing opportunities that create meaningful and enriching outdoor interpretation and education. A visit to Salmon Fest builds life skills and experiences reaching out to all ages about the wonder of science, nature, and culture. Please join us in 2021 to share a “salmon experience” with us during next year’s upcoming Wenatchee River Salmon Festival “Salmon of the Future” celebration! For updates on the event, visit salmonfest.org and follow the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival on Facebook.
Contact: Corky Broaddus, Festival Director, 509.548.6662, director@salmonfest.org
