26th Annual Nisqually Watershed Festival at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Saturday, September 26, 2015, 10am to 4pm
For decades the Nisqually watershed community has served as a role model of cooperative conservation. “Beginning with protecting the river’s mouth from development in the 1970s to coming together in recent years to restore a threatened Chinook stock, the people of the Nisqually watershed have shown how we can work together for the environment,” said Justin Hall, executive director of the Nisqually River Foundation.
Along with that hard work, the watershed has also celebrated. This year the Nisqually Watershed Festival is turning 26 on the 26th of September. The Watershed Festival is a free, daylong event featuring art, discovery, music and family fun, while celebrating Nisqually’s history and culture.
This year’s festival will include features, such as:
An all new “Insect Extravaganza,” where guests can view insects from around the world. There will be storytelling in the Red Salmon Tent, guided walking tours, and great coffee and food options, including the always-popular salmon barbecue.
Check out the amazing singing voices of the watershed in Nisqually Idol, a singing competition for people 18 years and younger. Want to compete? All contestants must pre-register. Details can be found on the festival’s website.
Several non-profits and local agencies that work in the Nisqually Watershed will also be on hand to share educational activities, crafts, and information. Don’t forget to bring a t-shirt or use paper to make your own Nisqually salmon print, learn about the salmon lifecycle by making a keychain, and get your face painted. Stop by the mainstage for a live raptor show, wildlife presentations, and more.
“Watershed communities have been working hard to protect and restore this unique place for years,” Hall said. “The festival has served as a showcase for what makes the Nisqually special. It’s where we all come together to celebrate what we have accomplished.”
For more information about the festival or for information to pre-register for Nisqually Idol, visit:
http://nisquallyriver.org/nisquallywatershedfestival/
Free parking and shuttle to the festival will be available at River Ridge High School, 350 River Ridge Drive, Lacey. Map:
http://goo.gl/maps/Y2gND
A free shuttle will also be available to Nisqually Tribal members, provided by the Red Wind Casino. The shuttle will depart from the Youth Center at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, with return shuttles at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
