Thank you to the 1,200+ community members who joined us for the 2025 Festival! Relive the day below and mark your calendars for the 37th Annual Nisqually Watershed Festival happening on Saturday, September 26th 2026!
Fall is a season full of traditions, but here at Nisqually our favorite tradition goes back over three and a half decades and focuses on collaboration in the environment – what is it? Why it’s the Annual Nisqually Watershed Festival! As summer ends and the leaves begin to change, we gather with our community on the last Saturday of September to celebrate the vibrant environment, culture, and history that makes this watershed such a unique and healthy place.
On Saturday, September 27th the sun shone down on the refuge as volunteers, staff, and community partners hurriedly prepared for our 36th festival! As the final tents went up and the Olympia Bagpipers began their opening songs, crowds of community members flooded to the Refuge for a day centered on hands-on environmental learning. Excited kids climbed inside FIN the 25-foot giant wild Salmon, crowds gathered to watch the Nisqually Indian Tribe Canoe Family perform an opening blessing with drum and song, and lines stretched as the smell of the barbecue salmon wafted through the refuge grounds – thank you to the Nisqually Indian Tribe for donating the fish!
As the day continued more salmon print posters and t-shirts hung on the lines to dry and young crowd members tried to contain their excitement as The Reptile Lady brought out lizards, snakes, and even a tortoise on the mainstage. Local organizations chatted and engaged throughout Critter Corridor, Puddles the Goose took pictures with winners of the “Native Flowers of the Nisqually Watershed” Poster Contest, and attendees flocked to get shaved ice and other sweet treats to keep their energy up and their sweet tooth satisfied.
As the morning turned to afternoon, attendees made their way to the education center to walk through an Insect Extravaganza followed by shark and salmon dissections in the amphitheater where brave participants were able to see up close the anatomy of these important animals swimming in our local waters. The mainstage held watershed trivia with prizes for the most knowledgeable and wrapped up its programming with a special visit from The Falconer as his many birds of prey including raptors, vultures, and even an owl educated onlookers about the intricacies of ornithology.
We can’t thank our partners enough for their help in making this festival happen and we especially want to thank the 1,200+ community members who showed up to support and celebrate the Nisqually Watershed. Mark your calendars for the last Saturday of September and we’ll see you again in Fall 2026!
Free parking and shuttle to the festival is available at Hawks Prairie Park-N-Ride, 2548 Hogum Bay Road NE, Olympia
Best of Show & First Place Poster Contest Winners Announced – View All Winners Here!
2026 Festival Schedule – Coming Soon!
Festival Map
Volunteer at the Nisqually Watershed Festival
Volunteer at the Nisqually Watershed Festival – EMAIL CONTACT
Donate to Support the Nisqually Watershed Festival
Festival Host Committee:
Interested in participating as an exhibitor? Contact info@nisquallyriver.org!