Wenatchee River Salmon Festival returns

WENATCHEE — Swim on over to Rocky Reach Park and Discovery Center to celebrate the Salmon People 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. For the first time since 2019, community day is back for people of all ages to enjoy a full day of interactive games, art, storytelling and fun.

Wenatchee River Salmon Festival is a hands-on outdoor event that connects people and nature by providing opportunities that create meaningful and enriching education. Visitors can journey through a Native American village and become immersed into a powerful, intertribal cultural experience. Natural resource specialists from around the Pacific Northwest will offer opportunities to learn more about fish, wildlife, healthy habitats and watersheds.

On Sept. 21-22, the Salmon Festival at Rocky Reach will transform into an outdoor classroom for about 1,500 third- and fourth-graders from around the region. The day-long field trip integrates grade-level curriculum in a memorable, experiential way.

The event has been the recipient of multiple awards, including, “Best Children’s Program”, by the International Festivals and Events Association. The best part is, admission is free.

Please join us in 2023 to celebrate the festival’s 31st anniversary. For updates on the event, visit salmonfest.org and follow the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival on Facebook. This year’s event is hosted by Chelan PUD, Friends of Northwest Hatcheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration.

Activities and Exhibits include:

Natural resources and cultural exhibits

Native American Village presented by Chelan PUD

Salmon Maze

Giant Fish Aquarium

Sardis Raptor Center, “Hunters of the Sky”

Gyotaku - Fish Printing

Salmon-Bots with NCRL (sphero—coding)

What’s that bird?

Rolling rivers

Raptors over the Wenatchee

Live Entertainment Schedule:

10-11:45 a.m. Dancing/ Drumming (River Ramble Arena)

11:45 a.m. Welcome (Main Stage)

12-1 p.m. Reptile Lady April Jackson (Main Stage)

1-2:30 p.m. Dancing/ Drumming (River Ramble Arena)

2:30-3:15 Live Music (Main Stage)

3:30-4:30 p.m. Reptile Lady, April Jackson (Main Stage)

Spotlight on Dancing, Drumming, & Cultural Presentations: Immerse yourself in the sights of sounds of traditional dancing and drumming during our pow wows, scheduled on Saturday, Sept 23 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. A pow wow is a celebration of life and a community gathering that allow visitors to share the Native American cultural traditions. Experience the music and dance that have been performed by Plateau Indian Peoples for centuries.

Spotlight on the Reptile Lady, April Jackson: Snakes, alligators, and lizards? Interact with reptiles from all over the world in this educational and fun show with the Reptile Lady, April Jackson. Perfect for children of all ages.

Salmon Fest Poster Contest: Every year, Third grade students from across Washington State submit their own artwork for a chance to be featured on the o-“fish”-al Wenatchee River Salmon Festival poster. The winning design from 2023 was created by Ellie Mae B. from Alpine Lakes Elementary. Special thanks to our partners at the Chelan County PUD for organizing this program.

For more information, contact Rachel Hansen: 509-661-4320, office, 509-470-4775, mobile, Rachel.Hansen@chelanpud.org