PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles waterfront will turn into “Elwha Central” as a free, public dam-removal festival spreads out on City Pier from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday.
The festival will offer broadcasts of Saturday morning’s ceremony at the Elwha Dam, music, food, drink and displays that blend environmentalism with entertainment.
“Ranger Jeff,” aka Jeff Wolin of Florissant, Colo., is among the performers planning a family-friendly show on the pier.
Wolin will serve as master of musical ceremonies all day.
As the culmination of this week’s “Celebrate Elwha!” activities in and around town, Elwha Central will have as one of its attractions the big-screen simulcast of Saturday’s 90-minute, invitation-only ceremonies at the Elwha Dam, about five miles west of Port Angeles, which will officially mark the beginning of the dams’ removal.
Gov. Chris Gregoire, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, local Congressman Norm Dicks, U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk are among the dignitaries who will at the gathering from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Also among the 400 luminaries are National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, actor-environmentalist Tom Skerritt, former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, Lower Elwha Tribal Chairwoman Francis Charles, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor and Karen Gustin, Olympic National Park superintendent.
Webcast, webcams
Down on the pier, the public will have a chance to watch it all on big-screen TVs at 11 a.m. and again at 5:30 p.m.
The ceremonies will also be webcast to home computer users at http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/1949 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
(See video on how the dams will be removed; click on https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110915/NEWS/110919966/removing-the-two-elwha-dams-8212-two-videos-show-how-it-will-be ).
The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams will be dismantled over three years as part of a $325 million river restoration project by the National Park Service.
The project — the largest of its kind in the United States — is the result of a long effort to take the Elwha River back to its wild state and restore salmon runs.
Six webcams have been installed to allow the public to follow the progress as the dams are torn down.
The webcams are accessible at http://tinyurl.com/damwebcams.
Here’s a full schedule of this weekend’s dam-removal events:
TODAY’S ACTIVITIES (SEPT. 16)
■ 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Elwha River Science Symposium, which began Thursday, continues at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.
Scientists are giving presentations on ongoing Elwha River research.
Cost: $35. Look for signs. See full schedule, information at http://tinyurl.com/elwhascience.
■ 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — Sunset Cruise with Expeditions Northwest. Sold out. Phone 360-452-6210 or visit www.expeditionsnw.com for details.
■ 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Lower Elwha Klallam Gala Fundraising Dinner, Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Dinner and art auction; speakers are Bradley and Skerritt.
Tickets for the gala are $150 and $300.
They can be purchased at the Klallam Heritage Center or online at http://tinyurl.com/elwhatickets.
■ 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — Coastal jam session, Klallam Heritage Center. Free.
■ 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Dana Lyons concert, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles. Tickets: $10-$12.
■ 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. — Music with Linda Dowdell and Craig Buhler, Wine on the Waterfront, 115 E. Railroad Ave., Port Angeles. $3 cover.
■ 8:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. — “Hear and See Poetry” with poet Sean Mac Falls, Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., Port Angeles. Free.
SATURDAY (SEPT. 17)
■ 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Elwha Central, sponsored by First Federal. City Pier, Port Angeles.
Music, vendors and river restoration demonstrations. Free.
National Park Service Ranger Jeff Wolin will be master of ceremonies.
■ 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Dam removal ceremony, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Elwha Dam (invitation-only, but televised to big-screen TVs at Elwha Central at City Pier. Rebroadcast at 5:30 p.m.). Webcast at http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/1949 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
■ 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. — VIP reception, Lake Crescent Lodge (invitation-only).
■ 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Wild Salmon Dinner and Art Reception. Tribal art on display and for sale. Salmon dinner and refreshments. Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Center, 2851 Lower Elwha Road. Free, everyone invited.
■ 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. — “Brats, Brew and Wine, Too” harbor tour. Cost: $25. Phone 360-452-6210 or visit www.expeditionsnw.com for details.
■ 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. — “eTown” recording with musical guests Cake, Danny Barnes and Eliza Gilkyson, Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.
Cost: $20. Tickets available at www.artsnw.org and www.brownpapertickets.com.
■ 9 p.m. to midnight — After-hours music with The Girdle Scouts and SuperTrees, Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., Port Angeles. Free.
■ 9 p.m. to midnight — Music with The Winterlings, Wine on the Waterfront, 115 E. Railroad Ave., Port Angeles. $3 cover.
SUNDAY (SEPT. 18)
■ 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Olympic National Park rangers will be at the new Elwha Dam Viewpoint Trail, a short, easy walking path.
Parking for the trail is located just off state Highway 112 at Lower Dam Road, less than a mile from the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 112 west of Port Angeles. Look for signs.
As the Elwha Dam is being torn down during the next three years, people can watch the process from the viewpoint.
■ 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Free 3.6-mile, round-trip, ranger-guided Hurricane Hill Trail hikes to highlight the cultural and natural history of the Elwha watershed.
To reach the trailhead, take Hurricane Ridge Road past the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center.
Hike is moderately strenuous and has a 700-foot elevation gain.
■ 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — “Explore Elwha with NatureBridge,” 2½-hour guided van and bus tours throughout the Elwha watershed.
Free, but reserve a seat Saturday or Sunday at the Olympic National Park welcome booth at City Pier for one of the round-trip shuttles that will depart Sunday from the City Pier plaza at 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:05 p.m. and 1:35 p.m. Or get a brochure and drive to the sites.
Celebrate Elwha! guide
Get a copy of Celebrate Elwha!, the Peninsula Daily News’ comprehensive guide and schedule of events connected with the start of the removal of the Elwha River dams.
There is also a map in it for the NatureBridge tour events Sunday.
Celebrate Elwha! is available at the PDN offices in Port Angeles, 305 W. First St., or download it online at http://tinyurl.com/elwhaguide.
