Events on opposite sides of the North Olympic Peninsula will celebrate wild salmon Saturday.
Scientists and Olympic National Park rangers will be on hand to provide information at the Ozette Ranger Station near Sekiu from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In Chimacum, food, music, poetry and a parade will mark the North Olympic Salmon Coalition’s annual Salmon Festival at Chimacum High School from noon to 6 p.m.
Both are free.
The park celebration will focus on the salmon of Lake Ozette, which at 8 miles long and 3 miles wide is the largest unaltered natural lake in the state.
All ages are invited to watch sockeye salmon returning to spawn in Umbrella Creek and meet scientists and people involved in sockeye recovery.
Participants can touch the pelts and skulls of predators and make salmon life-cycle bracelets.
Rain gear, a camera and a picnic lunch are suggested.
The ranger station is on Hoko-Ozette Road.
To get there, travel to Sekiu on state Highway 112 and then continue west for 2.5 miles to turn left onto Hoko-Ozette. Drive on the paved road for some 20 miles to the ranger station.
Facilities are limited at the station because of the winter season.
Chimacum festival
The Salmon Festival at Chimacum High School, 91 West Valley Road, will offer games; such food as salmon sandwiches, pizza and barbecue dishes; and live music.
A ceremonial lighting of the fire and a short parade kick off the event.
Local poets Tom Jay, Holly Hughes and Tim McNulty will read from their works from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
A bonfire is planned, and the closing ceremony at 5:30 p.m. includes the lighting of community-made salmon lanterns.
The salmon coalition is looking for volunteers to survey coho salmon in nearby Chimacum Creek.
No experience is necessary. Volunteers will survey upper stretches of the creek from H.J. Carroll Park to Eaglemount.
This is a one-day-per-week commitment, with each survey taking an average of two to four hours to complete.
For more information, visit www.nosc.org, email outreach@nosc.org or phone 360-379-8051.
