PORT ANGELES — StreamFest is back.
From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. in Port Angeles, the local festival that attracted thousands of environment-minded people is getting a new life.
It’s being spearheaded by Port Angeles Garden Club, whose pledge is to “protect and conserve the natural resources of this planet and promote education so that we may become caretakers of our air, water, forests, land and wildlife.”
“We’re calling it ‘Forever StreamFest’ because we believe it will become a permanent part of the North Olympic Peninsula’s way of life,” said Sandy Cameron, chairperson of the festival.
The free environmental fair, which has had support from Associate Dean Rick Ross and Peninsula College staff, will include 15 conservation organization booths staffed by volunteers who can provide information on how to support and protect local waterways.
Activities for children will include learning about pollinators while they plant seeds to take home.
A native plant adoption is planned also.
“Oh, and there will be music,” Cameron said.
The fair will open with Bagpiper Erik Evans, followed by guitarists Wes Mantooth, Ken Bevins and the duo Dave and Rosalie Secord.
In addition to the free outside activities, $5 will admit visitors into the Little Theater to hear the lineup of speakers.
Headlining this community event are Ciscoe Morris, known as the “Garden Guru” as well as Kim Sager-Fradkin, wildlife program manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Randy Johnson, habitat program manager for the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe.
The Little Theater will open its doors at 9:45 a.m. with the master of ceremonies, Jonathan Pasternak, the director/conductor of the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra.
Johnson will speak from 10 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. Kim Sager-Fradkin follows immediately and then there is a one-hour intermission from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Audience members can buy food and drinks on site.
Morris takes the floor from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. Then directly following his talk, he will sign copies of his latest book at the Port Angeles Garden Club booth. The fair will remain open until 3:30 p.m.
Morris is a published author/co-author of several books as well as a weekly TV and newspaper gardening columnist for the last 17 years.
Fradkin holds a bachelor’s in wildlife biology from Humboldt State University and a master’s in wildlife resources from the University of Idaho. She has worked on the Elwha River for 24 years — first for Olympic National Park and the United States Geological Survey, and since 2007 for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
Johnson, the habitat program manager for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, has made contributions to restoration and protection of such waterways as Dungeness River, Jimmy Come Lately Creek, Washington Harbor and Graywolf River.
From 1999 to 2011, StreamFest was held on property above Ennis Creek. Jim and Robbie Mantooth, longtime owners of the land, who entered into an agreement with North Olympic Land Trust to protect it permanently, started the festival.
Proceeds will fund scholarships in environmental studies at Peninsula College and help fund environmental restoration and protection programs within the North Olympic Land Trust.
