PORT ANGELES — StreamFest, a local festival that had attracted thousands of environmentally-minded people in the past is getting a new life through an environmental fair spearheaded by Port Angeles Garden Club in collaboration with Peninsula College.
The fair will be at the Peninsula College campus in Port Angeles at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday June 25.
“We’re calling it ‘Forever StreamFest’ because we believe it will become a part of the North Olympic Peninsula’s way of life,” said Sandy Cameron, chairperson of the festival.
The outside portion of the fair, which will be free, will include 20 or so conservation organizations and activities for children.
“There’ll be a free native plant giveaway, too, so you can take home a bit of native flora. Oh, and music, too,” Cameron said.
In addition, $5 admission to the Little Theater will offer a lineup of speakers.
• Ciscoe Morris of Seattle, a published author/co-author of several books as well as a weekly newspaper gardening columnist for the last 17 years.
• Kim Sager-Fradkin, Wildlife Program manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who 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. She holds a bachelor’s in wildlife biology from Humboldt State University and a master’s in wildlife resources from the University of Idaho.
• Randy Johnson, Habitat Program manager for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, whose contributions to restoration and protection of waterways include Dungeness River, Jimmycomelately Creek, Washington Harbor and Graywolf River.
Proceeds from the event will provide scholarships for Peninsula College students majoring in environmental sciences.
From its beginning in 1999 and each year until 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.
Robbie Mantooth said she is pleased with Forever StreamFest.
“It’ll be as if StreamFest has always been here. It’s just moving down the road to a larger site with a roof, more chairs, and bathrooms,” she said.
By expanding into Forever StreamFest, the Port Angeles Garden Club is “tending our gardens beyond our backyards,” organizers said. The club’s 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.”
“Our beautiful natural surroundings add so much to our lives — in my case from going crabbing and hiking as well as gardening — so I know that people who care about this area will want to help provide the best stewardship possible,” Cameron said.
