NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Sept. 27.
SEQUIM –– From its source 7,300 feet up in the Olympic Mountains, the Dungeness River carries four species of salmon and enough water for 97 miles of irrigation ditches to water lush farmland in the 172,517-acre valley that lines its 28-mile journey to the bay.
The river will be celebrated this weekend during the 14th annual Dungeness River Festival, an all-out bash of educational walks along the river and through the forest, live music, dancing, drumming, folklore and food from the river.
With a theme of “Think Downstream . . . Go Green!,” the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Saturday at the Dungeness River Audubon Center in Railroad Bridge Park, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road.
Staff and volunteers at the Dungeness River Audubon Center throw a party for the river each September when it is swimming with the salmon that bring in a menagerie of other life, as it has for its history and throughout the 100 years of Sequim.
Salmon bringing life
“With the fish as thick as they are this year, this river is really supporting all kinds of life,” said Bob Boekelheide, former director of the river center who will lead an educational walk through the woods at 11 a.m. today.
The salmon, particularly evident with this year’s huge run of pinks, have fed the valley’s animals and people — and drawn them to the river — for thousands of years, said Elaine Grinnell, an elder of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe and one of its premier storytellers.
“It’s the salmon that brought all the animals to the river and how the river has always fed life in this valley,” Grinnell said.
S’Klallam storyteller
Grinnell will speak about the “Drums, Baskets and Stories of the Jamestown S’Klallam People” at 2:30 p.m. today.
Jamestown S’Klallam drummers and singers will lead a traditional welcome ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The river’s ancient bed can provide modern landowners tips on how best to landscape their properties, said Joe Holtrop, director of the Clallam Conservation District.
Holtrop will lead a walk at 3 p.m. today to draw attention to the natural landscaping options evidenced along the river.
“It’s really the best way to see what will grow best here,” Holtrop said. “Go out and look at what’s been there.”
The river also has been a component of transportation throughout the valley’s history.
Railroad bridge
Ken Wiersema will discuss a portion of that at 2 p.m. Saturday when he leads a walk onto the 1915-vintage Milkwaukee, St. Paul & Chicago Railroad bridge that lends its name to the park.
The Animal Olympics will run throughout the festival, allowing celebrants to hop like frogs, run like elk and imitate many of the animals that call the river home.
Aspire Dance and Music Academy students will show off their hip-hop, ballet and jazz-dancing skills along with their special Splinter Project at 3 p.m. today
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Joe Smillie can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at jsmillie@peninsuladailynews.com.
