Samish and Swinomish tribes offer free canoe rides
OLYMPIA – May 18, 2017 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program invites the public to the 12th Annual Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration at Deception Pass State Park.
The celebration runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Bowman Bay picnic area on the Fidalgo Island side of Deception Pass State Park, 41020 State Route 20, Oak Harbor. The event celebrates the maritime heritage of the two participating Coast Salish tribes. (Directions)
The June 3 event features canoe rides and native singers, drummers and storytellers. Artists from the two tribes will demonstrate traditional cedar weaving and woodcarving. A salmon and fry bread lunch will be available for purchase.
Activities for this event will be presented by the Samish Indian Nation, the Samish Canoe Family, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Swinomish Canoe Family. Proceeds from food sales at the Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration support the Samish and Swinomish canoe families’ participation in an intertribal canoe journey—where tribes and nations from the Pacific Northwest travel by canoe to different host communities along the Salish Sea. The 2017 Canoe Journey will be hosted by the We Wai Kai and We Wai Kum Nations in British Columbia.
The Discover Pass is not required to attend this event. In recognition of National Trails Day, Saturday, June 3 is a State Parks “free day,” when day-use visitors to state parks are not required to display a Discover Pass. (More information about the Discover Pass is at www.discoverpass.wa.gov.)
The event is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If special accommodations are required to attend the event, please call (360) 675-3767 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service at (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.
About the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program
The Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration is part of a broader series of events celebrating Washington’s diverse cultures presented by the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program. Funding is provided by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Parks Foundation.
In addition to the June 3 Salish Sea Celebration, the Program is also hosting the following events through September:
JUNE
10 — Canoe Families Celebration, Millersylvania State Park
10 — Waikiki Beach Summer Concert: 3 Fiddlers, 3 Traditions, Cape Disappointment State Park
JULY
American Roots Music Series, Deception Pass State Park
1 — General’s 7 Dixie Band, 133d National Army Reserve Band
8 — Obe Quarless and the Caribbean Connection
15 — Bays Family Irish Band
22 — Squirrel Butter
29 — La Famille Léger
15 — Kick Up Your Heels Family Dance with Carol Piening, Cama Beach Historical State Park
22 — Kick Up Your Heels Family Dance with Gabe Strand, Cama Beach Historical State Park
AUGUST
International Concert Series, Peace Arch State Park
6 — Hale Bill & the Bopps
13 — Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project
20 — Lisa Ornstein and Dan Compton
27 — Sedentary Sousa Band
12 — Cambodian Celebration, Saltwater State Park
12 — Kick Up Your Heels Family Dance with Alex MacLeod, Cama Beach Historical State Park
26 — Waikiki Summer Concert Series: La Famille Léger, Cape Disappointment State Park
SEPTEMBER
16 — Celebrating Cultures Concert, Pearrygin Lake State Park
29-30 — Heritage Days, Generations Dancers of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Sacajawea Historical State Park
For more information about the Folks and Traditional Arts in the Parks program, with more details about the upcoming events, visit: parks.state.wa.us/folkarts or contact Debbie Fant, Program Coordinator, at Deborah.Fant@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8635.
_________________________________________________________________________________
About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
Follow Washington State Parks:
Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks’ blog site at http://adventureawaits.com/
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W.
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650
Washington Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388