Tribal tales from a kokanee salmon, as told to Dallas Cross
October 2, 2012
Dallas Cross
Before the Ice Age my ancestral sockeye salmon bearing our tribal name, oncorhynchus nerka, regularly came from the ocean to Lake Sammamish to find mates and reproduce in its streams. As it got colder, a huge glacier cut off the escape of the tribe to Puget Sound. Being trapped, we had to adapt to living our entire lives in fresh water.
It was difficult at first, but soon we were feeding on the small daphnia or water fleas living in the lake. Because daphnia are not as big as krill in the ocean, our size got smaller. Our tribe enjoyed less swimming distance for a lifecycle and we were glad not to be eaten by big salt-water fish and seals. We became land-locked in the lake and its streams. We adapted and survived.
We did retain some traditions of our sea-run ancestors, such as only living three to five years, turning red to spawn, running up streams to lay and fertilize our eggs, and dying afterward. Our short life spans allowed us to make rapid genetic changes in response to climate changes and food availability.
Olympian Jennie Reed is Salmon Days grand marshal
September 25, 2012
Salmon Days Festival organizers tapped cyclist Jennie Reed, a silver medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics and Issaquah High School alumna, to serve as grand marshal in the celebration’s Grande Parade.
Reed, a 1996 Issaquah High graduate, won a silver medal in women’s team pursuit, a cycling event, last month at the London Olympics.
Salmon Days returns to downtown Issaquah for a 43rd outing Oct. 6-7. The festival opens at 10 a.m. Oct. 6 as the Grande Parade starts inching through the business district.
Reed and the U.S. team of Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Lauren Tamayo finished in 3 minutes, 19.727 seconds for silver. Great Britain earned the gold in the event and Canada claimed the bronze.
Salmon Days Festival catches international honors
September 24, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Sept. 24, 2012
The iconic Salmon Days Festival caught six international honors, festival organizers announced Monday.
The awards from the International Festivals & Events Association recognized the 2011 festival and the theme “Wild Things!” Salmon Days a prestigious Bronze Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award — a top honor for festivals — plus awards for clothing and merchandise.
The festival competes against other events in the $250,000 to $749,999 budget category.
Salmon Days received top — or Gold — honors for Best Hat, Best Other Merchandise and Best Miscellaneous Clothing.
In addition to the Bronze Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award, Salmon Days also received Bronze honors for Best T-Shirt Design and Best Pin or Button.
Olympian Jennie Reed to serve as Salmon Days grand marshal
September 21, 2012
NEW — 11 a.m. Sept. 21, 2012
Salmon Days Festival organizers tapped cyclist Jennie Reed, a silver medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics and Issaquah High School alumna, to serve as grand marshal in the celebration’s Grande Parade.
Jennie Reed
Reed, a 1996 Issaquah High graduate, won a silver medal in women’s team pursuit, a cycling event, last month at the London Olympics.
Salmon Days returns to downtown Issaquah for a 43rd outing Oct. 6-7.
Reed and the U.S. team of Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Lauren Tamayo finished in 3:19.727 for silver. Great Britain earned the gold in the event and Canada claimed the bronze.
Press Editorial
September 18, 2012
Salmon Days still needs volunteers
To most of us, The Salmon Days Festival is a fun-filled weekend of fair food, live entertainment and early holiday shopping. But the orchestration of preparing a city for 150,000 weekend guests is almost incomprehensible.
The annual Salmon Days volunteer party held a week ago was a celebration for the festival committee as more than 250 people signed up to help during the Oct. 6-7 festival.
But that’s only about half of what’s needed. Without more people stepping forward soon, the festival could be scrambling.
Items needed for Issaquah Valley Senior Center White Elephant Sale
September 18, 2012
If spring cleaning has turned into summer cleaning, consider donating items to the Issaquah Valley Senior Center, which will host a White Elephant Sale during the Salmon Days Festival on Oct. 6-7.
The center is accepting any items except clothing and shoes. Items donated in the past included home furnishings, jewelry, collectibles and antiques.
“It’s like one big flea market,” center Director Courtney Jaren said.
Salmon Days Festival volunteer sign-up party is Sept. 12
September 11, 2012
Salmon Days Festival organizers need a phalanx of volunteers to offer directions to festivalgoers, sell souvenirs, drive a shuttle bus and, importantly, clean up after the event concludes.
Splash!Mob launches Salmon Days Festival fun
September 7, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Sept. 7, 2012
Salmon Days Festival fun started almost a month early Friday, as organizers launched a community game in the run-up to the annual event.
Splash!Mob: The Ultimate Salmon Quest is a scavenger hunt-style game held throughout Issaquah, festival and Issaquah Chamber of Commerce leaders announced.
Participants search for specially decorated “spawning salmon” at businesses and landmarks. The game ends Oct. 7, during the festival.
The game card is available at the Issaquah Visitors Information Centers, 155 N.W. Gilman Blvd., in The Issaquah Press and 24 businesses and locations throughout Issaquah. Or, find the Splash!Mob card at the Salmon Days website.
Salmon Days Festival fun launches with volunteer sign-up party
September 5, 2012
NEW — 2 p.m. Sept. 5, 2012
Salmon Days Festival organizers need volunteers to staff the annual celebration.
The festival staff is hosting a volunteer sign-up party at 5 p.m. Sept. 12 at Pickering Barn, 1730 10th Ave. N.W.
Participants receive a free dinner and a the Ohfishal Salmon Days volunteer T-shirt.
Participants can sign up to take to man a Salmon Days booth, serve as a Refuse Ranger or drive a shuttle bus.
The opportunity to volunteer at Salmon Days is open to everybody age 8 and older, though children should be accompanied by adult volunteers.
Salmon Days Festival debuts Splash!Mob
September 4, 2012
The Salmon Days Festival and the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce recently launched Splash!Mob: The Ultimate Salmon Quest, a new, local and interactive community game.
The free scavenger hunt will be held throughout Issaquah and is open to all ages.
Participants will be tasked to search for specially decorated “spawning salmon” located at various local businesses and community landmarks. The game runs from Sept. 7 through Oct. 7, with a $1,000 value grand prize and a $400 value second-prize winner, drawn Oct. 7 at Salmon Days.
Game cards will be available Sept. 7 at the Issaquah Visitors Information Center, 155 N.W. Gilman Blvd., at www.salmondays.org and at various participating businesses and locations around Issaquah.
Find more information, game details and the Ohfishal Game Card at www.salmondays.org.
