Salmon have long been central to the culture and daily life of people in our region. Every fall the Chinook salmon make their way upstream, returning to spawn in the Sandy River. For the past 25 years, local residents have gathered on the banks of the Sandy at Metro's Oxbow Regional Park to welcome these Northwest icons home.
Activities
Enjoy a variety of activities, including interactive exhibits, nature walks, arts and crafts, outdoor recreation demonstrations, music and storytelling, horse-drawn wagon rides and a food court – all in the beautiful setting of an ancient forest on the banks of the Sandy River. Come for fun; come to learn!
The festival will take place regardless of the weather. Many of the activities at the festival are under cover, and gray skies often provide the best fish viewing.
Visit Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum Village
A cluster of teepees will serve as a backdrop for the Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum Village, hosted by representatives from the Warm Springs, Yakama, Umatilla and Nez Perce tribes. Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum means “salmon people” in Sahaptin, a language common to many of the native peoples of the Columbia River basin.
Join in a variety of traditional activities including storytelling, beading, weaving, fishnet tying, drumming, dancing, hide tanning, flint knapping and drum making. Discover the history of tribal fishing – from bone hooks to modern methods – and learn about the tribes' current efforts to restore salmon runs.
Logs create pools and riffles – great salmon habitat – in the newly-free-flowing Sandy River.
Study a school of fish
Be sure to visit the School of Fish at the river’s edge, a fun and educational part of the Salmon Festival with hands-on activities for children and adults. Experience the life cycle of salmon and climb into a life-sized salmon nest. Check out a large and realistic model of Mount Hood and the Sandy River watershed and watch as a stream is formed before your very eyes.
Work up an appetite on a self-guided salmon walk
Wind your way through the festival on wooded paths or hop on a horse-drawn wagon to get from place to place. Continue your discoveries on a self-guided salmon walk along the river.
If you enjoy eating salmon, you may wish to stop for samples from the salmon barbecue or for a meal at the festival’s food court. You can also learn important questions to ask to ensure that you purchase healthy and sustainable salmon in restaurants and stores.
Taking care of this place we call home
Learn how your efforts – even simple actions – can protect the future health of wild salmon habitats and watersheds throughout the region.
Logs create pools and riffles – great salmon habitat – in the newly-free-flowing Sandy River.