Samish and Swinomish tribes offer free canoe rides, June 2
OLYMPIA – May 8, 2018 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk and Traditional Arts Program invites the public to the 13th Annual Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration at Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island.
The celebration runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 2, 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. (Driving directions.)
The event features canoe rides and native singers, drummers and weavers. Artists from the two tribes will demonstrate traditional weaving and woodcarving. A salmon and fry bread lunch also will be available for purchase.
Activities at the cultural 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 this 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 2018 Canoe Journey, Power Paddle to Puyallup 2018, will be hosted by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians in Tacoma, and will take place July 28 to Aug. 4.
The Discover Pass is not required to attend this event. In recognition of National Trails Day, Saturday, June 2 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 persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are required to attend the event, people should call the park at (360) 902-8635, or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service at (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.
[Note to media: On June 2, a tribal canoe event also will take place at Millersylvania State Park in Olympia. More information about the Fourth Annual Canoe Families Celebration will be available in a separate news release to be issued May 9.]
About the Folk and Traditional Arts 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 Program, with funding provided by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Parks Foundation.
For more information about the Folks and Traditional Arts Program, with more details about the upcoming events, visit: parks.state.wa.us/folkarts or contact Makaela Kroin, program coordinator, at Makaela.Kroin@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8635.
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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.
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Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W.
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650