Salmon Festival Canceled

The effects of the rough economy and sequential budget cuts run wide and deep. So deep, in fact, that the salmon are even suffering. The annual festival that raises funds and awareness for the salmon that call the American River their birthplace and final resting place has been canceled for 2009.

The State Department of Fish and Game has hosted the Salmon Festival at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery for the past 12 years. Dana Michaels, a Fish and Game spokesperson, says that budget cuts and furloughs have left the department unable to staff the annual event.

Expenses to organize and operate the Salmon Festival totaled about $120,000 last year, with much of the money coming from sponsors. This year, sponsorship was down, another consequence of the sour economy. The Festival has historically been a free event, with charges for parking.

The Salmon Festival celebrates the life cycle of the salmon with interactive learning experiences for children, rafting, music, crafts and food. Along with Fish and Game employees, over 400 volunteers have spent their time and energy bringing the Salmon Festival to the community. Salmon Festival proceeds help support grants to schools for bus scholarships, and “Salmon in the Classroom” materials.

 Another year of low salmon numbers hasn’t helped the situation. “The salmon are the guests of honor, the main event of the festival. And if we have a low turnout of salmon, that puts a damper on it too.”

Salmon lovers shouldn’t be too worried, however. For now, amid high hopes for a more stable economy and growing salmon population, the Festival is still scheduled for 2010.

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Posted by Michelle Ventress on Sep 8 2009. Filed under Lifestyle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.