The 2011 Horsefly River Salmon Festival, coming up on the Labour Day weekend Sept. 3 and 4 in Horsefly, has activities for all ages.
Activities set up along the river bank just across the bridge in Horsefly are free and run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
Knowledgeable river interpreters will be there to answer questions about salmon and in particular, the Horsefly sockeye run, and provide information about invertebrates.
Judy Hilloughby from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will dissect and explain the anatomy of how fish live, breath and reproduce.
Children and adults will have the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts such as making fish prints and fish-on-a-stick. Kids can visit the arts and crafts tent, and take a walk along the disabled access Riparian Trail over to the spawning channels, to get up close and personal with the fish.
“The Horsefly Sockeye, along with other Fraser River runs, have been in the news locally, provincially, and nationally,” says Tracy Bond, who shares the festival co-ordinator role with Brandi Ranger.
“Everyone’s been asking, ‘Will there be any fish?’ Yes, there will, but we all know that a variety of factors are impacting the health of Fraser River runs. All the more reason to celebrate the salmon who make it back to the waters of their birth to repeat the cycle, and all the more reason to involve and educate people about salmon and salmon habitat, and share the joy and wonder of this natural phenomena.”
There will also be some fun events held in conjunction with the festival. On Saturday only vintage car club owners from Quesnel and Williams Lake are invited to show their vehicles.
At 2 p.m. Saturday a free flat-footing dance workshop in the Horsefly Community Hall with renowned dance teacher Charmaine Slaven from Seattle will be held. Contact Pharis Romero for information and to register for the workshop 250-620-0592.
At night there will be a square dance in the community hall with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and family friendly music provided by Jason and Paris Romero’s Old Time Band and Charmaine Slaven as the caller.
For more information visit www.horseflyriver.ca or call Brandi at 250-620-0572.