It was standing room only at the Main Stage, where Reptile Man Scott Petersen held up a yellow and white albino python. Volunteers lined up at the edge of the stage as he laid the enormous snake onto their outheld arms. The expressions on their faces? Priceless.
But this event is free to the public—no price involved. The Nisqually Watershed Festival brings in popular acts like Reptile Man and John the Falconer that draw families. But it’s not just the on-stage events that get people excited. Some are here to print a t-shirt with a real, painted salmon. Some come for the outstanding salmon barbecue supplied by the Nisqually Indian Tribe. Others look forward to marveling at the insect collections on display in the Education Center. Exhibitors occupy tents around the site, ready to lead an activity or a conversation about wolves, water quality, conservation, native plants, green crabs, and so much more.
Each year, the organizers (which include the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Tacoma Power, Nisqually River Council, Nisqually River Foundation, Nisqually River Education Project, Nisqually Reach Nature Center, Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge where the event takes place) raise funds for the event and support a poster contest for K-5 students. The winner’s artwork becomes the poster for the festival. The theme changes each year, so this year’s poster featured a hummingbird, representing the birds of the watershed.
Why a watershed? The term “watershed” refers to an area where all the rainfall and streams ultimately flow down into a single river. But the concept includes more than just geography. It also means living in a community, one that includes not only people but birds, plants, fish, and other wildlife. This watershed is a network of living beings, all sharing the same space together.
Community was on full display at this event, always held on the last Saturday in September. And it’s more popular than ever. “We estimate perhaps 1,585 people came to the festival,” reported Julia Pinnix, manager for visitor services at the refuge. The planning committee hired four school buses to shuttle visitors from the Hawks Prairie Park and Ride, Thurston County’s largest commuter facility with 332 stalls.
Close to 130 people at a time packed into the amphitheater to view dissections of salmon and dogfish shark. A stream of guests flowed into the visitor center and auditorium to view exhibits and buy snacks and gifts at the Nature Store. Locals picked out wildlife- and nature-focused books at the Timberland Library’s bookmobile. Kids clambered into an inflated salmon tent to hear traditional stories, decorated paper windsocks and bird beak masks, and hopped along an obstacle course set up by the Mountaineers. People ate lunch listening to the jazz-Latin-bebop-funk-gypsy swing of Vendredi’s Bag, an Olympia band. From the opening bagpipes and Nisqually Canoe Family blessing to the final shuttle ride back to the cars, the day was packed with activities and interest.
This was the 37th year of the event, always held on the last Saturday in September. Mark the date for next year’s 38th: September 25. There’s no price to attend. But there is, of course, a cost. If you’ve enjoyed this event in the past, consider returning as a volunteer. It takes at least 70 volunteers to keep things running smoothly. Contact the refuge to sign up: nisqually@fws.gov. Donations to the Friends of Nisqually also help pay for porta-johns and shuttle buses, bring in presenters like Reptile Man, and ensure this community event continues to spark joy and excitement.
