"WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/September 3, 2013
Contacts: Olaf Langness (WDFW), 360-906-6741
Bev Walker (Vancouver), 360-487-7111
Free festival celebrates Columbia River sturgeon
VANCOUVER, Wash. - The Columbia River ecosystem and its primitive inhabitant, the sturgeon, will be honored here Saturday, Sept. 21, at the 17th Annual Sturgeon Festival.
The free, one-day festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way in Vancouver. The festival is hosted by the City of Vancouver, with participation by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The popular event includes entertaining and educational activities for all ages. Special events include Eartha the Ecological Clown and Creature Feature Reptile Zoo.
In addition, teens and adults will have an opportunity to learn about recycling, watershed stewardship and sturgeon anatomy. They will also have a chance to discuss environmental issues and career opportunities with staff from natural resource agencies and environmental organizations.
The sturgeon, prevalent in the Columbia River, is a primitive fish that has not changed substantially since it emerged in the Jurassic period. Sturgeon are a long-lived species, reaching 5 to 6 feet in length by the age of maturity. A few sturgeon in the Columbia River have been verified to be over 80 years old."
Has anyone ever attended this event? Sounds a little less interesting than watching paint dry, but I'm not sure. Maybe they have sturgeon rides for the little ones or sturgeon steaks on the barby.
