Washington State Parks

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News Release 12-043

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

Native American cultural celebration returns to Deception Pass State Park

OLYMPIA – May 15, 2012 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to attend the Seventh Annual Salish Sea Native American Culture Celebration with the Samish and Swinomish tribes. The event is at Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island, between the cities of Oak Harbor and Anacortes.

The celebration runs from noon to 4 p.m. June 9 at the Bowman Bay picnic area on the Fidalgo Island side of Deception Pass State Park, 41020 State Route 20 in Oak Harbor. The event celebrates the maritime heritage of the two participating Coast Salish tribes and features canoe rides, singers, drummers and storytellers. Artists from the two tribes will demonstrate traditional weaving, cedar work and woodcarving. A salmon and frybread lunch also are available for purchase during the event.

The Discover Pass is not required to attend this event. June 9 is a State Parks “free day” in recognition of National Get Outdoors day. Visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass to access state parks on “free days.”

Event activities are 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 the Salish Sea Native American Culture Celebration support the Samish and Swinomish canoe families’ participation in the annual intertribal canoe journey. Each year, tribes and nations from the Pacific Northwest travel by canoe to different host community along the Salish Sea. This year, the Squaxin Island Tribe plays host to the intertribal canoe journey, which lands in Olympia on July 29. For more information about this year’s canoe journey, visit www.paddletosquaxin2012.org.

The Bowman Bay area at Deception Pass State Park is accessed from the park’s Rosario Road entrance at the junction of Rosario Road and State Route 20. The entrance is north of the Deception Pass Bridge, by Pass Lake.

The event is accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are required in order to attend the event, please call (360) 902-8526 or (360) 675-3767 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service at (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.

The Salish Sea Native American Culture Celebration is part of a broader series of events celebrating Washington’s diverse cultures and presented by the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program. The program is a partnership between the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington State Arts Commission and Northwest Heritage Resources with funding provided by National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Arts Commission program grants.

The combined waters of the Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, Deception Pass, Bowman Bay and all their other interconnecting inlets and bays comprise the “Salish Sea.” The name was officially recognized by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 2009 and the Geographical Names Board of Canada in 2010. As a result, this event was renamed in 2010, formerly called the Native American Culture Celebration, to reflect the international recognition of the Salish Sea.

Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater of shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. The park is best known for views of Deception Pass and Bowman Bay, old-growth forests, abundant wildlife and the historic Deception Pass Bridge.

June is Washington State Great Outdoors Month. Enjoy Washington’s many recreational activities and celebrate the month dedicated to environmental stewardship and the appreciation of the outdoors. Many state parks will play host to a variety of events in June. For information about events at Washington state parks, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events. Stay connected to your state parks by following Washington State Parks at www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParks, www.twitter.com/WaStatePks_NEWS and www.youtube.com/WashingtonStateParks.

The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 99-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Support state parks by purchasing your Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

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