BOISE — This year’s annual Sawtooth Salmon Festival will continue to feature a new venue and partnership and will feature a special guest appearance by Lonesome Larry, the single sockeye salmon that, 20 years ago, was the only sockeye to return to Redfish Lake.
“Lonesome Larry himself — who was stuffed and has been on display at the MK Nature Center in Boise — will be featured at the Salmon Festival this year,” said Kate Reading, IRU’s Membership Director. “This is a special treat, and an opportunity to reflect on how far we still have to go to recover this amazing species.”
In staging the Salmon Festival, which includes tours of spawning salmon, a wild salmon dinner and live music, IRU is continuing its partnership with the Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association. The event will be held Aug. 25 at the Stanely Historical Museum grounds, located on Highway 75 near the confluence of Valley Creek with the Salmon River.
“We will continue our tradition of salmon tours, great music and delicious food,” Reading said. “And we will continue our tradition of celebrating the return of salmon to the Sawtooth Valley, the longest migration for salmon on the planet.”
On the museum ground IRU and the SIHA will host booths, live music and activities for kids. There will also be presentations by SIHA, and visitors are encouraged to tour the museum.
The annual wild salmon feast will be held at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online and at the event: $15 for adults and $10 for kids. It sells out fast, so buy early.
All educational activities are free and open to the public. To learn more about the festival, visit sawtoothsalmonfestival.com. To learn more about Idaho’s wild salmon and Lonesome Larry visit lonesomelarry.org.
