Bear Creek Salmon Festival returns to Ashland for another year

ASHLAND, Ore. — The Bear Creek Salmon Festival is back for another year. Every year, the salmon make the long trip from the Pacific Ocean to Bear Creek for spawning.

Hundreds gathered at North Mountain Park for family activities, live music, and delicious food.

“It’s a great opportunity to teach the public about how we can all be stewards of our watershed,” Libby Vanwhye, Manager of North Mountain Park Nature Center said.

“The salmon returning is the cycle of life from the salmon people,” Tim Mondragon, President of Cultural Ecological Enhancement Network said. “We call them the salmon people because if it wasn’t for them a lot of the Native people wouldn’t have lived.”

Live salmon were on display for people wanting a closer look at the northwest fish and some fresh salmon was cooked over open flames.

Booths were set up for those wanting to learn more about the salmon and their role in the pacific northwest.

Native American drumming and music were performed throughout the afternoon.