It truly is a wondrous thing to see spawning salmon in Bear Creek. In the late fall, one can observe dozens of these amazing, anadromous creatures surging the waters in downtown Medford, as well as Central Point, Phoenix, Talent, and sometimes even Ashland. As a celebration of this environmental phenomenon, the organizers of the Rogue Basin Salmon Watch program made a call to partners to come together to host the Return of the Salmon – Family Field Day on Saturday, October 18th at North Mountain Park in Ashland.
Hosting an adult and family-focused Salmon Watch field day had been a dream for the organizers until August, when the dream became reality. The Return of the Salmon – Family Field Day aimed to serve the community that the longstanding Salmon Festival attracted. However, this smaller-scale event focused primarily on salmon, stream insects, water quality, and riparian areas, which make up the four Salmon Watch stations for the K-12 environmental education program.
The organizers didn’t know what to expect. Twelve partners showcased several different activities at the event, all related to salmon. Right at 10:00 AM, the last partner had finished setting up their booth, and beginning shortly after, visitors began arriving at North Mountain Park. Participation from children, teens, and adults was fantastic. Stamps were earned and the salmon message was delivered.
In total, the event saw upwards of 200 visitors. While the Salmon Festival would see 400-500 visitors each year, the first annual Return of the Salmon – Family Field Day was deemed a success. As such, organizers have already started discussing next year’s event. Catch you at North Mountain Park in mid-October of 2026!
