Project Years (2004 - Present)
We hope you were able to join us for our 19th annual Fidalgo Bay Day event on Saturday, August 26, 2023, to help celebrate our local estuaries and the beauty, history, and wonderful marine life. The event was held from 11 am – 3 pm, at the Samish Indian Nation’s Fidalgo Bay Resort, located at 4701 Fidalgo Bay Road in Anacortes.
Over 300 people attend this event each year and take part in the Samish Indian Nation's popular educational beach seining demonstration, touch live marine critters in Shannon Point Marine Center’s undersea zoo and a real whale skull from Deception Pass State Park, look through microscopes, get creative at the kid friendly craft tables, play fun games, win prizes, and learn about local projects and volunteer opportunities at the many educational exhibits staffed by local agencies and organizations.
New in 2023, Samish Indian Nation staff shared a story hour from the Samish Librarian and Samish language vocabulary. And Corra, the live mermaid shared some cool things about her amazing underwater habitat beneath the Salish Sea. She even went for a swim in Fidalgo Bay!
In addition to all the fun activities, visitors got to fill their appetites with a fabulous no-host traditional Coast Salish salmon BBQ lunch and taste complimentary samples of local seafood from Bob's Chowder Bar and BBQ Salmon, Secret Cove Restaurant, and Taylor Shellfish! There was even a free raffle for a chance to win gift cards fron 3 local restaurants: Bob's Chowder Bar and BBQ Salmon, Secret Cove Restaurant, and Anthony's Cap Sante Marina!
Fidalgo Bay Day is Skagit MRC's signature educational event that has taken place each year since 2004. It is supported by many partners and volunteers. The purpose of this free event is to increase public awareness of the marine environment and foster environmental stewardship. This event is funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under Assistance Agreement [CE-01J97401].
This event would't happen without our wonderful volunteers or the support of the Samish Indian Nation and Friends of Skagit Beaches. A special "Thank You" goes out to our amazing Fidalgo Bay Day event planning committee: Darla Gay Smith, Beverly Mowrer, Cindy Elston, and Thea Rowe.
Fidalgo Bay Day Reports: