I attended an all-staff meeting with the folks at the National Fish Hatchery in Leavenworth, where the final details of The Wenatchee River Salmon Festival were being discussed. I have been closer than usual to what takes place at Salmon Fest and am amazed at what the hatchery staff; their partners and volunteers are able to provide for the schools and the public. Over 10,000 people are expected to visit the hatchery grounds on September 18th and 19th and what they can see and do while they are there is what keeps them coming back year after year, just like me. There are so many activities for the kids I just can list them all here, and there is a much expanded outdoor recreation area that adds to the list of things to do; like kayaking, pellet gun shooting, archery, snowshoeing, fly casting and tying and more. Probably the most amazing thing about Salmon Fest is that it is Free. That’s right, there is no charge to enter the festival grounds and no charge for the activities and stage presentations. You can learn more about what is planned for this 20th Anniversary of Salmon Fest by logging onto salmonfest.org.