Despite a relatively dry year in the forest (only 89” of precipitation vs. our average of 120”), it looks like the autumn rains are finally returning. While many are ready to bundle up indoors for the winter, the Tillamook Forest Center’s annual Rain Festival this weekend, November 16 and 17 will give visitors a reason to wish for watery weather.
Rain has come to the Tillamook State Forest, turning trickling streams into roaring rapids – but are you ready to go with the flow? Join us at the Tillamook Forest Center as we plunge into the world of surging rivers, spawning salmon, and the inner workings of watersheds to celebrate the ways in which rain transforms our forests.
Activities will feature:
• The popular salmon release, where you can discover the incredible lifecycle of Pacific salmon and release fry that were raised in our visitor center fish tank. Releases occur at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm each day.
• The final installment of our Fresh Brewed Forestry guest presenter series, featuring Mark Meleason, Aquatic & Riparian Specialist at the Oregon Department of Forestry. Grab a cup of coffee and join him for a rainforest walk on Saturday at 11:00 am to discover the science on our forest’s rivers and streams.
• Watershed demonstrations and a craft room full of rain-related crafts.
• An outdoor salmon migration game. Can your fish make it safely to their spawning grounds?
• A rainy fashion photo booth to show off your rain gear. Post your photo to Facebook and we’ll pick a winner.
Make sure to grab a passport in the lobby and get stamped at each activity to win a prize. Get your rain boots ready because this is a precipitation party you won’t want to miss!
Tillamook Forest Center
45500 Wilson River Highway, Tillamook, OR 97141
(866) 930 – 4646
HOURS: Spring & Fall: Wednesday – Sunday | 10 am – 4 pm (Closed Mondays & Tuesdays)
Summer: Wednesday – Sunday | 10 am – 5 pm (Closed Mondays & Tuesdays)
Winter Closed to the Public: December – February
www.tillamookforestcenter.org
www.oregon.gov/ODF
