MAIN STAGE
Noon-12: 45pm Holly Arntzen & Kevin Wright - Folk singers
12: 45 - 1: 15pm Bollywood Dancers
1: 20pm . Opening Ceremonies . Blessing of the Salmon
2: 15-3: 00pm Brejera - Brazilian Dance Music
3: 10-3: 55pm Brejera - Brazilian Dance Music
4: 00 - 5: 00pm Deep Cove Swing Band
BEACH STAGE
Noon-3: 00pm Adam Woodall's Roots Rock Band
3: 30-6pm Tom Arntzen with his band California Calling
EXPO STAGE
12: 45 - 1: 05pm Mike Battie - juggler/clown children's entertainer
3: 30 - 4: 15pm Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright - Folk singers
KIDS PARK
Vancouver Aquarium's Aqua Van - touch & see live sea creatures
. Euro Bungee
. Train Rides
. Bouncy Castle Adopt-A-Fish
. Face Painting
. Scavenger Hunt
. The Whale
12-12: 45pm Vanleena Dance Academy Demo (on grass in Kids Park area)
12: 15-1: 45pm Dancing Bear - A Children's Tale inside The Whale
1: 15 -1: 25pm Flicka Gymnastics Demo (on grass in Kids Park area)
ABORIGINAL VILLAGE
Info Booth open for educational information Environmental Booth - Salmon Protection Artists demonstrating weaving and carving First Nations Storytelling
PARKING NOTICE
Sorry - no parking available on the site. Please leave your vehicle at Park Royal Shopping Centre and take the free shuttle bus or walk the Spirit Trail. For bikers, there's valet parking on site.
ART OF CONSERVATION EXPO
See exhibits from companies who advocate for sustainability issues & practices:
. Old Growth Conservancy
. Georgia Strait Alliance
. Dept of Oceans & Fisheries
. North Van Streamkeepers
. NV Fish & Game Society
. West Van Streamkeepers
. Seacology
. Stream of Dreams
. Seymour Salmonid
. Ocean Nutrients
. Storm Drain Marking Program
. Species at Risk
. Conservation & Protection
. Port Metro Vancouver
. Neptune Terminals
. Western Stevedoring
. Park Royal Mall
. Bear Aware
. British Pacific Properties
. North Van Outdoor School
. Fraser Riverkeepers
LIVE MUSIC FOR TOE-TAPPING FUN
This professional duo will be performing music about sustainability, ecology and the human dilemma. Their songs touch people's souls and make them think about the world around them. Holly's professional career has shared the stage with Stan Rogers, Herbie Hancock, Dan Hill, Paul Horn, Bruce Cockburn, Sarah McLachlan, Paul Hyde, Doug Bennett, David Sinclair, Fred Penner, The Arrogant Worms, Ian Tyson and many more.
Tom Arntzen and his group, California Calling
This must-see group is lead by multitalented Tom Arntzen - a gifted vocalist, pianist, bandleader and entertainer living in Vancouver, Canada. He is also a highly respected teacher, composer, arranger, producer, multi-media designer and actor. His professional career includes being the Musical Director for The Rocky Horror Show and his songs have been recorded and performed by Charlotte Diamond and Fred Penner.
BRING YOUR BIKE & VALET!
Just as one can valet park a car at a restaurant or special function - cyclers biking to this year's Coho Festival will be able to valet park their bicycles.
Tom Boppart, Coho's Co-Chair, aid the Society is really pleased with this new initiative. "The Coho Society is all about the environment," he says. "We're happy to be doing more each year to "green" our festival - and this is an idea whose time has come."
Obsession Bikes on Lonsdale is sponsoring the Bicycle Valet. Owner James Wilson is noted for his social consciousness and his desire to get more of the population on bikes - good for environment and health - so the fit was natural.
See location of Bicycle Valet on the map on page 24.
AN ABORIGINAL VILLAGE - SOMETHING NEW TO EXPLORE
An Aboriginal Village will be featured for the first time at the Coho Festival this year.
Chris Lewis, a Councilor for the Squamish Nation is spearheading this new initiative.
"It's an idea whose time has come," said Heather Dunsford, Co-Chair of the Coho Society. "We do the festival on Squamish Nation Land and the Squamish Nation has been involved each year by blessing the salmon - but we are expanding the activities this year and they will have a dedicated area on the Coho Festival site to display their arts and crafts and other exhibits."
Lewis is involving the Klahowya Village from Stanley Park in the Coho attraction. In addition, he has support from the Aboriginal Museum at Whistler. He is enthusiastic about the energy and colourful displays this will bring to the Coho Festival.
There are plans to incorporate Aboriginal story-telling and to have First Nations children demonstrate their traditional dances.
Dunsford cites this as an exciting step forward in revitalizing the festival. "We've done the same things for many years, now," she admits. "And people keep returning, so they obviously aren't tired of the festival. In fact, many people put it on their calendars as something not to be missed.
But we want to provide more diverse entertainment and to continue to make changes which will keep the festival fresh and important to the North Shore."
The Squamish Nation will have a dedicated area on the Coho Festival site to display their arts and crafts and other exhibits.
CHILDREN CAN ADOPT-A-FISH
The Coho Society is getting a head start on its annual Adopt-A-Fish program this year.
"Typically, we wait until April when we are ready to have the smolts (baby salmon) released into local creeks," said Tom Boppart, co-chair of the Society and Chair of Adopt-A-Fish program.
This year, there will be a special booth at the festival where parents can take their children to sign up early to adopt their own fish. Adoption certificates will be available for $5.00 which goes toward the Coho Society's education and salmonid enhancement programs.
In April of 2012, the children bring their certificates to the West Vancouver Memorial Library where they will be able to take their adopted smolt in a bucket over to McDonald Creek and release it into the creek. They will also learn about the story of the salmon - from the time the eggs hatch until they return upstream to spawn.
The Adopt-A-Fish Program helps promote awareness and education regarding North Shore streams. Students from West Van secondary school's Environmental Protection Network (ENP), who help monitor the streams for salmon, are always at the April event to assist with the release and answer questions.
WHERE DO ALL THE SMOLTS COME FROM?
The salmon roe are raised by volunteers of the West Vancouver Streamkeepers Society at the Nelson Creek Fish Hatchery.
Annually the Society contributes by releasing 200,000 to 300,000 chum and coho salmon fry into 15 North Shore streams.
In 2006, 343 salmon were observed in eight streams the society helped bring back to life and continuously monitor. Last run that number jumped to 893 and in 2012, there is hope for more.
WHAT'S WITH THAT YELLOW FISH?
In recent weeks, a group of students came across an estimated 100 dead Coho Fish at McKay Creek, which came as a shock to many who are working on public education to keep our waterways clean and habitable for salmon sustainability.
The Coho Society teamed up with staff from North Shore KIA August 21st to help get rid of garbage and non-native plants on lower MacKay Creek, and to stencil yellow salmon warnings near storm drains that empty into the waterway in an effort to improve conditions for the fish.
The stenciled yellow salmon on storm drains is becoming a common site on the North Shore - but many people still don't know what they represent.
Tom Boppart, Co-Chair of the Coho Society pointed out that they are a reminder and a warning to the public to be aware of what goes into our local waterways.
"Many people are unaware that what goes into storm drains does not go into our sewage system - but instead goes directly into our waterways," he explained. "Water that enters a storm drain r is not treated. It goes directly into our rivers and streams and even small amounts of chemicals can harm fish and wildlife."
Boppart said that while many people are conscientious about recycling - some are uninformed about the disposing of chemicals and solvents.
"Soapy water from washing vehicles has the potential to run into our storm drains. Herbicides and pesticides in our gardens can get washed into storm drains. And the consequences of dumping toxic substances into storm drains can be disastrous to fish and wildlife."
The yellow stenciled fish on storm drains are a reminder to be conscious of what we are doing to our waterways, which subsequently affects our habitat and our own quality of life.
The Coho Society endorses the use of non-toxic household cleaners; the disposal of paints, chemicals, detergents at recycling facilities; the use of professional car washes where the water is diverted to a local treatment plant; and the discontinued use of herbicides and pesticides which contaminate our waterways.
There ARE alternatives to what was the norm for many years, Boppart stressed. With safe practices and a little bit of thought, we can do so much to make our water safer - not only for salmon but for ourselves and our children as well.
The stenciled yellow salmon on storm drains is becoming a common site on the North Shore - but many people still don't know what they represent.
THE STORY OF THE BBQ'D SALMON
When a few thousand people line up each year to enjoy freshly barbecued salmon at the Coho Festival, the question inevitably arises: "Why do you serve salmon, when you are working to protect them?"
Anyone from Coho is likely to laugh with the response: "That's why we protect them - so they will be there for us to eat in the future!"
The fact is, the Celebrity Chefs at the Coho Barbecue are not cooking local salmon. They are cooking Wild Alaska Salmon that has been flash frozen and certified "sustainable" by The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The Council is an international nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable fishing practices worldwide and guides consumer buying habits through eco-labeling. Numerous organizations have endorsed Wild Alaska Salmon as an ethical seafood choice, including Audubon Society's Living Oceans campaign and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Alaska's Salmon Harvest is Wild, Sustainable, and Pure. They are anadromous, meaning they grow in the ocean, and spawn in the rivers. Salmon spawn only once in their lives. After spawning, the adults die; their own decomposing bodies feeding their young fry.
Wild Alaska Salmon school tightly, and do not mix very much with other species of fishes. This means that commercial salmon fishing has virtually no incidental catch, or bycatch, of nonsalmon fish.
Wild Alaska Salmon are caught only in specific, tightly regulated areas within state waters up to three nautical miles offshore.
They are harvested by commercial and sport fishermen; many of whom are families and Alaska Natives. Most Commercial Fishermen in Alaska are Owner-Operators, meaning they are independent businessmen and women operating their own boats.
Every aspect of Alaska's wild salmon fisheries is strictly regulated, closely monitored, and rigidly enforced.
The Coho Society is dedicated to serving Wild Alaska Salmon at the Festival's BBQ ensuring future sustainability.
"Wild Alaska Salmon are caught only in specific, tightly regulated areas within state waters up to three nautical miles offshore."
