A Newsletter from Washington State Parks | July 2016
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Summer weather has finally arrived! Get your Discover Pass today and explore some of the country's most beautiful and diverse state parks.
Looking for something to do this summer?
Our Folk & Traditional
Arts in the Parks program has a terrific lineup of free fun,
entertaining and often educational events happening at parks all over the
state. Did we mention they’re all free?
International
Music Concert Series
Peace
Arch Historical State Park, in Blaine
Each one-hour concert begins at 2 p.m.
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Aug. 7—Kinnaly Lao, music and dance from Laos
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Aug. 14—3 Fiddles, 3 Traditions: Métis, Danish and American,
Old-Time Fiddle music
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Aug. 21—Juan Barco y su Conjunto, Tex-Mex music
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Aug. 28—Randal Bays and Friends, Traditional Irish music
Learn more.
Cambodian
Cultural Celebration
Saltwater State Park,
near Des Moines
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New Old Time Chautauqua State Parks Tour
The Folk &
Traditional Arts Program is partnering with the NOTC on a summer tour of several state
parks and nearby communities. Historically, Chautauquas brought a mix of
education and entertainment to communities throughout the country.
“The idea of the Chautauqua-Parks partnership is to renew ties and to
foster goodwill between the towns and their local state parks,” says Paul
Magid, founding member of the NOTC and The Flying
Karamazov Brothers.
The tour started earlier
this month, but there’s still time to catch a Chautauqua:
- Aug. 1, Conconully State Park
- Aug. 2, Tonasket
- Aug. 5, Curlew Lake State Park
- Aug. 6, Republic
Learn
more about the Chautauqua tour.
In addition to the
great offerings from our Folk & Traditional Arts Program, your Washington
state parks host diverse events and activities all summer long. Check out our
online Events Calendar to
find out more!
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Are
you the last-minute type when it comes to vacation planning?
We
always advise people to reserve campsites and cabins as early as possible—to make
sure you get the spot you want. But if you’re more spontaneous or tend to wait
until the last minute, you may still be able to find a campsite or cabin this
summer.
Here’s
a few pointers for you procrastinators on reserving cabins, yurts
and other rustic shelters. (These also work for campsites.)
Check
for availability online
or call 1-888-CAMPOUT (1-888-226-7688).
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To keep the young ones busy and help
them learn how to be great stewards of state parks, Washington State Parks
created the Junior Ranger Program many years ago. Last year, the program
underwent a rebranding, and earlier this summer, we unveiled our new cast of
Junior Ranger characters. Kids can find out more about the Junior Ranger
Program and activities available at their state parks. In the meantime, meet
the characters:
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Bagley Beaver—named after Daniel Bagley, a pioneer who came to Washington state in a covered wagon in 1852. He was one of Washington’s first historians.
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Ruth, the deer—named after Ruth Peeler, one of the first citizen park commissioners and a catalyst for the Washington State Parks Interpretive Program.
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Wallace, the red-tailed hawk is named after Wallace Falls State Park, which is home to a 265-foot waterfall.
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Belle*, the raccoon—named after Belle Reeves, the first womanWashington Secretary of State (1938-1948) and one of the first members of the State Parks Commission.
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Matilda**, a snowshoe hare—named after Matilda Jackson who moved to Chehalis with her husband John R. Jackson in the 1840s. The Jacksons were two of the first Euro-American settlers north of the Columbia River. Their reconstructed homestead cabin is preserved as the Jackson House State Park Heritage Site five miles from Lewis & Clark State Park.
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Blake**, also a snowshoe hare—named after Blake Island State Park, a marine state park in Puget Sound near Seattle.
* Belle is the mascot for the Washington State Parks Volunteer Program
** Matilda and Blake are mascots for the Washington State Parks Winter Recreation Program
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