Chase Festivals & Events
Sockeye salmon in the Adams River, Laurie Carter photo
One of nature’s most impressive sights is the Adams River sockeye salmon run. Every four years, the crystal-clear waters of the Adams River turn red with tens of thousands of returning salmon. This incredible wildlife viewing spectacle is highlighted at the Salute to the Sockeye Festival in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase.
Adams River Sockeye Salmon Run
Lying 15km/9mi northeast of Chase and protected through its full length within the boundaries of Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, the lower 65ha/161ac of the Adams River is one of the richest natural salmon spawning grounds in North America.
Sockeye salmon that have lived for four or five years in the Pacific Ocean return to the streams of their birth to spawn and die. From the mouth of the Fraser River, they battle horrific currents for about 18 days and eat nothing on their epic 485km/290mi journey. Their bodies change colour from silver-blue to bright red with green heads as they reach the spawning grounds. Many are caught or die along the way, but astonishing numbers reach their destination.
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The Adams River sockeye run works in a four-year cycle. On a dominant-run year (next occurring in 2014, 2018, etc) millions of fish return to spawn. Also notable are the large numbers of returning fish in the years after the dominant year – 2015, 2019 etc.
Salute to the Sockeye Festival
Dominant years (next one in 2014) are marked by the three-week Salute to the Sockeye Festival in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park. Displays cover everything from the sockeye life cycle to best recipes and cooking tips. The Aboriginal bannock stand is usually the busiest concession. Park naturalists and fisheries personnel are on hand to answer questions, and guided walks, interpretive displays, exhibits and live music are also on display.
Spawning salmon can be seen on the Adams River from late September until the end of October, with the Salute to the Sockeye Festival usually occurring in the first three weeks of October (but only in dominant-run years). The best time to visit the festival is mid-week, as weekends can be extremely busy – the 2010 festival attracted more than 200,000 viewers along with media representatives from around the world.
Stop at the Chase Visitor Centre (400 Shuswap Ave) for maps and brochures on Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, the Adams River sockeye run and Salute to the Sockeye.
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