Sun Sparkles On River's Day

By 250 News

Celebrating World Rivers Day with a music festival at Fort George Park

Prince George, B.C. -  While today marks the 6th year for World Rivers Day internationally, it coincides with the 10th Annual Rivers Day Music Festival here in Prince George.

The fabulous turn of events, weather-wise, means a lot of people are at Fort George Park this afternoon -- enjoying the musical performances going on at the bandshell, sampling taste treats from the food vendors on-site, and taking in the information and education booths.

As part of that education, organizers have postings around the park with the 'Top 10 Tidbits on Climate Change'.

And the on-stage performers are also recognizing rivers' significance.  The Two Rivers Brass Quintet treated the crowd to water-related musical selections.

A spokesperson for the Nadleh Whut'en Dancers from Fort Fraser (shown at right) told the crowd that 'Nadleh' means salmon spawn.  Nadleh refers to where the salmon return every year and Whut'en refers to where you come from. 

She says, traditionally, rivers have had a vital importance to her people and still do.

Click on photo at left to see a portion of one of the group's traditional drum dances.

 A short distance away from the bandshell, was another popular site:  the fishing pool stocked with 200 catchable rainbow trout and rods at the ready.

Spruce City Wildlife Association spokesperson, Sean Simmons, says the fish were supplied by the Freshwater Fisheries Society, "To introduce kids to the idea of sport fishing and the idea of how easy it is to participate in this sport and how much fun it can be."

Simmons says it's been fun to help out today, "It's quite exciting to see their eyes light up when they catch a fish, especially when they realize they can take it home and cook it for supper, as well."

"This is the perfect opportunity to introduce kids, and their parents, to proper fishing techniques, the ethics of fishing and it introduces people to the role of the Freshwater Fisheries Society," Simmons says. 

"Most people don't understand that the money from the fishing licences that are purchased, almost all of it goes back into stocking the province's lakes and to habitat reconstruction and rehabilitation."

The Society stocks about 800 water bodies with about 8-million fish, annually.  "That's a number of lakes that people come to rely on for really great fishing."

No story on Rivers Day would be complete without a picture of the Fraser River, in its fall splendour today...

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