The 15th annual Steelhead Festival took place at the Milt Brandt Visitor’s Center at Lake Sonoma on Feb. 10.
As always, the junior fishing proved to be the most popular event of the day. This year, they tried a slightly different system, with ticketed fishing sessions for kids aged 5 to 15. The early birds got the worms (or fish) because the tickets were given on a first come, first serve basis, and all the day’s slots were filled by 11:30 that morning.
Food trucks from around the county provided food and drink and nonprofits and governmental agencies focused on the environment hosted booths with information and activities for kids.
Hikes along the path taken by the steelhead as they fight their way upstream to spawn were also available. An amazing bubble performance was put on by The Bubblesmith, including a few lucky kids getting encased in a giant bubble.
Live music was provided by The Third Rail and families could enjoy a recycling-themed game of corn hole or a trip through a maze meant to evoke the challenges of a baby fish trying to get to the ocean.
Sonoma County Bird Rescue Center was on hand with several of their avian charges, and volunteers led students through art projects like fish rubbing prints, hats and ornaments.
There was also a silent auction.
The annual festival is meant to raise awareness and funding for the visitors center and native fish preservation in the Lake Sonoma and surrounding watershed, especially the steelhead, a subspecies of the rainbow trout that is anadromous. Unlike the rainbow trout which spends its entire life in freshwater, steelhead go to the ocean to mature before returning upstream to spawn. They are considered a threatened species.
