Healdsburg Steelhead Festival this weekend

Get your fishing poles ready — the 4th annual Healdsburg Wild
Steelhead Festival is back this weekend with fishy fun for the
whole family.
The festival kicks off with the wild salmon dinner at the Villa
Chanticleer on Friday night featuring guest speaker Lani Waller, a
Hall of Fame fly-fisherman from British Columbia. Waller will share
his fishing stories and adventures during the dinner, dance and
auction. Tickets are $35 in advance or $45 at the door. Appetizers
and no-host bar begin at 5:30 p.m., buffet dinner will be served at
6:30 p.m. Chris Rovetti and the Meatballs will be performing
live.
Saturday’s festival begins at 10 a.m. in the downtown Plaza
where a trout pond, information booths, fly fishing demonstrations
and chefs cooking up fresh fish will greet participants. There will
also be a variety of informational booths, a live steelhead
display, music, face painting and art for kids.
More than 50 participants will take part in this year’s festival
including the California Department of Fish and Game, Chef Mateo
Granados, Fish Friendly Farming, Golden West Women Flyfishers,
Kings Sport and Tackle, Spoonbar, Trout Unlimited and Rodney Strong
Vineyards, among many others. For a complete list of participants,
visit the festival’s web site at healdsburgsteelhead fest.org.
One of the most popular attractions — the trout pond for the
young anglers — is stocked under the gazebo where kids get a shot
at catching their first fish.
On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to wrap up the weekend, there
are family events at the Visitor Center at Lake Sonoma where fish
can be seen returning to the hatchery and jumping the fish ladder.
The Healdsburg High School Jazz Band will be performing and Michel
Schlumberger wines will be poured.
Much like fishing, the festival will go on rain or shine.
For more information about this weekend’s festival, go to
healdsburgsteelheadfest.org.