By Shae Bowman and Cathy Renfeldt
For The Cordova Times
Following current CDC recommendations, the Copper River Salmon Jam Planning Committee is excited to announce a new safe and healthy alternative format for our popular in-person event. This year, the festival will be a week-long event from July 12-17, with Salmon Jam events spread out around Cordova for attendees to participate in at their leisure. Festival events will include: Alaska Salmon Runs, Small Fry Kids’ Activities, Copper River Canvas Paint Class, the Salmon Jam Rock Garden, Dumpster Painting, Taste of Cordova Food Show, an Artisan Market, and Live Music around town throughout the week. The festival will culminate with live music at Ski Hill on Friday and Saturday night performed by local musicians and our Headliner Lateral Lines. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets to enjoy the music, as we will not be providing a community tent for gathering. The focus will be on providing entertainment through music, art and salmon while allowing attendees to spread out and enjoy the show.
Alaska Salmon Runs will be hosting the marathon, half-marathon race, 10k, 5k, and Smolt 1-mile Fun Run. If you registered for the marathon or half marathon last year and rolled your registration over to this year, you will be able to redeem your race registration. Registration is open online at salmonjam.org/ak-salmon-runs.
Our goal is to take the safest course of action for our community with respect to a public gathering in July, and recognize this could mean getting very creative. With that in mind, we hope that the spirit of Salmon Jam can continue to be a source of celebration and happiness for our community. Be sure to stay tuned as we spread the joy of Salmon Jam in fun and creative ways. To support the event as a festival “spawnsor”, visit salmonhjam.org/spawnsor
The Copper River Salmon Jam planning committee is regularly monitoring COVID-19 developments as they pertain to our festival and will be following all CDC recommendations as well as state and local mandates regarding community events. To stay up to date on all things Salmon Jam, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and sign up for our e-newsletter at salmonjam.org
The Copper River Salmon Jam is facilitated by Cordova Arts and Pageants, Copper River Watershed Project, Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Forest Service, CDFU, Salmon Runs, city of Cordova, and Mt. Eyak Ski Area.
This column was submitted by Shae Bowman and Cathy Renfeldt on behalf of the Salmon Jam Planning Committee.
