Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

After four long years, the Yurok Tribe will be serving traditionally cooked salmon at the 62nd Annual Klamath Salmon Festival on Saturday, August 15.

 “We are especially excited about this year’s event because the return of salmon and the Klamath River’s continued recovery give us much to celebrate,” said the festival’s co-organizer Maya Mace. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the mighty Klamath River salmon.” 

The 2026 Salmon Festival is free to attend and open to all. The family-oriented event offers something fun for everyone. The festival includes a Ney-puy Fun Run/5K, a parade, live music by Blue Rhythm Revue, Indian Card Game, Stick Game, basketball, softball, horseshoe and disc golf tournaments and more than 170 vendors selling high-quality gift items. 

The salmon lunch will be served at noon. It will include a piece of juicy salmon prepared over an open fire, chili beans, fresh fruit, a roll and a drink for $15. The Tribe harvested a moderate number of fish for the event. Supplies may run out early, but there will be 20 different lunch vendors, including an Indian taco booth and multiple food trucks. Yurok elders will receive a free salmon lunch, subject to availability.

This year, the recreational and commercial salmon fisheries opened on a limited basis after an unprecedented three-year closure, due to low runs on the Klamath and Sacramento Rivers, the two largest salmon-producing rivers in California. Set by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Tribe’s closely managed salmon quota is similarly constrained.

Currently, the Klamath River is healing from the removal of four dams in 2024. Salmon have already begun repopulating the newly accessible 400 miles of previously blocked habitat within the mainstem of the Klamath and its tributaries above the former dams and Upper Klamath Lake. This alone is reason to celebrate as the Klamath River continues to rebound.

The 62nd annual Klamath Salmon Festival starts at 9 a.m. with the Ney-puy Fun Run/5K, which is followed by the parade. The Indian Card Game tournament begins at 10 a.m. Registration for the basketball tournament starts at 9:30 a.m. The first game is at 11 a.m. Registration for the horseshoe tournament is at 9:30 a.m. The brand-new horseshoe pits are located next to the Ada Waukell Charles Community Center. Registration for the Disc Golf Tournament starts at 8:15 a.m. The disc golf course is near Redwood RV Park off Alder Camp Road on the north side of the Klamath River. The arm wrestling tournament starts at 12 p.m. The Archie Thompson Memorial Softball Tournament starts at 8 a.m. on both days. All other tournaments are happening on Saturday only. 

The event’s secure parking and highly efficient shuttle service are located off the Terwer Valley exit (Exit 769). Please take the Terwer Valley exit and follow the salmon signs.

This year’s Salmon Festival received generous support from MERK Construction, the Yurok Telecommunication Corporation, LACO, Intake Screens and Friends of Auburn Ravine.

*Please leave pets at home. Service animals are permitted.

*All vendors must be set up before 9am.