Cookin’ the Blues Festival – History and Heritage through Music and Food at Quinault Beach Resort and Casino

quinault salmon festival
Celebrate Blueback salmon during Quinault Beach Resort and Casino's Cookin' the Blues festival.
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quinault salmon festival
Celebrate Blueback salmon during Quinault Beach Resort and Casino’s Cookin’ the Blues festival.

The Pacific Northwest loves its salmon. Chefs and restaurants can incorporate this local delicacy into any dish, meal, or season…including cheesecake. But we are also respectful of its crucial role in the history and culture of Native American society. On June 19 – 21, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino will celebrate salmon at its 15th anniversary Cookin’ the Blues Festival.

Historically “the Quinault sockeye (known as “Blueback” to the Quinault people) is one of only seven evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) of sockeye salmon in the Pacific Northwest. It has a unique life history specifically adapted to the Quinault River system…Of all the sockeye, Blueback are the most prized. Their rich oil content results in a much tastier fish—giving them a high market value.”

National Geographic explains that “The name sockeye comes from a poor attempt to translate the word suk-kegh from British Columbia’s native Coast Salish language. Suk-kegh means red fish. The sockeye, also called red or blueback salmon, is among the smaller of the seven Pacific salmon species, but their succulent, bright-orange meat is prized above all others. Sockeyes are the third most abundant of the species of Pacific salmons and are a keystone in the North American commercial fisheries.”

To showcase history, culture, and our region’s favorite fish, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino’s Cookin’ the Blues Festival runs June 19 – 21. Saturday, June 20 will feature a traditional salmon dinner from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. for only $15.

Throughout the weekend an array of blues musicians will grace multiple stages including Jim Boyd, Native Blues Artist famous for his 2002 Native American Music Award for Record of the Year and current Chairman of the Colville Tribe.

quinault salmon festival
Great blues musicians will be on stage this weekend at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino’s Cookin’ the Blues Festival.

Also part of the festivities will be free coupon books for Q Club members, native storytelling, Native vendors, the Pieapalooza pie showcase ($3 for 3 samples, $5 for 6), coastal art, and a canoe and memory walk where tribal elders share their powerful, personal history.

The music and activities are free and open to everyone. Visit Quinault Beach at 78 State Route 115 in Ocean Shores and call 888-461-2214 with any questions; online event details can be found here.

Gandhi once said that “a nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” Don’t miss this opportunity to see, smell, and taste the culture and history of our region.

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