Celebrate State Parks ShellFest 2016 at Westport Light State Park

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The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Washington State Parks Foundation invite the public to attend ShellFest, this year taking place in Grays Harbor County.  ShellFest is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2016 at Westport Light State Park, at the foot of West Ocean Avenue in Westport. Turn left at the traffic light and go to the end of the roadway.  The event will include exhibits, a shellfish lunch, low-tide beach walks guided by local experts, shellfish displays, hands-on activities for children, touch tanks and education about restoring and protecting shellfish beds in Puget Sound and the coast as part of the statewide.

Washington Shellfish Initiative (WSI), Xinh’s Clam & Oyster House, Taylor Shellfish Farms and Goose Point Oysters will provide a shellfish lunch. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is free with a suggested donation of $7 per person or $20 per family to benefit the Washington State Parks Foundation.  A Discover Pass will not be needed for vehicle access to the park this day because June 4 is a State Parks ‘Free Day,’ in recognition of National Trails Day. Event organizers recommend that participants bring their own chairs, dress for the weather and bring mosquito repellant.  ShellFest kicks off the weeklong Washington Shellfish Week, June 4 through 11, with activities and events taking place in various locations on the Washington coast and in Puget Sound.

Gov. Jay Inslee launched Phase II of the Washington Shellfish Initiative (WSI), a collaborative partnership with federal, tribal, industry and non-profit partners aimed at protecting and enhancing unique shellfish resources that are at the heart of creating shellfish farming jobs, cleaning Washington’s waters and continuing traditions of eating shellfish from our shores.  Washington became the first state in the nation to establish a shellfish initiative. Visit  https://aquaculture.wsg.uw.edu to learn more about shellfish week events.