Sockeye Salmon Run – Oct 9

Salute to the Sockeye is a celebrated festival held at Tsútswecw Provincial Park on the Adams River to honor one of North America’s largest sockeye salmon spawning runs. The event takes place during the dominant year of the Adams River’s four-year salmon cycle, when millions of bright red sockeye return from the Pacific Ocean to their birthplace to spawn and complete their life cycle.

The festival combines salmon viewing with educational programs, guided interpretive walks, cultural performances, Indigenous ceremonies, and conservation exhibits that highlight the ecological, cultural, and economic importance of wild salmon. Organized by the Adams River Salmon Society, the event promotes stewardship of salmon habitat and celebrates the deep connection between salmon, local ecosystems, and Indigenous communities.

Visitors can observe thousands of salmon crowding the river’s shallow spawning channels, learn about their remarkable journey from the ocean back to the Adams River, and experience the vibrant fall colours of the surrounding forest.