Best Of The Fests: Issaquah Salmon Days Festival

It doesn't have the same ring as "swallows" and "Capistrano," but when the salmon come back to Issaquah, it's a reason to party. Nearly 200,000 people and 15,000 salmon are expected to migrate to Issaquah this weekend for the 30th Issaquah Salmon Days Festival. The chinook and coho are coming to spawn, but here's what you should do while you're there.

Grande Parade. The festival's o-fish-al mascot, Sammy the Salmon, will deliver fish kisses at the kickoff parade. Twenty floats from as far away as Portland will come drifting down Front Street. The dancing Ivar's Clams and the Mariners' Moose, along with nine marching bands, will also make merry. Watch for the Mak Hin Fai Lion Dancers performing the traditional Chinese lion dance. About 35,000 people came to watch last year. Northwest Gilman Boulevard between Front Street and 12th Avenue in Issaquah. 10 a.m. Saturday.

Field of Fun. For the young fry, there's plenty of free stuff happening at Memorial Field, thanks to the many spawnsors. Darigold is stocking a pond full of free trout, and rods and line will be provided. U Build It will have materials to build bird houses. Microsoft has built a Salmon Maze in which kids play a salmon species returning to its spawning ground. A combo trampoline/bungee cord will be set up to flip around on. You can also hurl yourself at the Styrofoam wall in a Velcro suit. Saturday and Sunday at Memorial Field.

Washington State Salmon Hatchery. Watch the 15,000 salmon swim past the hatchery windows. FISH (Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery) will be around to answer questions. Kids can play Gill'ivers Travels, a passport game that takes them through the hatchery to win a pair of salmon sunglasses. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 125 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah.

Main Stage music. Nine bands will play on the Main Stage, including H.B. Radke and 3 Degrees West. Don't miss Hit Explosion and its disco and dance classics to close out the festival at 5 p.m. Sunday. The Community Stage at Front Street and Sunset Way will feature local bands, many based in Issaquah. The Main Stage is on the green at the Issaquah Community Center, 301 Rainier Blvd. S. Performances are between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday.

When? 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Where? Downtown Issaquah, Front Street and Sunset Way. You can park at the Park and Ride off I-90 at Exit No. 16 on SR 900, and take a shuttle to downtown for $1 each way. The shuttle will also run past Seamens parking lot at East Sammamish Parkway and Southeast 151st Street. If you want to park at one of the pay lots closer, take Exit No. 17 and head south onto Front Street. For more information, call 425-392-0661. Web site: www.salmondays.org