Olympic National Park offers a couple of programs in the Staircase area.
The Staircase Forest Walk is a ranger-guided walk through lowland forest along the Skokomish River. Participants should meet at the bridge over the river. It is held 2-3:30 p.m. every Sunday, Friday and Saturday through Sept. 2.
An evening program is held at the Staircase Campground at 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.
The programs are free. For more information, call 360-877-5569.
The Staircase area is in the park’s southeastern corner and is accessed by taking state Route 119 from Hoodsport or Forest Service Road 24 to North Lake Cushman Road.
For information on other park programs, go to nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/events.htm.
CAMBODIAN CELEBRATION
Saltwater State Park will be the site for the fifth annual Cambodian Cultural Celebration and features groups from Tacoma and Olympia. The festival runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
The event celebrates Cambodian culture with members of the South Puget Sound Cambodian community through performances of traditional and contemporary music and art. Traditional food is available for purchase from Angkor Gourmet of Tacoma.
Artists and performances include:
• Classical and traditional dances by Cambodian Classical and Folks Dance Northwest of Tacoma and the Cambodian Heritage Society of Seattle.
• Live contemporary music by Watanakpeap Dontrey of Olympia.
• A Tum-Teav performance by Khemarak Samaki Classical Group from the Wat Samakirattanaram temple of Tacoma.
• Muay Thai, kickboxing and taekwondo martial arts stage demonstration by South Sound Martial Arts.
The festival also offers hands-on Cambodian crafts instruction for kids and face-painting. Cambodian artifacts, costumes, musical instruments and more are on display during the event.
The celebration is presented by the State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program, the Washington State Parks Foundation, Cambodian Classical and Folk Dance Northwest, and Northwest Heritage Resources. Additional sponsors include South Sound Martial Arts of Olympia and Tacoma, Cambodian Heritage Society of Seattle, Watanakpeap Dontrey of Olympia and Khemarak Samaki Classical Group of Tacoma from the Sammakirattanaram temple of Tacoma.
Saltwater State Park features 1,445 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound, halfway between Tacoma and Seattle. Admission to the event is free, but the Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to the event. The park is located at 25205 Eighth Place S., Des Moines.
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