May 13, 2015

2015’s Penn Cove Water Festival continues our renewed focus on the cultural history of the region, and once again brings back all time favorite performers, new performers, and the fun, family atmosphere that is unique to the festival.

The Penn Cove Water Festival Association is a small nonprofit organization consisting of community members from the Town of Coupeville, Port of Coupeville, South Whidbey, Orca Network, Beachwatchers, Native Tribal representatives and Skagit Valley College. This committee has been working tirelessly to revitalize the festival and take it in a direction of more traditional Native American culture and traditions with emphasis on Native education and the importance of environmental resources as it relates to Native traditions.

2015 is the 24th year of the new Penn Cove Water Festival, bringing the historic Water Festival to a new life as our Native community and neighbors participate in their annual tribal canoe races, and townspeople gather to celebrate our history and the waters that surround us.

Our community saw its first Water Festival back in 1930. While only eleven-man canoes participated in the first Water Festival, subsequent years brought larger canoes as well as over twenty-two tribes gathering each year to participate in races and share their heritage with the population of Penn Cove.

The Penn Cove Water Festival Association hopes to bring that spirit back to life by educating us on our Native community with not only tribal canoe races but increased Native arts and crafts, demonstrations, storytelling, dance performances, artist demonstrations, authentic Native foods, children’s activities, and exhibits and displays.

Find out more about the event and scheduled performances at the website: www.penncovewaterfestival.com.