Smoke threatens to derail Leavenworth Salmon Festival
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LEAVENWORTH, Wash. -- For a tourist town, festivals are a big part of the attraction, and this weekend's Salmon Festival in Leavenworth is no exception.
But this year smoke from wildfires is threatening to keep crowds away.
The city planned on welcoming in 10,000 people for the popular festival. Everything is ready, but there's a big problem: Smoke, and enough of it that the Health Department says it's unhealthy.
Officials suggest people stay in doors if possible. That's bad news for the festival, but local merchants are trying to stay positive.
"There is a little smoke in the air," said business owner Sandy Owens. "It's just like somebody had a big campfire. Beyond that it is not a big thing."
Local hospital workers disagree with that assessment.
"We have our own employees who are suffering from the smoke, so we have masks available," said hospital CEO Jon Davis.
Davis isn't kidding, and doctors like Chris Allen are taking him up on the offer.
"Well I was having a hard time breathing," Allen said. "it was making me wheeze when I go outside and this is a lot better."
Some visitors around town were following Allen's lead and wearing their own masks, while others decided to throw caution to the wind.
"It's smoky, yeah, so what?" said Jim, who's visiting from out of town. "It's like fog. I'm not worried, not worried at all."
The Salmon Festival will go on, but organizers have cancelled the 5k and 10k runs.
But this year smoke from wildfires is threatening to keep crowds away.
The city planned on welcoming in 10,000 people for the popular festival. Everything is ready, but there's a big problem: Smoke, and enough of it that the Health Department says it's unhealthy.
Officials suggest people stay in doors if possible. That's bad news for the festival, but local merchants are trying to stay positive.
"There is a little smoke in the air," said business owner Sandy Owens. "It's just like somebody had a big campfire. Beyond that it is not a big thing."
Local hospital workers disagree with that assessment.
"We have our own employees who are suffering from the smoke, so we have masks available," said hospital CEO Jon Davis.
Davis isn't kidding, and doctors like Chris Allen are taking him up on the offer.
"Well I was having a hard time breathing," Allen said. "it was making me wheeze when I go outside and this is a lot better."
Some visitors around town were following Allen's lead and wearing their own masks, while others decided to throw caution to the wind.
"It's smoky, yeah, so what?" said Jim, who's visiting from out of town. "It's like fog. I'm not worried, not worried at all."
The Salmon Festival will go on, but organizers have cancelled the 5k and 10k runs.
We own Cashmere Mountain Bed and Breakfast here in Leavenworth. Â It is not like just a campfire with just a little smoke. Because the air quality is so unhealthy and we are having our own issues with the smoke, we are waiving our cancellation policy and offering guests that were going to stay this weekend an exchange for another weekend that would be much more enjoyable. Our B & B is up on a mini mountainside and we cannot see any mountains across the way and some of our neighbors homes. Â Â
I didn't even know Leavenworth had a Salmon Festival! Â Go figure.... Â I always thought they only had Oktoberfest and Christmas. Â How many festivals can they host?
@iamaqt2
There is a festival almost every month, autum leaf festival, a bird festival,the first 3 weekends of october are oktoberfest, the first 3 weekends of december is the christmas lightingÂ
oh remember its a clean air act day reframe from mowing yer lawn... oh wait ... gess its dead to a lack of rain ...cant use water lol might get fined
smoked fish who thought???? lol
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"It's smoky, yeah, so what?" said Jim, who's visiting from out of town. "It's like fog. I'm not worried, not worried at all."
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Yeah, who cares about smoke inhalation, especially for those with asthma, or with COPD. Â
Come to the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival instead. Not smoky over here.