This weekend’s press release generates two stories so far….
Beaver Festival IV Promises Dam Good Time!
Q: Why did Martinez keep the beavers? A: Because they were Worth A Dam!Actually the answer is a little more complicated and involves a civic uprising rivaling the last 10 minutes of It’s a Wonderful Life. You’re sure to learn the whole story if you join the Festivities on August 6th in downtown Martinez. In addition to live music and unique wildlife displays, this free festival will offer a “paint your own tail” activity complete with a contest/fashion show at 1:30 awarding prizes for the most creative entries.
“At our first festival we did a paper tail art project that was enormously popular” Said the group’s founder Heidi Perryman. “Later we met children who had carefully kept that artwork and wore it religiously when visiting the beaver dams. It was incredible!” She said, noting that this year volunteers pre-cut 500 leatherette tails that children can uniquely paint. “They’ll be a much better keepsake”.
If there aren’t any artists in your family, you can take a tour of the beaver habitat and invest your time at the silent auction – where you can bid on generous donations from Folkmanis, Safari West, or Beaver Creek Vineyards. While supplies last children can “earn” charms for a keystone species charm bracelet by explaining how beavers improve the environment for other wildlife. No one will want to miss out, as this year the charms, paid for by Martinez Kiwanis, were hand designed by Wild Bryde Jewelry.
Past Festivals helped Worth A Dam give a beaver-management grant to fellow beaver supporters in Tahoe, who went on to save beavers in their own city as well as nearby Truckee. Perryman travelled to Oregon to present at the State of the Beaver Conference and connected with the Grand Canyon Land Trust who will be sending beaver representatives to learn about starting a festival of their own!
2011 has been an eventful year for the Martinez beavers, with hard storms washing out their dams and lodge, separating the family for several months. You will have to come in person to learn how the 2010 kits managed on their own and find out about this summer’s surprising family reunion.
Fingers crossed we’ll get some more!
