Fidalgo Bay Day began in 2004 as “Marine Ecology Day,” created by the Skagit County Marine Resources Committee to help the community learn about the marine environment and the remarkable creatures living in local waters. From the beginning, the goal was simple: bring people together, especially families and children, to learn about, celebrate, and care for the Salish Sea.

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In its early years, the event moved between locations and experimented with different activities to draw the community in. By 2006, local seafood, music, hands-on science, and partnerships with organizations such as the Samish Indian Nation, Taylor Shellfish, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Shannon Point Marine Center, and local volunteers were becoming part of the tradition. The 2007 event brought together more than 30 organizations and nearly 50 volunteers, with live marine animals, forage fish education, water-quality demonstrations, children’s activities, Coast Salish salmon, shellfish, and chowder.

Over the next two decades, Fidalgo Bay Day grew into the Skagit Marine Resources Committee’s signature annual education event, centered at the Samish Indian Nation’s Fidalgo Bay Resort and welcoming hundreds of community members each year. Beach seining, touch tanks, educational booths, seafood, children’s activities, and the Discovery Passport became beloved traditions, all designed to increase awareness of the marine environment and inspire stewardship of Fidalgo Bay and the Salish Sea.

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2026 marks a new chapter. After more than two decades of leadership by the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, coordination of Fidalgo Bay Day has been passed to The Salish Sea School, with continued guidance and partnership frommany organizations in the area. The heart of the event remains the same: creating a free, welcoming place where people of all ages can experience the life of Fidalgo Bay firsthand and deepen their connection to the Salish Sea.