La Conner Community News staff

The Samish Indian Nation and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community will welcome canoe families participating in the 2026 Paddle to Nisqually later this month as tribes from across the Pacific Northwest travel the Salish Sea during the annual Canoe Journey.

Canoe Journey brings together Indigenous nations from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, who travel ancestral marine routes in traditional cedar canoes while visiting host communities along the way. Each host nation provides meals, camping and cultural protocol for the visiting canoe families.

The modern Canoe Journey began in 1989 with the Paddle to Seattle during Washington’s Centennial celebration, organized by the late Quinault educator Emmett Oliver. Since then, a different Indigenous nation has hosted the gathering each year. Swinomish last served as host in 2011.

This year’s Canoe Journey began July 16 in Lund, British Columbia, on the Sunshine Coast.

Canoes are tentatively scheduled to arrive at Fidalgo Bay Resort on July 24, where the Samish Nation will host dinner at about 3 p.m., or as soon as the canoes land. A 20-passenger shuttle will transport participants camping overnight at John K. Bob Ballpark in Swinomish Village, according to an itinerary posted by the Samish Chelangen Department.

On the morning of July 25, the canoe families are expected to paddle from Fidalgo Bay to Swinomish, with arrival times at Swedebs Park across from the La Conner waterfront to be announced. The annual landing on the Swinomish Channel typically draws spectators to both shorelines.

From Swinomish, the canoe families will continue south to Tulalip on July 26 before arriving at Nisqually on July 31 for a week of cultural celebrations.