Upcoming events.
2026 Festival of the St̓əč̓as
The Festival of the St̓əč̓as is a community event centered around Squaxin culture and connection to the area, public education, estuary restoration, environmental stewardship, and envisioning the future of a restored Deschutes Estuary. We will include a thoughtful educational and outreach area featuring organizations doing meaningful work throughout the Deschutes Watershed and South Sound region, as well as live cultural performances and local vendors.
June 2026 CEDE Workshop
Our freshwater resources in the Deschutes Watershed face serious large-scale issues, from climate change to population growth. Responsible solutions to these issues must be organized at a watershed-scale and enacted systemically. DERT's first workshop in the 2026 CEDE series will allow our community to engage with speakers from the Squaxin Island Tribe, the LOTT Alliance, Thurston County, and Conservation Northwest.
Deschutes Watershed Symposium
Excitement is in the air! Get ready to be part of something extraordinary at the Deschutes Watershed Symposium. It's an opportunity for our community partners to come together and learn more about restoration efforts across the Deschutes Watershed, and we want you to be there! The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project will be featured in the morning presentation, which will include time for Q&A and discussion.
The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Deschutes Watershed. DERT began organizing in 2009 and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2011. In 2020, DERT became an affiliate of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and a member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance.
DERT’s first objective is to restore the Deschutes Estuary and remove the 5th Avenue dam in Olympia, Washington. We engage in public outreach to educate the people of Olympia, and the state of Washington, about the benefits of a healthy restored estuary. For the past decade we have worked directly with key state agency leaders and legislators to encourage an honest and complete accounting of the costs of alternative plans such as ongoing dredging of a reflecting lake in perpetuity.
Fall Fundraiser & Auction
Enjoy a full dinner (vegetarian options included), live music, a raffle, live & silent auctions, and updates from the DERT Team at Octapas’ Heritage Room.
Tickets: $75 (includes raffle ticket)
More raffle tickets available upon entry.
Sea Stroll: Historic Shoreline Tours
Join the Puget Sound Estuarium and DERT for a partner outing. Starting from the Estuarium, the tour will loop around the downtown core to track the historic changes to Olympia’s shoreline. We will stop along the way from East Bay to West Bay, and eventually Capitol Lake to talk about how the cultural and ecological history intertwined to form Olympia into the city we see today.
Sea Stroll is 2 hours and the walk is approximately 1.5 miles long, so don’t forget your comfy walking shoes and please dress for the weather.
$18 / Kids 12 and under are FREE!
Purchase Tickets Here!
CEDE at Spring Arts Walk
*Drop-In at Spring Arts Walk*
Satruday, April 26
12-7pm
Alley Cafe (outside at Soul Cafe + Traditions)
Taking our discussions to the people on the street.