The Opening Ceremony on November 11th, Veterans Day, occurred at Fort Stevens, OR. The posting of the colors was done by the Fife & Drum Corps of St. Charles, MO escorting in the Corps of Discovery II re-enactors. Joe Scovell of the Clatsop Indian Tribe provided a welcome. Governors Kulongoski of Oregon and Gregoire of Washington provided a welcome. Tribal Veterans of most of the tribal areas that Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery passed through presented their tribal flags. The Quartz Creek Drum Group from Warm Springs, OR played while all veterans danced around the perimeter of the audience. Adjutant General MG Raymond Rees Oregon National Guard and MG Timothy Lowenberg Washington National Guard made some remarks. Closing the ceremony was a fly-over of helicopters and a 21 gun Salute. The ceremony was very nice except that all those there were exposed to the same kind of weather that Lewis & Clark and the Corps had while at Fort Clatsop--cold hard rain showers followed by more of the same including a sleet shower. Row 1--Re-enactors, #5-Capt Clark. Row 2--#1 Re-enactors, #1-Capt Lewis, #3-York, #4-Fife & Drum Corps. Row 3--#1-Ceremony location, #2-Clatsop welcome, #3-Indian leader of Veteran's Dance.

The Festival of the Pacific at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds provided experiences for children, information about the area, a botanical garden featuring plants that Lewis & Clark discovered while in the area and many vendors. We purchased a drawing of Fort Clatsop and a Destination Pacific poster. The artist of the drawing told us that she had finished the drawing the night before Fort Clatsop burned down.