The Port Orford Ocean Resource Team and The Surfrider Foundation will host the first-annual Water Festival on Saturday, March 8, at the Port Orford Community Building.

The event will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 7, with keynote speaker Dr. Jane Lubchenco from Oregon State University. The free event will be held at the Savoy Theater, 811 Oregon St., Port Orford. Lubchenco will speak about her paper,  “A New Ocean Ethic.” She is an environmental scientist and marine ecologist actively engaged in teaching, research, synthesis and communication of scientific knowledge. She grew up in Colorado, received her doctoral degree and taught at Harvard University, and 28 years ago moved to Oregon State University where she is valley professor of marine biology and distinguished professor of zoology.

Several events are planned throughout the day:

n 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.: the Starfish Pancake Breakfast, cost is free for kids 12 and under and $4 for adults;

n 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon: plankton and beach hopper races with prizes;

n 9 a.m. to noon: a scavenger hunt by Surfrider;

n 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: booths and demonstrations;

n 10 a.m.: fishing adventure on the Elk River and hatchery tour, waiver required;

n 10 a.m. to noon: a macro-invertebrate zoo with park ranger Greg Ryder;

n 11 a.m.: fish dissections;

n 11 a.m.: guided dock walk;

n 2 p.m.: free movie at Savoy Theater — “Voyage to Kure: Jean Michel Cousteau;”

n all day: trivia games with prizes, fish printing (bring a plain T-shirt), mussel touch tank;

n  on the half-hour: operators of a streamtrailer and remote operating vehicle will give presentations.  

In addition to the other activities, the Port Orford Marketing Association will sponsor a crab lunch special at noon. The cost is $7 for adults, $3 for kids 12 and younger.

The goal is to create an awareness of humans’ everyday impact on their environment, paint a picture of watershed and ocean connectivity, display some of the current research being conducted in the watershed and ocean, involve the Port Orford community and beyond in the work of POORT and partner organizations, and to help create a healthy and positive ocean ethic, according to a press release.

For more information, those interested can call POORT at (541) 332-0627.