Summer is gone, autumn is back which means the return of the Fall Fish Festival.

Cheer in fall by honoring the Kokanee salmon making their annual migration up the river, just 3 miles north of South Lake Tahoe, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, at Taylor Creek Visitor Center.

The festival is hosted by the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit along with the Great Basin Institute. This is an educational and fascinating experience to learn about the different fish that live in Lake Tahoe and its tributaries.

Like the fall leaves, the Kokanee will turn a vibrant red and be visible close-up on the Rainbow Trail loop. The trail leads through the trees to the main creek where visitors can see the Kokanee spawn.

The festival will also shed light on other species of fish including the federally-threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout and the speckled dace.

This annual festival will have kids games and educational opportunities including fish paintings, information booths, mascots, and a visit from Smokey Bear.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will bring their giant inflatable trout that will provide fun activities for kids.

On Sunday of the festival, the 30th annual Kokanee Trail Run will take place sponsored by the Tahoe Mountain Milers.

Both the Fall Fish Festival and Oktoberfest are occurring the same weekend so visitors are encouraged to ride a bike or take public transportation to the festival. The Camp Richardson parking lot will fill up quickly.

For information on the Fall Fish Festival or Kokanee Run, call the Taylor Creek Visitor Center 530-543-2674 or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/FallFishFest.