3rd Annual SLO County Beaver Festival
Saturday, April 12, 2025
10 am – 3 pm, free admission
SLO Mission Plaza, 989 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Become a Volunteer | Become a Sponsor
The SLO Beaver Brigade invites eager beavers of all ages to the Third Annual San Luis Obispo County Beaver Festival on Saturday, April 12th in Mission Plaza from 10 am to 3 pm. We will have strong focus on the nexus between prescribed burn, beaver restoration, and ranching at this year’s festival.
The day includes free admission, food, vendors, live music, children’s activities, a beaver trivia contest, speakers, and a plethora of information on the benefits that beavers provide to us in our state and county. Live music by local violinist Miles “Danger” Kennedy and Cuyama Mama & the Hot Flashes.
Event Schedule
10:30 am ♫ Miles ‘Danger’ Kennedy on the violin ♫
11:30 am Opening Speaker Shaunie Briggs, Salinan Tribe
12:00 pm Keynote Speaker Molly Alves, California Department of Fish & Wildlife
12:30 pm Restoration Focus Speakers
Sophia Marquez, SLO Prescribed Burn Association
Grant Johnson, Grant Johnson Ag
Cooper Lienhart, Nature’s Engineers
1:00 pm Kids’ Beaver Trivia Contest
1:15pm Creek Walk & Talk Creek Lands Conservation: The Creek as a Classroom
1:30 pm ♫ Cuyama Mama & the Hot Flashes ♫
Our Keynote Speaker
Molly Alves, Beaver Restoration Supervisor for California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Molly Alves has a long history relocating beavers from areas where coexistence is not possible to headwater streams that beavers struggle to naturally recolonize in an effort to store water, enhance biodiversity, and protect our landscape from wildfire. Come learn about California’s relocation efforts from the experts.
Our Speakers
Opening
Shaunie Briggs
Salinan Tribe of Monterey & San Luis Obispo Counties
Prescribed Burn
Sophia Marquez
San Luis Obispo Prescribed Burn Association
Regenerative Ranching
Grant Johnson
Grant Johnson AG LLC
Process-Based Restoration
Cooper Lienhart
Nature’s Engineers
Our Headliner
Cuyama Mama & the Hot Flashes
Original High Desert Dance Music: The most rockin’, foot stompin’, apron flauntin’ musical act in the Cuyama Valley. You can blame us for the heat!
Cuyama Mama & the Hot Flashes is:
- Jan Smith on vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica and aprons
- Tristan Cole-Falek on bass
- Jody Eulitz on box and vocals
- Josh Jenkins on mandolin, fiddle, dobro and more!
Find Cuyama Mama & the Hot Flashes on Instagram and listen to their new live album, Dream Boat, on Bandcamp.
To arrange interviews with the band or for more images or video, please contact: Jan Smith, jan.lamberton.smith@gmail.com, 805 325 8890
Our Opener
Miles “Danger” Kennedy on the violin
Miles “Danger” Kennedy is a local multi-instrumentalist who has been playing for 13 years. He enjoys playing jazz music and other genres. Lately, Miles has been playing with the jazz program at Cuesta College. He is excited to bring tunes to the Beaver Festival.
Why do we celebrate beavers?
Because we see them as climate change superheroes! Beavers build dams in our creeks and rivers, turning them into lush wetlands. This SLOWS the water down, allowing it to SPREAD out and SINK into our aquifers (slow it, spread it, sink it)! Not only does this help us in droughts, but their wetlands also create refuge from wildfires. Come join us on April 12th to learn about all this and more at our third annual SLO Beaver Festival.
Our Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors!!!! The festival would not be possible without each and every one of them.
Find out about Becoming a Sponsor!