Cascadia Day, May 18… the anniversary of Mt. St. Helen’s eruption. On that day people realized, forcefully, that the earth is alive! This event coincided with the emergence of Plate Tectonic theory in Geology, and discovery of what came to be called in the mid-1980’s, “The Cascadia Subduction Zone.” Massive forces that make our world—volcanic eruptions, mountain building, mega-earthquakes, huge tsunamis, among others—all came to be seen as part of the same system working deep in the bones of the earth. Dynamisms shaping the character of our region began to be revealed for the first time.
Everything changed after that….
— David McCloskey,
Cascadia Institute
Every spring, we celebrate Cascadia Culture Week to remind ourselves of distinct regional values, unique traditions, inherent beliefs, and our devotion to creating a sustainable and equitable community in which leadership is in the hands of the people and a strong community is our greatest asset. May 18th was chosen on the anniversary of the Mt.St. Helens eruption, and is a day to celebrate and raise awareness of Cascadia, meet our neighbors, and discuss and plan how we are going to positively create change here in the Pacific Northwest. Raise your flag, wear your patch, and join fellow Cascadians, building Cascadia as a positive force for change.
May 18th is the anniversary of the Mt. St. Helens eruption and was chosen by former Seattle University professor David McCloskey as a day to represent Cascadia because of it’s visceral reminder of the dynamism of our region. We live under massive forces that shape our world, in a region defined through it’s geography, geology and topography – and we are all a part of these processes.
From the mountains to the sea, our home features some of the most diverse, beautiful and dynamic landscapes in the entire world. Our people are as diverse as the beauty that surrounds us. We are abundantly blessed and therefore celebrate a holiday to highlight our uniqueness and diversity and as a reminder of our responsibility to act as faithful stewards of the wondrous bounty with which we are endowed.
Join or host an event that you feel would represent Cascadia, and plug in with hundreds of others online to help us make Cascadia Day an annual reality. Raise your Doug flag, wear your Cascadia patch, and join hundreds of other Cascadians for neighborhood events throughout the bioregion to build Cascadia as a positive force for change.
If you can’t join an event, think of something distinctly Cascadia you or your friends can do. Lost for how to do to celebrate? Block parties, potlucks, movie nights, neighborhood cleanups, barbecues, tree plantings, wine tastings, wheat-pasting, pub nights, etc. can all be a part of a Cascadia Day celebration.
Join us as we show the world wide web what makes Cascadia so special.