On August 12th the American Museum of Fly Fishing hosted its 16th Annual Fly Fishing Festival. In addition to the over 600 visitors who came to explore the wide variety of offerings, our steadfast and growing community of vendors, artists, craftsman, industry professionals, and other angling-related non-profits gave the grounds a feeling of camaraderie that cannot be mimicked.
The day included fly-tying with Paul Sinicki, Kelly Bedford, Mike Rice, Bill Newcomb, Rich Strolis, George Butts, Mark Dysinger, Scott Biron, Lisa Weiner and Mike Stewart. Bob Selb, Fred Kretchman, and Carmine Lisella were on hand for complimentary appraisals all day, and AMFF Ambassador Rachel Finn and Volunteer Paul Sinicki shared their expertise, teaching people fly-casting techniques.
The casting competition, hosted by Orvis, brought a field of competitors to the course and also included a youth division for our budding anglers under 12. The Leigh H. Perkins gallery hosted Steve Ramirez, who spoke about mental health and fly fishing, as well as a screening of After You’ve Gone and discussion with Rachel Finn. Krissy Wejebe was on hand to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibit Guiding Star: The Legacy of Jose Wejebe. The day concluded with a screening of Mending the Line, a film about veterans and the healing powers of fly fishing.
Special appreciation goes to our sponsors and raffle donors, listed below. All 400 raffle tickets sold out, which has never happened before!
Thank you to those who supported the event and made this year’s festival such a success—we were especially pleased that the weather was so beautiful! We look forward to seeing you again on Saturday, August 10, 2024!
