A celebration of the Animas River and efforts to clean the local watershed is set for next week. The 2007 Animas River Festival will be held on June 30 and July 1 in Silverton. The festival invites the community to discover, celebrate and care for the river with a variety of activities.

The clean-up event is set for 9 a.m. on June 30. Participants are asked to come to the Silverton Train Depot with hat, gloves, sunscreen and sturdy shoes. The effort will focus on the banks of the Animas River near

Silverton’s old dump site. A hot lunch will be served to all volunteers, the band Boxcar will play in the afternoon, and prizes will be drawn for volunteers.

That evening at 7 p.m., a tribute to Skip Conrad will be held in Silverton Town Hall. The event will highlight Skip’s steadfast commitment to the local environment and work as a dedicated steward of the land. The evening will conclude with presentations of mine reclamations and water quality improvements.

A guided tour of mine sites is planned for July 1, and participants should plan to meet at 9 a.m. with four-wheel drive vehicles at the Miners Union Hospital, 13th and Snowden streets in Silverton. The tour will highlight improvements to the Animas River watershed and reclaimed mine sites. Carpooling is encouraged.

For more information on the work of the Animas River Stakeholders Group, visit http://old.waterinfo. org/arsg.