Issaquah Salmon Days was created when Earl Robinson, the president of the Issaquah Chamber, suggested hosting a salmon festival because of existing salmon tourism in the area, and the local Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, where salmon return annually to lay eggs. There was also a want to replace the local
Labor Day festival, which had ended two years previously. The first festival was in October 1970, with around 20,000 people attending. At the time it was a small event with limited attractions and remained so for the rest of the 1970s. to 150,000 in 1988. Through the 1990s and 2000s, the festival averaged around 150,000 to 200,000 visitors. In 2006, the festival's economic impact was measured at around 1.5 million dollars. In response to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 festival introduced online events such as art and recipe competitions, a hatchery webcam, and an interactive festival app. Select in-person activities such as a car show and farmers market continued with safety measures in place. The modified events continued in 2021, with emphasis on virtual events and masks remaining required for in-person festivities. Today, the festival is still run once a year. ==Festival attractions==