KWSO Kicks Off 40th Anniversary Summer with IHC Sound Off This Weekend & Thursday Market Next Week

KWSO is celebrating 40 years of serving the Warm Springs community, and the summer anniversary festivities begin this week with two special events that bring people together through community connections, local culture, and information.

The celebration starts Friday, June 13, at the Indian Head Casino Sound Off event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. KWSO will be on-site sharing information about our 40th anniversary and upcoming activities. Community members are encouraged to stop by the KWSO booth, visit with staff, and help kick off a summer of celebration.

The next event arrives on Thursday, June 18, as the Warm Springs Thursday Market returns to the Warm Springs Campus Pavilion. The market runs every Thursday through September 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering fresh produce, artisan goods, community programs, and local vendors. The market helps connect residents with healthy food options while creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs and organizations to engage with the community.

Opening day will feature local beadwork and craft vendors, along with community partners including the IHS Pharmacy, OHSU, and Head Start. The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance will provide 30 free Fresh Harvest Kits, while Rooper Rand from Redmond will offer locally grown produce. The Jefferson County Library will also be on hand with free books. Families can stop by KWSO to pick up a child-size Root Digger T-shirt while supplies last. For information about the market, contact KWSO or simply stop by.

This summer’s events celebrate a remarkable milestone. KWSO first signed on the air in September 1986, following the launch of commercial station KWSI earlier that year. What began with two staff members broadcasting six hours a day from Kah-Nee-Ta Resort has grown into a 24/7 multimedia service reaching listeners through radio, online streaming, mobile apps, video production, and social media.

As KWSO looks ahead to its next 40 years, we invite everyone to join us throughout the summer and fall as we celebrate community broadcasting in Warm Springs.