Saturday, April 17, is no fluke of nature when Orca Network presents Welcome the Whales Day in Langley. The first gray whales of the season have just arrived, and this new fun-filled family event honors and celebrates their annual arrival.

Langley’s waterfront will be swimming with whales, flocked by birds, and crawling with critters of all kinds. The main event will be a parade of species, to honor and celebrate the spring arrival of resident gray whales. Joining a 20-foot silk whale will be bear, eagle, snake, puffin, sea star, frog, slug and more.

Activities will take place at Waterfront Park on First and Anthes streets, or at the Methodist Church at Third and Anthes.

Mosquito Fleet Gray Whale Watch trips from Everett (10 a.m.) to Langley (10:30 a.m.) to Coupeville (noon) and back (2 p.m.), with a stop at the Coupeville Wharf to see Rosie the gray whale skeleton. Call the Mosquito Fleet for reservations at 1(800)325-ORCA (6722) or go to www.whalewatching.com.

Langley Methodist Church hosts a meditation for the whales at 10 a.m. in the church’s Fireside Room

Educational displays and presentations on whales, marine mammal strandings, and marine-related issues, begin at 11 a.m. in Langley. Quileute Tribal history and future with the gray whale will be presented.

Classic boat tours of Saratoga Passage by the Classic Boat Club, run from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Activities for kids of all ages feature hat/mask/critter costume making, assemble the Whale Museum’s gray whale skeleton, take part in fun activities with Killer Whale Tales, make a whale hat with Orca Network, and more. This fun starts at 11 a.m.

Anyone may join the parade of species as their favorite animal. People who don’t have an animal costume on hand, are invited to a costume making workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Langley Methodist Church. Artists will be ready to help create a costume or mask for the parade. Orca Network will help make an Orca Fin hat, or carry some of the larger critters that need more than one person to swim, fly or crawl the parade route.

Parade of Species, featuring a 20-foot silk gray whale. Join the parade, wear your favorite animal cosutme, hat or mask, or come early and make a costume for the parade. The parade begins at 3 p.m. at the top of First Street, participants should meet next to City Hall for parade staging at 2:30 pm.

John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research gives a presentation on gray whales at Langley Methodist Church, at 4 p.m.

Orca Network is looking for volunteers. Call 678-3451 or e-mail infor@

orcanetwork.org. Go to www.orca

network.org.