Bird Fest Special Announcments |
Can you believe we are only one month away from the 24th Annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest? The migratory birds are arriving, and we are hard at work getting everything ready for an incredible weekend of birding, learning, and community.
New: No More Waitlists: To streamline the process and give everyone an equal opportunity to join our most popular excursions, we will not be maintaining waitlists for 2026.
Instead, if a trip sells out and a spot becomes available due to a cancellation, those seats will be held and released all at once for second general registration. - Release Date: Wednesday, April 29th
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Release Time: 5:00 PM (PST)
If you are hoping to snag a spot on a full trip, mark your calendars for that window!
A Note on Swapping: If you choose to cancel one trip to sign up for a newly opened spot on another, please keep in mind that our standard cancellation policy still applies. |
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We have so many upcoming events and happenings that we simply can’t fit them all into one email. Check out the calendar or Bird Fest schedule to look ahead! |
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International Dark Sky Celebration Sunday, April 19th 3:30PM-10:00PM |
Join Wenatchee Valley Astronomy Club and WRI for a Dark Sky Celebration to close out International Dark Sky Week! If you've been to our Red Barn Events, this is like a Red Barn Event Plus- with two fantastic speakers, trivia, family-friendly crafts, and star-gazing! Join us for all or part of the festivities. For a full schedule of talks and activities, head to the event page.
Full week of events with WVAC can be found here. |
| Nature Menders
Tuesdays starting April 21st
8:30AM-10:30AM |
Transitioning from "Weed Warriors," this rebranding shifts our focus from battling invasives to the intentional stewardship of the plants we want to see thrive. As Nature Menders, we work collaboratively with the landscape to foster a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Join us every Tuesday. We’ll gather weekly to enjoy the morning cool until the summer heat sets in. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a curious neighbor, come help us support our native habitat and give the garden the care it deserves.
Questions? Email Tiffa. |
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Earth Day Trash Pick-Up Wednesday, April 22nd 9:00AM-11:00AM |
Participate in a community cleanup of all the litter that accumulated over the winter along the riverfront trails. We will have gloves and bags available for volunteers!
Meet at the WRI parking lot. We will walk along the trails and pick up any trash that we find. Extra points for microplastics! |
| Trashion Show
Friday, April 24th
5:30PM-7:30PM |
Our 5th annual Trashion Show is coming up NEXT WEEK! We have X wonderful teams of all ages signed up to strut the runway in their trashion masterpieces made of trash, recyclable, and upcycled materials. This partnered event with WRI, Eastside Rebuild, and Sustainable NCW is not one to miss! Come watch the show and cast your vote for your favorite outfit. Bring snacks, a picnic blanket, or camp chair to make yourself comfortable. We will have some chairs available as well. Beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be for sale during this event. No registration is required to attend this event. Just show up and enjoy the fun!
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Mini Fringe Beaded Earring Workshop Friday, May 8th 5:00PM-8:00PM |
Join us for an evening filled with creativity and learning. Local Indigenous artist and owner of Mystic North Jewelry, Amanda Keewatinawin, will be leading a workshop on the Indigenous art form of beading. She will be sharing knowledge on the history of Indigenous beadwork and how to create your own mini beaded fringe earrings. Our earrings will be inspired by bird color palettes!
Registration required and goes through the general Bird Fest registration process. |
| Community Fair
Saturday, May 16th 10:00AM-3:00PM |
We invite you to the Bird Fest Community Fair—a gathering for families, youth, and adults to celebrate birds, wildlife, and the beautiful Wenatchee Valley.
Continuing our tradition of an extended schedule, the fair remains open later into the afternoon, so you can head over straight from your morning birding field trips. Enjoy a full afternoon of art and nature activities, guided walks, and live music from a local musician. With a wide variety of artists and vendors on-site, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. |
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Explore the Red Barn Archive |
WRI's past Red Barn Events are available to stream anytime. Head over to WRI's YouTube channel to dive into our library of recorded presentations. Watch the latest: |
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WRI After School Program
Students in grades K-3rd |
Our After School students have been busy getting their hands dirty at the Community Garden! Under the guidance of Tiffa, the kids have taken on the role of garden stewards—spending their recent sessions weeding and preparing the beds for the season. They also helped transplant a generous donation of mint plants into the garden. Beyond the chores, there was plenty of time for bug hunting as the students explored the tiny ecosystems waking up for spring. We’ll start planting more this week!
We still have 1 spots available for Monday/Wednesday and 2 spot available for Tuesday/Thursday at a pro-rated cost in WRI's Spring Session of After School Program! It is not too late to sign your kids up for a season of exploration and outdoor fun at WRI. This spring session runs from April 6 through June 4, offering a consistent way for your children to connect with nature as the weather warms up.
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We are excited to be working with a variety of new and continuing partners to host another summer of fun, nature-based exploration and learning! Check the camps page to see the current list of camps with open spots. If the camp you are interested in is full, there’s a waitlist for each camp. From the calendar event, click the link to join the waitlist.
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| WRI/Cashmere Museum Explorers Camp June 29-July 2 Campers entering 4th-6th grades |
Join us for a brand-new camp held at the Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village! Campers will spend the week exploring local history while discovering the museum and surrounding grounds through activities, crafts, and engaging games. |
| Creativity Camp July 13-17
Campers entering 4th-6th grades |
Campers will explore their creativity as they connect with the natural world in this camp, hosted at Icicle Creek Center for the Art! The week will include music, movement, crafts, games, arts, and more. |
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Busy Hands and Big Hearts: Celebrating the Life of Lisa Therrell |
At the Wenatchee River Institute (WRI), we often talk about our mission to connect people, communities and the natural world. Rarely, however, do we see that mission so perfectly embodied in a single person. Lisa Therrell was more than a board member, a volunteer, and a donor; she was a gardener who carefully tended to the people and projects that continue to help our community bloom today. Lisa embodied WRI’s mission through hands-on service, stewardship of place, and everyday teaching.
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Thriving Together NCW Partner Spotlight |
At Wenatchee River Institute, we believe that connecting people to nature is the first step in fostering a community that cares for the land. We are so grateful to Thriving Together NCW for featuring our work in their latest Partner Spotlight, alongside our friends at Sustainable NCW. It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts to inspire stewardship through education, and we appreciate the opportunity to share how our programs—from youth education to community events—contribute to a healthier, more connected region for everyone.
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It’s that time of year again—the balsamroot is blooming! The hillsides up and down the valley are blanketed in golden yellow, and the wildflower hikes are out of this world. On a recent hike with Randee and Rebecca, I pointed out an interesting fact that many people might miss. The part we think of as petals and the part we think of as the center are actually a large collection of tiny, individual flowers.
Balsamroot belongs to the aster or sunflower family, which features flower heads called an inflorescence. These are divided into two distinct types. The center is made of disk flowers, which are actually tiny, five-petaled blooms. Meanwhile, the "petals" around the edge are ray flowers—a unique type where the petals have fused into one "mega petal" on one side. Next time you're out among the balsamroot, take a closer look and delight in this miniature world. Although these plants are beautiful to see up close and explore, please don't pick them! Written by Tiffa Theden, Land Steward
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Thank you to our donors from the last 2 weeks! |
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Steve and Betsy Backstrom in honor of Arne Backstrom - Sustaining Gro Buer and Bruce Williams - Sustaining Derby Canyon Natives Sherry Thompson Mark Weick and Carole Ann Borshard - Sustaining
Lisa and Brian Koblenz - Sustaining
Christianne Balk and Karl Flaccus
Connie Cogburn and Andy Day - Sustaining
Jane and John Zanol in memory of Lisa Therrell
Hillary and Chris Clark - Sustaining
Anonymous Donors
Annette Jouard and John Taylor - Sustaining Chuck and Candace Egner - Sustaining
David Stoller and Diane Patterson - Sustaining Don and Ann Schaechtel
Kamuron Gurol - Sustaining Lisa and Jim Osse - Sustaining
Jill and Joel Martinez - Sustaining Anonymous Donor in memory of Lisa Therrell
Crunch Pak LLC Pamela and Oliver Brulotte in honor of Canuche Terranella Sue Ranger in memory of Lisa Therrell Dave and Pat Notter - Sustaining
Heather and Ole Bore - Sustaining Andy and Maureen Seikel - Sustaining Larkwire Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce Tracy Brulotte - Sustaining Jackie and Tom Andrewjeski - Sustaining |
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