Special Edition E-Newsletter:

LEAVENWORTH SPRING BIRD FEST

May 18-21, 2023

The 2023 Bird Fest Schedule is LIVE

WRI and North Central Washington Audubon Society (NCWAS) are excited to present the 21st annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest! Join us in celebrating the return of migratory birds and take part in birding field trips, workshops, family activities, and more! This Bird Fest may be the biggest yet with over 50 birding trips! It will be held May 18th-21st with FREE beginner birding activities happening the week leading up to Bird Fest. 

The schedule for Bird Fest is now live! This is a living document and will continue to be updated as Bird Fest approaches. All current information can be found on the Bird Fest website.

Registration opens TOMORROW, April 11th at 5:30pm

The registration link will go live TOMORROW, April 11th at 5:30pm. Some trips will fill quickly, so register as soon as possible! Make sure to check the Bird Fest schedule for full trip details. There will be a registration tutorial available on our website and social media tomorrow. Check back then!

 Registration is required for all field trips, workshops, the Keynote Address, and the Birders' BBQ. However, some activities do not require registration, including the Bird Fest Family Day vendor and exhibitor fair, Bird Fest Social, and some pre-festival trips for beginner birders.

Order a Bird Fest T-Shirt

We partnered with Wenatchi Wear and R Digital Design to create a t-shirt design for Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest! You can pre-order your shirt NOW through May 4th. Shirts will NOT be for sale during Bird Fest. They are only available for pre-order.

You can select the pick-up option if you'd like to pick up your shirt during Bird Fest at the Wenatchee River Institute. Or if you'd like a shirt and can't attend Bird Fest this year, there is a shipping option with a cost associated.

Pre-Festival Birding Trips for Beginners

These Pre-Festival Trips are ideal for beginning birders! Loaner binoculars will be available for use at each of these trips. All Pre-Festival Trips are free! Some require registration. Please read individual trip descriptions to learn about each trips' registration requirements. These trips include:

• Monday, May 15th: Intro to Birding at  Walla Walla Point Park and Horan
• Tuesday, May 16th: Birding Ohme Gardens
• Wednesday, May 17th: Wednesday Wakeup Bird Walk
• Thursday, May 18th: Nature Writing at Ski Hill with WVC
• Friday, May 19th: Bilingual Birding Horan Natural Area
• ...and more!

See the Bird Fest Schedule for all Pre-Festival Trips.

Bird Fest Family Day

Saturday, May 20th from 10am-2pm

Wenatchee River Institute Lawn

As Bird Fest is in full swing, take a break from the hustle and bustle and come meander and learn at Family Day! Family Day is a vendor and exhibitor fair open to everyone. It's a day for families, youth, and adults to gather and take part in educational and recreational activities focusing on birds, wildlife, and their environments. Take part in art and nature activities, learn about and see REAL birds, embark on a free guided nature walk, browse and purchase art from local artists, learn about local organizations, chow down on delicious local food, and enjoy LIVE music from local musician, Eric Link!

Bird Fest Social

Saturday, May 20th from 3:30-5pm

Wenatchee River Institute

The Bird Fest Planning Committee extends a warm welcome to everyone in our region’s conservation community to come and enjoy the campus at Wenatchee River Institute! We will gather in person on the lovely grounds along the Wenatchee River, where white-headed woodpeckers also hang out. Stop in to say hello to friends, old and new, who support our festival’s vision to promote conservation through educational and recreational activities about birds, wildlife, and their environments. Bring your family and friends! All are welcome - drop by anytime! No registration is required to attend this event. Learn more here.

Bird Fest Keynote Address:

Think Like a Raven with Dr. John Marzluff

Saturday, May 20th from 7-8:30pm

Wenatchee River Institute's Red Barn OR Zoom

Join us for the 2023 Bird Fest Keynote Address with professor, researcher, and author, Dr. John Marzluff! Think Like a Raven is a culmination of Dr. Marzluff's collaborative work detailing the intertwined lives of ravens, wolves, pumas, and the people that visit and live around Yellowstone. This presentation follows the seasons of Yellowstone and the scientific journey he undertook to decode the mysteries of raven life. What emerges is a picture of the tenuous and evolving relationship between humans, wolves, and ravens, and the challenges animals face when they wander beyond the protection a national park provides.

Registration is required for this event. Tickets cost $20 for in-person ticket and $10 for a virtual ticket. Register to attend here (once registration opens tomorrow, April 11th at 5:30pm).

2023 Founders' Award Recipients

The Founders' Award is a newly created award to honor volunteerism in support of the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest. This award was inspired by the team of people who came together in 2003 to launch the very first Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest. This year, there are 3 recipients: Dan Stephens, Janet Millard, and Gail Roberts. Congratulations!

 Learn more about the history of Bird Fest and the Founders' Award recipients by clicking the link below.

Thank you, Bird Fest Sponsors!

Financial support from local businesses and organizations make the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest possible! Please support these businesses during your time here. Find a gold Bird Fest flag flying at our sponsors' locations!

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