Alaska's Wildlife
Viewing Festivals

Alaska Hummingbird Festival - Ketchikan
Date: mid-April
Phone: 907-228-6220
Sponsoring Organization: U.S. Forest Service, The Discovery Center Ketchikan's celebration of spring migration. http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/discoverycenter/index.html

Stikine River Garnet Festival - Wrangell
Date: late April
Phone: 1-800-367-9745 or (907) 874-3901
Sponsoring Organization: Wrangell Chamber of Commerce
The Stikine River hosts the largest springtime concentration of American Bald Eagles in the world. A major stopover on the Pacific Fly-Way for approximately 200,000 shorebirds,15,000 Snow Geese and 10,000 Sand Hill Cranes. Approximately 123 different species of birds are represented on the delta beginning mid-April - mid May. Event includes birding workshops, live bird demonstrations, arts & crafts fair, island and river birding opportunities/tours. E-mail wchamber@gci.net or call 1-800-367-9745.

Whale Fest Kodiak
Date: mid-April
Phone: 907-486-3737
Whale Fest Kodiak is a community celebration about whales and other marine mammals, timed to coincide with the annual northbound migration of the gray whales as they pass Kodiak Island. We will again offer the latest information on whales and marine mammals with lectures by local and national experts. Volker Deeke will speak on mammal-eating killer whales in Alaskan waters with a focus on their acoustic communication. Pat Gearin, of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, will present information on his photo-identification work on gray whales off of Kodiak's Narrow Cape. The Good Dog Singers will also join Whale Fest with their fabulous music about marine mammals. http://www.whalefestkodiak.com

Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival - Cordova
Date: early May
Phone: 907-424-7260
Sponsoring Organization: Cordova Chamber of Commerce
In early May, the tidal flats of the Copper River Delta shimmer with the activity of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds. As many as 5 million shorebirds rest and feed here during spring migration. The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival provides the ideal opportunity for bird watchers to be part of this epic migration. Many activities, workshops and community events are offered throughout the festival, attracting visitors from around the globe. We invite you to join us in Cordova for the premier birding event of the new millennium and to experience "Alaska's Hidden Treasure" for yourself http://www.cordovachamber.com/

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival - Homer
Date: early May
Phone: (907) 235-7740
Sponsoring Organization: Homer Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The theme for the 15th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival keynote speaker John Acorn is the writer and host of Acorn: the Nature Nut, a family oriented, how-to-be a naturalist show. This year's Festival will again highlight a variety of topics and speakers, and participants can choose from many birding opportunities, including boat and kayak tours, walking tours, birding "hotspot" van and bus tours, bike tours, to name a few. This fun-for-the-entire family Festival will also feature the annual Migration Run, an Arts & Education Fair, kids entertainment, live bird presentations, art, writing and photography workshops, and much, much more. Complete Festival details will be available in March at http://www.homeralaska.org. http://www.homeralaska.org/shorebird.htm

Sandhill Crane Festival - Fairbanks
Date: late August
Phone: 907-452-5162
Sponsoring Organization: Arctic Audubon Society, Friends of Creamer's Field, Alaska Bird Observatory
Each August as thousands of Sandhill Cranes begin their southward passage from Alaska and Siberia the Tanana Valley rings with gathering calls. One of the best places to catch this spectacle is at Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in the heart of Fairbanks, Alaska where daily Sandhill Crane tallies regularly top 1,000. The best time to enjoy fall staging is late August and early September.

The festival includes talks, bird watching, nature walks, workshops and many other related activities with ample opportunities for observing Cranes and other fall migrants. A current year festival schedule is available in July. The schedule includes information on observing Sandhill Cranes throughout the Tanana Valley. http://www.arcticaudubon.org/crane.html

Sitka Whale Fest
Date: early November
Phone: 907-747-7964
Sponsoring Organization: Sitka Whale Fest
Sitka residents and visiting attendees gather to hear an international lineup of world-renowned biologists and researchers share their current research and exciting experiences over our three day symposium. Participate in discussions with these researchers and attendees about marine mammal research and exploration. Whale watching tours, art and music round out the event. http://www.sitkawhalefest.org/

Alaska Bald Eagle Festival - Haines
Date: mid-November
Phone: (907) 766-3094
Sponsoring Organization: American Bald Eagle Foundation
Over 3,000 eagles gather along a four-mile stretch of the Chilkat River north of Haines, Alaska each fall to feed on a late run of salmon. This wildlife spectacle is the largest gathering of eagles in the world. The peak of the gathering usually occurs in mid-November. The festival is crammed with a full schedule of events catering to birdwatchers, photographers, and nature lovers. http://baldeaglefestival.org/