Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Sherburne invite you to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, as well as their own 50th birthday, on Sat., Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their annual Wildlife Festival. The public is invited to enjoy a variety of FREE family-oriented activities designed to share information about their wildlife resources and educational opportunities.
This year’s festival will be extra special because it will be the Refuge’s 50th birthday. Since the Refuge was established in 1965, the theme for this year’s festival will be the 1960s. So be ready for bell bottom jeans, tie-dyed shirts, and to relive one of the best decades in history! To celebrate its 50th Birthday, the Wildlife Festival will have historical displays of pictures and narratives throughout its history. Naturalist and author Stan Tekiela will be the featured speaker. “Remarkable Woodpeckers” will be Tekiela’s presentation topic at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., the author will talk about “Midwest Birds of Prey.” He will sign books following both talks at the Friends of Sherburne Nature Store, located on the festival grounds.
In addition to the featured speaker, Sherburne NWR will announce the winners of its first ever youth nature photography contest. All photos will be on display at the festival too. You can enjoy a horse-drawn hay ride, live music, bonfire, hands-on archery, air-rifle, nature arts and crafts, and exhibits on Minnesota raptors, wildflower seeds, furs, reptiles, and the Turn in Poachers (TIP) “Wall of Shame.”
Several Refuge service roads will be open to vehicle traffic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide visitors an opportunity to see areas of the refuge not normally open to vehicle travel.
Friends of Sherburne will have a brat and hot dog lunch for purchase from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Refuge birthday cake will be served at 12:30 p.m. The Friends will hold a silent auction with bidding open until 2 p.m. Proceeds go toward environmental education and other refuge projects.
All events will be held at the new Oak Savanna Learning Center building site located southwest of the Headquarters on Co Rd 9, 5.5 miles west of Hwy 169; look for event signs. For more information contact Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge at (763) 389-3323.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to this program for all participants. Please direct all requests for sign language interpreting services, close captioning, or other accommodation needs to Michelle Garcia at Michelle_Garcia@fws.gov or 762-389-3323, TTY 800-877-8339 with your request by close of business Sept. 18, 2015.
Sherburne Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and is located near the cities of Princeton, Zimmerman, and St. Cloud, in central Minnesota. Website: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne/.
The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
