Schedule
Welcome to CraneFest!
The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13, 2013, at the Kiwanis Youth Area overlooking Baker Sanctuary and Big Marsh Lake. Parking for the event is $3 per vehicle and all activities are free, except where noted below. Events and artist exhibits will be open from Noon until sunset (about 7:00 pm) both days. The fly-in of Sandhill Cranes begins slowly around 4:00 pm with the best viewing of large numbers of cranes between 5:00 pm and sunset.
Here are a list of activities you can expect when you arrive:
- Artist Village – featuring 20 of Michigan’s best nature artists displaying and selling their work
- Guided Nature Walks – explore the nature trails with a local naturalist. Walks leave the pavilion every half-hour, beginning at 1:00 pm, with the last walk leaving at 4:30 pm
- Hillside Nature Chats – hear from some of the top local nature experts on a wide range of topics. Hillside chats are a great way to kick back, take in a view of Big Marsh Lake, and learn something new! Chats take place every half-hour, beginning at 2:15, with the last program–Sandhill Cranes 101–beginning at 6:15 pm.
- The Michigan Audubon Nature Bookstore – peruse the top new titles in field guides, nature stories for children, and more.
- Silent auction
- Face-painting
- Hay rides
- Live birds of prey
- Exotic critters
- Non-profit displays
- Self-guided bird migration game
- Kids’ nature crafts, and more!
