It's Not Too Late to Get Tickets
The birdy fun is about to begin! Whooping Crane Festival officially kicks off this Thursday, February 23, and Port A can't wait! It's looking like a beautiful four days for birdwatching, learning, and exploring! If you already have a packed itinerary, great! But if not, don't worry—it's not too late to make your way to Port A for the 26th annual Whooping Crane Festival.
Take a peek below at all the events that still have tickets available! Click on each link for times and more details, or learn more about the festival here.
Thursday Events
Join the Texas Gulf Region Cooperative Weed Management Area for their semi-annual workday!The group will be removing invasive Brazilian peppertrees from the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie's Pasture. When: Thursday, February 23 at 9 a.m.; where: Port Aransas Nature...
Looking for a unique adventure? Ride along on this tour as it navigates the local waterways. You will see dolphins, many different species of birds, and great shorelines, including the Lydia Ann Lighthouse. This boat has two levels to get that perfect picture and see all the...
Hop aboard the Scarlet Lady at Deep Sea Headquarters in Port Aransas for a 90-minute tour of the channel and bay. Get ready for a fun-filled cruise with sightseeing, dolphins, and birds as the sun sets. Wine and Cheese provided. Cash bar available. This boat tour leaves from Deep...
The Port Aransas Art Center invites attendees of the 26th Annual Whooping Crane Festival to a Welcome Reception to kick off the weekend. Stroll through the beautiful works of art while listening to smooth tunes, sipping a beverage, and nibbling on yummy treats. This reception...
The public lecture series are presentations of research and programs by scientists. All lectures are free and specially prepared for the public. David Newstead will be giving a presentation on bird migration. Plovers all over: Insights from local research on plovers in the...
Friday Events
Enjoy a guided tour of the the newly renovated Patton Center for Marine Science Education which features eight large aquaria and engaging interactive displays, that provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn about the local marine life and the research that is...
Deep in the Heart is a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique — its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Told through the eyes of wildlife species ranging from the mysterious blind catfish to the...
Although progress is still slow and the numbers may not sound that large or impressive, 2022 was a good year for Louisiana’s reintroduced Whooping Crane population. Despite fewer pairs nesting, a record number of wild hatched chicks fledged and added to the growth of the...
From a low of 15 birds in 1941, the Whooping Cranes are recovering and now number about 500. Archibald will tell the story of these, the tallest of birds in North America, and conclude with an account of efforts to establish new populations of Whooping Cranes in Wisconsin and...
The primary mission of the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) is to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles, and tortoises found along the South Texas coast and to return them to their native habitat. To ensure the successful release of as...
Join Dr. Gawlik as he takes us on a visual journey through the Everglades, a national treasure with three international designations. The fate of this sensitive ecosystem that feeds the Gulf of Mexico is intertwined with that of 8 million residents of South Florida who depend on...
Dr. George Archibald will sign his book, "My Life With Cranes," at the International Crane Foundation booth. Books available for purchase. In 1973, when cranes were in a perilous situation and many were on the brink of extinction, George Archibald, along with fellow graduate...
Looking for a unique adventure? Ride along on this tour as it navigates the local waterways. You will see dolphins, many different species of birds, and great shorelines, including the Lydia Ann Lighthouse. This boat has two levels to get that perfect picture and see all the...
Hop aboard the Scarlet Lady at Deep Sea Headquarters in Port Aransas for a 90-minute tour of the channel and bay. Get ready for a fun-filled cruise with sightseeing, dolphins, and birds as the sun sets. Wine and Cheese provided. Cash bar available. This boat tour leaves from Deep...
Whooping Cranes were officially listed as endangered, even before the Endangered Species Act in 1973, as a result of unregulated hunting and habitat loss across their range. The increase from less than 20 individuals in 1940s to above 500 today is largely due to concerted efforts...
Saturday Events
Deep in the Heart is a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique — its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Told through the eyes of wildlife species ranging from the mysterious blind catfish to the...
Enjoy a guided tour of the the newly renovated Patton Center for Marine Science Education which features eight large aquaria and engaging interactive displays, that provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn about the local marine life and the research that is...
Looking for a unique adventure? Ride along on this tour as it navigates the local waterways. You will see dolphins, many different species of birds, and great shorelines, including the Lydia Ann Lighthouse. This boat has two levels to get that perfect picture and see all the...
The primary mission of the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) is to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles, and tortoises found along the South Texas coast and to return them to their native habitat. To ensure the successful release of as...
Gain birding insight from one of Texas' top birdwatching enthusiasts. Gary Clark will lead a workshop to help you use the best practices and resources for a birdwatching extravaganza! Gary Clark is the weekly nature columnist for the Houston Chronicle. Gary’s latest books are...
Downlisting an endangered species take time, and more than a little ingenuity. For Whooping Cranes, we have quite a few interesting tools in the box; swapped eggs, insect management, nest modifications... oh my! Join us for a talk about what innovative research is being...
A lovely photo of a bird can be improved with simple processing techniques. Join Kathy Adams Clark for this program, where she’ll show you how she processes her photographs of birds in Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom. Simple to more advanced steps will be demonstrated and shared on...
The Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population is the only wild naturally occurring flock of Whooping Cranes, while the Louisiana Non-Migratory Population is the most recent introduction for this species. Learn about these two very different populations and the work the Gulf Coast Program...
Hop aboard the Scarlet Lady at Deep Sea Headquarters in Port Aransas for a 90-minute tour of the channel and bay. Get ready for a fun-filled cruise with sightseeing, dolphins, and birds as the sun sets. Wine and Cheese provided. Cash bar available. This boat tour leaves from Deep...
Get ready for some fun! Paint your own Whooping Crane during this session, taught step by step by a local artist. Nibble on snacks and sip on wine while your canvas comes to life! Grab your friends and make this a memory to last a lifetime! Limited space so reserve early! This...
Sunday Events
The primary mission of the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) is to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles, and tortoises found along the South Texas coast and to return them to their native habitat. To ensure the successful release of as...