Door County Festival of Nature’s Program Highlights

The Door County Festival of Nature, a celebration of Door County’s unique biodiversity and natural beauty, will take place May 18 & 19. This is the 10th year that The Ridges Sanctuary has coordinated the county-wide event which attracts conservation-minded participants from all over the Midwest.

The two-day event is a unique opportunity to learn more about wildflowers, geology, birds and insects through almost 50 field trips and hands-on programs. Program highlights include photography workshops, early morning bird-watching trips, visits to properties using renewable energy technologies, wildflower outings, evening frog walk and bat monitoring programs and recognition of Baileys Harbor as a Bird City USA.

On May 18 at 7 pm, the Festival of Nature welcomes Sadie O’Dell, Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her keynote presentation, “The Island Refuges of Door County – Connecting Habitat, Wildlife and People,” will be held at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall. O’Dell will discuss the biological, ecological, and cultural value of the islands, current research projects, and future management plans for Plum and Pilot Islands. The program is free to participants and open to the public for a suggested donation.

The festival will conclude with an old-fashioned Barn Dance. All dances are taught by a teacher/caller; no previous dance experience is needed.

There are still openings for many festival trips. Participants can register in advance at RidgesSanctuary.org/festivalofnature.aspx or by calling 920.839.2802 to request a registration brochure by mail.

Participants can also register for available field trips on the weekend of the event at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.