The International Festival of Owls is the only full-weekend, all-owl event in North America, held annually the first weekend in March in Houston, Minnesota, USA.

Activities:

Live owl programs
Owl crafts
Vendors
Medallion hunt
Kids owl art contest
Owl-themed food
Kids owl calling contest
World Owl Hall of Fame speaker from Norway
Birding and Natural History bus trip
Owl nest box building
Owl pellet dissection
Owl prowls

Schedule of Events:

March 1, 2024:

Programs at the International Owl Center

11:00 AM: Program at International Owl Center* (program could be standing room only)

12:30 PM: Program at the International Owl Center* (program could be standing room only)

2:00 PM: Program at International Owl Center* (program could be standing room only)

6:00 PM: Family Owl Prowl bus trip (pre-registration required, meet at the Houston Nature Center)

6:00 PM: Adult-Only Owl Prowl bus trip (pre-registration required, meet at the Houston Nature Center)

*Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for ages 4-17

March 2, 2024:

Events at Houston High School unless otherwise noted) - this is the Busiest Day

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Owl Face Pancake Breakfast (Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, $10 ages 13 & up, $5 for ages 4-12)

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM: Vendors & Face-painting & international children's owl art show +

9:30 AM - 10:30 PM: Live Owl Program - by Illinois Raptor Center +

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Visit the International Owl Center & gift shop, live owls on display (International Owl Center) +

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM: Owl Nest Box Building and Owl Pellet Dissection ($55/box, $5/pellet) +

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM: Kids' Crafts +

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: "Night Owl Night" reading and presentation by children's book author Susan Richmond (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM: Final concepts for the Owl Center's New Facility +

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Hooting Masterclass and Kids Owl Calling Contest +

2:00 PM - 2:20 PM: Short Meet an Owl program (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Live Owl Program - by Illinois Raptor Center +

7:00 PM: "Little Owl on the brink of extinction: from research to applied conservation" by Dr. Martin Salek from the Czech Republic; World Owl Hall of Fame award presentation; 10 min video of Nepal Owl Festival by Krishna Mani Baral; owl woodcarving exhibition by Robin Warburton; owl-themed refreshments (Houston Elementary School, pre-registration required)

+ Festival wristband required: $12/adult, $8 ages 4-17, members and ages 3 & under free

March 3, 2024:

Events at Houston High School unless otherwise noted) - much less crowded than Saturday

?8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Birding, Natural History & Geology bus trip (Meet at Houston Nature Center, pre-registration required)

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Vendors & Face-painting & international children's owl art show +

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Live Owl Program - by Illinois Raptor Center +

10:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Kids' Crafts +

10:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Owl Nest Box Building and Owl Pellet Dissection ($55/box, $5/pellet) +

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Visit the International Owl Center & gift shop, live owls on display (International Owl Center) +

11:00 AM - 11:20 AM: Short Meet an Owl program (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +

12:00 PM: Alice the Great Horned Owl's hatch-day cake (free, until it's gone, high school cafeteria)

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Live Owl Program - by Illinois Raptor Center +

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: "When dead owls hoot: what museum specimens can teach you" by Dr. Roar Solheim (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +

+ Festival wristband required: $12/adult, $8 ages 4-17, members and ages 3 & under free

Dates: March 1 - 3, 2024

Location:

Various Venues,
Houston, MN 55943.

Register Here

Click here for more information.