The Sandhill Crane Festival will be held Saturday, January 13 and Sunday, January 14 in Birchwood, Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, “the festival celebrates the return of 20,000 or more sandhill cranes that stopover or spend the winter on or near the Hiwassee Refuge. It is also an opportunity to focus attention on the rich heritage of the state and the Native American history of the area. This free event runs 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily and includes shuttle transportation from the Birchwood Community Center to the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park and the Hiwassee Refuge. Volunteers will be on-hand, with spotting scopes that allow for an up close view of not only sandhill cranes but many waterfowl and bald eagles.”
Visitors can enjoy free musical shows and vendors and educators will also be available at all locations. For more information visit the TWRA website.