Birding Festival of the South

Birding Festival of the South The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn, takes flight in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas October 8 - 10, 2026! 🐦

🐦 Field Trip registration for the Birding Festival of the South is NOW OPEN! Register now and find more information at: ...
09/06/2026

🐦 Field Trip registration for the Birding Festival of the South is NOW OPEN! Register now and find more information at: https://hotsprings.swoogo.com/birding/sign-in?a=1

The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn, will take place October 8 - 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.

🗓 Friday, October 9

🐦 Birding at Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area with Secretary Shea Lewis - $50
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding on the Hot Springs Greenway with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk with Bonner Black - $56
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding in the Northwoods Trails with Alison Kondler - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding Without Barriers: Birdability Car Birding at Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hulsey Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding at Lake Balboa - Hot Springs Village - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Guided Hike: Birding the Ouachita Forest at Lake Catherine State Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Counting Feathers in Hot Springs National Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🗓 Saturday, October 10

🐦 Bird Banding Up Close: A Morning at Little Rock Audubon Center - $70
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding at the Northwoods Trails with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Badgerland Birding at Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Extremely Accurate Birds on the Hot Springs Greenway - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat with Samuel Henderson: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🐦 Red-cockaded Woodpecker Tour in the Ouachita National Forest - $180
Transportation Provide

It's almost field trip time! 🐦 Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open TOMORROW - Sunday, Septem...
09/05/2026

It's almost field trip time! 🐦 Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open TOMORROW - Sunday, September 6!

The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn, will take place October 8 - 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. Here's everything you need to know before field trip registration opens! ⬇️

🗓 Friday, October 9

🐦 Birding at Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area with Secretary Shea Lewis - $50
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding on the Hot Springs Greenway with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk with Bonner Black - $56
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding in the Northwoods Trails with Alison Kondler - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding Without Barriers: Birdability Car Birding at Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hulsey Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding at Lake Balboa - Hot Springs Village - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Guided Hike: Birding the Ouachita Forest at Lake Catherine State Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Counting Feathers in Hot Springs National Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🗓 Saturday, October 10

🐦 Bird Banding Up Close: A Morning at Little Rock Audubon Center - $70
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding at the Northwoods Trails with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Badgerland Birding at Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Extremely Accurate Birds on the Hot Springs Greenway - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat with Samuel Henderson: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🐦 Red-cockaded Woodpecker Tour in the Ouachita National Forest - $180
Transportation Provide

For more information and to register tomorrow, visit: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

A little birdie told us tickets are flying fast! 🐦 If you've been waiting to register for the Birding Festival of the So...
09/04/2026

A little birdie told us tickets are flying fast! 🐦 If you've been waiting to register for the Birding Festival of the South, now's the time to get registered - before it's sold out.

Registrants will receive a pass package including an official festival laminate, tote bag, metal tumbler, Field Guide, access to the vendor hall, workshops, panels, keynote speakers, kids’ activities, and meet-you-there-field trips.

The Birding Festival of the South is presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs. 🎟 Passes are $35 and can be found at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

🐦🎸 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, is thrilled to welcome birding advocate and sing...
09/03/2026

🐦🎸 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, is thrilled to welcome birding advocate and singer-songwriter, Bonner Black!

Bonner Black not only loves to sing about birds, but she also tirelessly advocates for their protection and conservation! Black will perform her songs on Friday, October 9, at the Hot Springs Convention Center. She will also lead a morning Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk at Garvan Woodland Gardens. The musical performance is included as part of the festival weekend pass, but the bird walk has a limited capacity and requires separate registration.

In April she released her fourth studio project, a five-song EP titled “Little Bird In A Big Sky,” which was inspired by the incredible endurance of migrating birds. It draws a powerful parallel between the epic thousand-mile journeys of small birds over the ocean and overcoming personal struggles.

Bonner Black's schedule below! ⬇️
Friday, October 9
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. - Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk at Garvan Woodland Gardens
5:30 p.m. - A 30-minute musical performance at the Hot Springs Convention Center

The first 500 to register will receive a full package including an official festival laminate, tote bag, metal tumbler, a Birding Festival of the South Field Guide, access to vendor hall, workshops, panels, keynote speakers, kids’ activities and meet-you-there-field trips. Weekend passes are $35.

📍Please note, separate registration is required for the field trips and capacities may vary, available September 6. The festival pass does not include participation in exclusive field trips where transportation is provided.

🎟 Passes are available now at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

09/01/2026

🐦 The Birding Festival of the South takes flight October 8 - 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas! Register now for 3 days of field trips, film, music performances, vendors, and more - presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs.

Register now: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

It's almost field trip time! 🐦 Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open Sunday, September 6.The B...
08/30/2026

It's almost field trip time! 🐦 Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open Sunday, September 6.

The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn, will take place October 8 - 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. 🔗 Find field trip descriptions and times at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

🗓 Friday, October 9

🐦 Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk with Bonner Black at Garvan Woodland Gardens - $56
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding at Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area with Secretary Shea Lewis - $50
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding on the Hot Springs Greenway with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding in the Northwoods Trails with Alison Kondler - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding Without Barriers: Birdability Car Birding at Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hulsey Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding at Lake Balboa - Hot Springs Village - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Guided Hike: Birding the Ouachita Forest at Lake Catherine State Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Counting Feathers in Hot Springs National Park - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🗓 Saturday, October 10

🐦 Bird Banding Up Close: A Morning at Little Rock Audubon Center - $70
Transportation Provided

🐦 Birding at the Northwoods Trails with Ted Floyd - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Badgerland Birding at Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding with Extremely Accurate Birds on the Hot Springs Greenway - FREE
Transportation Not Provided

🐦 Birding by Boat with Samuel Henderson: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park - $48
Transportation Provided

🐦 Red-cockaded Woodpecker Tour in the Ouachita National Forest - $180
Transportation Provide

🐦 It's , our weekly series highlighting the incredible birds found right here in the Natural State!Today we are looking...
08/28/2026

🐦 It's , our weekly series highlighting the incredible birds found right here in the Natural State!

Today we are looking up at an awe-inspiring, late-summer spectacle that feels like pure magic, the annual roosting of the Chimney Swift. Often described as "ci**rs with wings," these small, dark, torpedo-shaped birds spend almost their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, and even gathering nest twigs on the fly!

Late August is peak time for swift migration in Hot Springs, Arkansas! As thousands of Chimney Swifts prepare for their epic journey to South America, they gather in massive communal roosts each evening.

Just before dusk in Hot Springs, between 8:00PM and 8:30PM, a remarkable sight unfolds over historic Bathhouse Row. Hundreds of Chimney Swifts swirl into a dynamic, tornado-like funnel above the Buckstaff Bathhouse before plunging into its massive chimney to roost for the night. It’s easily one of the most incredible wildlife phenomena you can witness right in the heart of downtown!

🐦 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, welcomes Audubon Master Birder, Alison Kondler of...
08/26/2026

🐦 The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, welcomes Audubon Master Birder, Alison Kondler of Birding by Ear!

Kondler will lead a field trip at Hot Springs’ Northwoods Trails as part of the inaugural Birding Festival of the South, happening October 8 -10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.

Kondler is an Audubon Master Birder, keynote speaker, and creator of the social media platform . Through bird sound mimicry, creative mnemonics, and storytelling, she teaches people how to identify birds by ear using techniques that connect with different learning styles. Her talks make bird sounds approachable, memorable, and fun.

She will give a keynote talk on Saturday, October 10, at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Attendance is included as part of the festival pass, which costs $35. On Friday, October 9, Kondler will lead a field trip to the city’s Northwoods lakes region around Lakes Dillon and Bethel. 📍 Please note, participation in that field trip will require a separate registration, open on September 6.

🎟 Passes available at: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

Kondler’s talk and field trip schedule below! ⬇️

🐦 Friday, October 9 | 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Northwoods Trails field trip with Alison Kondler
Approximately 2 mile hike, approximately 2 hours, taking attendees around Lake Dillon and along Lake Bethel. Difficulty: easy to moderate
-300 Pineland Drive Hot Springs National Park, AR 71901

🐦 Saturday, October 10 | 4 p.m.
Keynote - Hot Springs Convention Center
Birds Heard in Words - A Creative Approach to Learning Bird Sounds

🐦 A little birdie told us YOU want to be a vendor at the Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs...
08/25/2026

🐦 A little birdie told us YOU want to be a vendor at the Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs!

📌 Register now at: tinyurl.com/ykzp6xdy

The Birding Festival of the South will take place in Hot Springs, Arkansas October 8 - 10, and will be designed around the interests of beginner, novice and serious birders alongside cultural arts events that will be inspired by birding. The timing of the event will coincide with the annual Fall Migration, opening the exciting opportunity to see birds not native to Hot Springs.

A limited number of 8x8 foot spaces will be available for vendors and a six-foot table with two chairs, with electricity available. Each vendor registration will include two vendor passes for the weekend. Each general vendor fee is $300. Vendor spaces for nonprofits will be $200.

The schedule for vendor participants will be:

🐦 Thursday, October 8, 2026
8 AM - 12 PM | Set Up
12 PM - 7 PM | Vendor Hall Open

🐦 Friday, October 9
7 AM - 8 AM | Set Up
8 AM - 4 PM | Vendor Hall Open

🐦 Saturday, October 10
8 AM - 4 PM | Vendor Hall Open

Who's ready for field trips? 🐦🙋‍♀️ Save the date, Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open on Sun...
08/21/2026

Who's ready for field trips? 🐦🙋‍♀️ Save the date, Birding Festival of the South field trip registration will open on Sunday, September 6!

The Birding Festival of the South, presented by Oaklawn Hot Springs, will take place October 8 - 10 in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. Here's everything you need to know before field trip registration opens! ⬇️

📍All field trips will require prior registration.

📍Two types of field trips will be offered: "Meet you there field trips" where participants will meet at the location, and field trips where transportation will be provided by the festival.

📍All "Meet you there" field trips will be FREE for Birding Festival of the South Pass Holders, but will require participants to sign up in advance.

📍Field trips where transportation is provided will require an additional fee for Birding Festival of the South pass holders. Fees may vary. Participants will meet at and return to the Hot Springs Convention Center.

📍All trip registrations are first come first serve.

📍Free "Meet you There" Field Trips Include: Birding on the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail with Ted Floyd, Birding in the Northwoods Trails with Alison Kondler Birding By Ear, a Guided Hike at Lake Catherine State Park, Counting Feathers in Hot Springs National Park, Birding at the Northwoods with Ted Floyd, Birding with Badgerland Birding at Andrew H. Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, Birding with Extremely Accurate Birds on the Hot Springs Greenway.

📍Field Trips where transportation will be provided and will require an additional fee to pass holders include: Birding at Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area with Shea Lewis, Birds on the Brain Meditation and Bird Walk with Bonner Black at Garvan Woodland Gardens, Birding by Boat: Eagle and Winter Waterfowl Watch Tour at Lake Ouachita State Park, Bird Banding Up Close: A Morning at Little Rock Audubon Center, and Red-cockaded Woodpecker tour in the Ouachita National Forest

Register for the festival and find more information here: hotsprings.org/events/birding-festival-of-the-south/

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Hot Springs, AR

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