BirdFest & Bluegrass

BirdFest & Bluegrass is the event put on by the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the City of Ridgefield, to celebrate the Refuge, the community, and everything nature has to offer. Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge will be fee-free on Saturday, October 7th for BirdFest & Bluegrass 2023! Seasonal Trails, including the Kiwa Trail and Carty Lake Trail, will be open! On the Carty Unit, follow the Friends' self-guided hike, attend the Geology walk, check out our partners and do some crafts. Take a drive around the River 'S' Auto Tour, or head Downtown for Bluegrass Music, vendors, crafts, and more! Sandhill Crane Tour tickets will be available for purchase in advance only.

Downloadable & Screen-Reader Friendly Schedule

Download the flyer with a printable page and screen-reader-friendly PDF

BirdFest Website info

Button purchase locations, Refuge event schedule, Bird of the Year details, and more!

Bluegrass Music, Family Activities & Marketplace

The Schedule for the City of Ridgefield downtown events; including Family crafts, music schedules, and shopping, orienteering, and more.

BirdFest & Bluegrass 2023 Sweatshirt

Support BirdFest & Bluegrass, celebrate conservation, and commemorate your attendance at the event, Saturday, October 7th, 2023! This environmentally conscious hoodie uses recycled materials to create a midweight blended fabric. With a wide range of sizes, it’s the perfect match for large groups wanting to minimize their environmental footprint.

Walk for the Wild

We're on a mission to empower wildlife and humans to thrive. The challenge is to get people moving a distance of 5K in nature and to raise funds to support the future Community Nature Center at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Join us Sat, Oct 7, 2023, @ 11 AM. Register, donate, and more...

Sandhill Crane Tour Registration

The most unique viewing experience BirdFest has to offer! This is a once in a lifetime chance to hear and see the magnificent flight of hundreds of Sandhill Cranes as they visit their night roost. Join expert staff to learn about cranes and wildlife. Participants will be asked to drive their personal vehicles a short distance to the roosting area, and walk approximately 500 yards over rough, uneven terrain. RSVP EARLY, SPACE LIMITED

Learn to Kayak Tour with Alder Creek Kayak

Paddle along Lake River near Bachelor Island and look for bald eagles, blue herons and so much more! As part of the tour, we cover basic paddling skills including launching, strokes, maneuvering, and how to stay safe on the water. This tour is a great way to get out on the water learn paddling fundamentals!

Visit the Refuge

Find maps and directions to the two separate units of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, the River 'S' Unit and Auto Tour, and the Carty Unit.

Visiting a Refuge

Not a Park! Wildlife Refuges are different, find out how

Partner Party Partner List

Dark Sky International

DarkSky International restores the nighttime environment and protects communities from the harmful effects of light pollution through outreach, advocacy, and conservation.

Washington Trails Association

Washington Trails Association mobilizes hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward, and champion trails and public lands.

Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries

Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) serves residents of southwest Washington in rural, suburban, and urban settings in Klickitat and Skamania Counties, all of Clark County except for the City of Camas, and the City of Woodland and the Yale Valley Library District in Cowlitz County.

USFWS Fire Management

Eighty percent of Service lands, from marsh to forest to prairie, evolved with fire and depend on periodic fire to remain productive wildlife habitat. Fire is a vital conservation tool. The Service’s fire management program has three main areas of focus: fuels management wildfire management wildfire prevention