This is our 27th annual Othello Sandhill Crane Festival!! Founded in 1998, the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival highlights the spring return of Sandhill Cranes to the greater Othello area and the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. Lectures will be delivered on Friday night and all-day Saturday. Tours will be offered on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Our festival will remain at both of our venues this year to continue improving room size, audience capacity, and space.
Schedule of Events
SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025
07:00 AM- 12:00 PM - Field Trip:Royal Slope Birding Bus Tour - $60.00 - Randy Hill
07:15 AM- 08:45 AM - Field Trip: Crane Viewing Tour - $25.00 - Dan Haas
08:00 AM- 04:00 PM - Field Trip:The Great Escape of Quincy Basin - $60.00 - Lloyd Stoess & Ken Lacy
09:00 AM- 03:00 PM - HIKE: Mega Floods through Wild Drumheller Channels - $60.00 - Bruce Bjornstad
11:00 AM- 01:30 PM - Field Trip: Potholes Reservoir Boat Birding Tour - $90.00 - Nathan LaFrance (Mardon)
02:00 PM- 04:30 PM - Field Trip: Potholes Reservoir Boat Birding Tour - $90.00 - Nathan LaFrance (Mardon)
03:30 PM- Dark - Field Trip: Tonnemaker Hill Farm Tour - $25.00 - Luke Tonnemaker (Farm)
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
On Saturday, the Children Committee will have a variety of activities for kids, such as faux binoculars to use for "birding" in the gym by finding pictures of various birds, origami crane mobiles, mask making, and many other activities.
LOCATION: School Gym /McFarland Middle School
FEE: Children under twelve are free with a paid adult. General admission ticket $10.00 gets you into the Festival on Saturday and covers all lectures and events.
SCHEDULE
9:00-3:00-Art Projects / Craft Projects offered:
Binocular build/ Utilize to locate various birds within the gym
Quail Magnet
Origami Crane
Crane Stick puppet
Leaf Caterpillar
9:00-3:00-Face Painting
10:00-2:00-Personalized plaster crane inspired masks
Other Activities:
Othello Community Museum Tour / Tours are scheduled on Friday and Saturday.
Art Walk / Self Guided. Maps available at The Old Hotel.
The Old Hotel Art Gallery (33 E. Larch St). The gallery displays folk art and handicrafts produced by Northwestern artists.
Date: March 21-23, 2025
