Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival
Enjoy nature walks, bird and wildlife viewing, photography, workshops, kid’s activities, silent auction, food, a chance to win Alaska Airlines Tickets, and more! View the full schedule below.
All events are FREE to the public and will be at Creamer’s Field unless otherwise stated. Donations are appreciated.
Caption Contest
Think you're funny? Now's your chance to prove it!
Submit your caption via our Google form linked below. Entries are due by August 23rd.
Winning captions will be posted to our social media channels!
Coloring Contest
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Schedule is still in progress! Check back soon for additional programs and events.
Saturday, August 15
10:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Broadside Theater: "The Million Dollar Duck" (2016)
Sunday, August 16
6:00 PM
Music at the Refuge
Wednesday, August 19
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Friends of Creamer's Field Annual Meeting
Join Friends of Creamer’s Field for their 2024 Annual Meeting. Learn what FOCF has accomplished this year and what is planned for 2027!
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Volunteer Training
Grab a slice and brush up on the basics of Sandhill Crane ecology! Attendees will also have the oppurtunity to sign up for volunteer shifts for the main festival weekend (August 22&23)
Thursday, August 20
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Kick-off Event at Black Spruce Brewing
Join Friends of Creamer’s Field and Black Spruce Brewing Company for a kick-off event at Black Spruce Brewing (3290 Peger Rd). Celebrate the 29th Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival with a glass of Sandhill Sippa!
Saturday, August 22
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Waterfowl Banding with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Learn about waterfowl banding from Alaska Department of Fish & Game staff. Weather dependent.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Coffee, Cranes, and Conservation
Grab a cup of coffee and a pastry, enjoy the view, and spend a relaxed morning visiting with fellow crane enthusiasts at Creamer’s Field.
10:00 AM
Nature Walk
Explore the Refuge trails with volunteer naturalists.
11:00 AM
Kid's Crane Walk
A walk for kids of all ages!
12:00 PM
Calling All Cranes!
A crane calling contest for all ages. Costumes encouraged.
1:00 PM
Story Time
Join us for a kid's story time!
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Crane Painting *while supplies last*
Create your own wooden sandhill crane keepsake! Paint a pre-cut wooden crane head to take home and remember your day at the Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival. Supplies are limited.
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Conservation Connections
Stop by and visit with local organizations supporting conservation, wildlife, and education in Interior Alaska!
3:00 PM
Birds of Prey LIVE!
Local falconers share their knowledge of hawks and falcons.
7:00 PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Sandhill Cranes in the Tanana Valley - the past and future
Join us for a panel discussion exploring what we know about sandhill cranes in the Tanana Valley. Retired biologists John Wright and Brian Lawhead will share their experiences studying cranes at Creamer’s Refuge and across Alaska beginning in the late 1970s. Looking ahead, Nate LaShomb will discuss current refuge farming practices and how they support both waterfowl and cranes. Together, our speakers will reveal what decades of research, observation, and conservation at Creamer’s Field tell us about crane lifespans, migration routes, and much more.
The presentation will be held at the Taiga Center at Wedgewood Resort. Donation: $5. Seating is limited.
Sunday, August 23
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Fall Birding Hot Spots with Jeff Walters
Carpool to Fairbanks’ best birding spots with Jeff Walters. Meet at the Creamer’s Farmhouse parking lot at 8am.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Waterfowl Banding with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Learn about waterfowl banding from Alaska Department of Fish & Game staff. Weather dependent.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Coffee, Cranes, and Conservation
Grab a cup of coffee and a pastry, enjoy the view, and spend a relaxed morning visiting with fellow crane enthusiasts at Creamer’s Field.
10 AM
Taking the Long View - 60 years of bird conservation
Join Jessica Shepherd and Mark D. Ross, the author and illustrator of A Place for the Birds, for a guided walk exploring the Refuge's natural and cultural history. Hear the stories and inspiration behind the book while discovering the landscapes, wildlife, and history that make Creamer's Field so special.
11 AM - 2 PM
Book Fair
Visit with local authors and illustrators. Fiction, wildlife, poetry, and more.
If you are an Alaskan author or illustrator who would like to participate, email programs@friendsofcreamersfield.org.
12 PM
Hopper Hunt
An all ages walk exploring what cranes eat!
12 PM
Poetry Workshop
A workshop with award-winning Alaskan poet, Linda Schandelmeier.
1 PM
Alaska Cavity Nesting Birds
with Tom Robinson from Ducks Unlimited.
2 PM - 4 PM
Bird Box Building *while supplies last*
with Ducks Unlimited volunteers!
2:30 PM
Sketching Workshop with Eden Smith
Join featured artist Eden Smith for a sketching workshop!
3 PM
Photography Workshop
Wander the trails with local photographer Bud Marschner and learn tips and tricks for photographing wildlife. Bring your camera!
4 PM - 5 PM
Ice Cream Social
Close out the festival and celebrate our 2026 summer season!
Everyone is welcome for ice cream with homemade crane-berry toppings.
$5 donation, complimentary for festival volunteers!
Ongoing Events (Saturday & Sunday)
Crane Watch with Arctic Audubon
Join naturalists from Arctic Audubon Society at the viewing platforms at Creamer’s.
Crane Themed Crafts & Crane Origami
Stop by the craft table to complete a crane-themed craft to take home.
Crane Poetry Walk
Enjoy poems by local writers displayed along the Farm Road Trail. Poems can be submitted any time at the Farmhouse. Refuge trails are always open.
Silent Auction
Support Friends of Creamer’s Field by participating in the Silent Auction in the Farmhouse Visitor’s Center. Questions? Call (907) 978-8457.
Posters Throughout the Years
Step back in time and see 29 years of Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival posters!
Crane Bingo
Pick up a bingo card at the Creamer’s Farmhouse and play throughout the festival.
Crane Coloring Contest
Get your creative juices flowing and express yourself by picking up coloring pages at the Farmhouse Visitor Center, or visit our website to download a copy and print one out yourself! Return it to the refuge by 4:00pm on Saturday, August 22nd.
Featured Artist
Eden Smith
Ever since she was young, Eden has been drawn to birds, creating her first field guide at 4 years old! Since then, she has become a field biologist and wildlife artist. Her fieldwork has taken her all over, including Alaska, Panama, California, and a smattering of other states. She believes that science and art go hand in hand, and she demonstrates this by using what she observes in the field to create pieces based on real behaviors and experiences. Her main goal is to spread the joy of birds and art to everyone!
Instagram: @bird_soup
The festival is hosted by the Friends of Creamer’s Field in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Arctic Audubon Society, and Ducks Unlimited.
Sponsors
Thank you for your support!
