Madison Bird & Nature Festival 2026

Madison’s Bird & Nature Festival returns on Sunday, April 26, with four free hours of live birds, nature exhibits and kids activities at Warner Park Community Recreation Center. (cityofmadison.com) The City of Madison lists the event for noon to 4 p.m. at 1625 Northport Drive and says visitors can drop in for a 30- to 45-minute visit. The city says all ages are welcome and admission and parking are free. (cityofmadison.com) The schedule includes a featured talk by Alicia King of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology from 1 to 2 p.m., plus short guided bird and nature walks, telescope viewing of an eagle’s nest, kids fishing and free canoe paddling. Open Door Bird Sanctuary is bringing live birds of prey, including a hawk and eagles. (cityofmadison.com) City pages describe the festival as a celebration of Madison Bird City, Arbor Day and Earth Day. Madison Parks is also pairing it with the city’s spring nature programming, which includes Bird & Nature Adventures and the Earth Day Challenge cleanup on April 25. (cityofmadison.com 1) (cityofmadison.com 2) (cityofmadison.com 3) The event doubles as a showcase for local conservation groups and outdoor educators. The city says exhibitors include the International Crane Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of Cherokee Marsh, the University of Wisconsin Geology program, Bluebird Restoration and the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. (cityofmadison.com) Madison Parks is also using the festival to pull people into hands-on activities instead of a stage-only program. The city says the first 200 kids will get free kites, and the site lists face painting, native wildflower seed bombs, live snakes and reptiles, local music and food carts from Bit of Briana and El Pechu. (cityofmadison.com) The festival has become a recurring spring stop on the city calendar. City posts in April 2025 and April 2026 both promoted Bird & Nature Festival editions tied to Bird City, Arbor Day and Earth Day. (cityofmadison.com 1) (cityofmadison.com 2) For families, the pitch is simple: show up anytime between noon and 4 p.m., spend less than an hour or stay longer, and see birds, water, trails and local nature groups in one place. (cityofmadison.com)