Madison Bird & Nature Festival 2026

Madison’s Bird & Nature Festival returns Sunday, April 26, with four hours of free nature exhibits, talks, walks and children’s activities at Warner Park. (cityofmadison.com) The City of Madison lists the event from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive, with additional activities outside near the Rainbow Shelter in Warner Park. City organizers tell visitors to plan about 30 to 45 minutes for a visit and say parking, restrooms and admission are free. (cityofmadison.com) The festival is billed as a celebration of Madison Bird City, Arbor Day and Earth Day. The city’s event page says visitors can see live birds from Open Door Bird Sanctuary and visit nature displays throughout the day. (cityofmadison.com) Madison Parks is pitching the event as a spring outdoor-season gathering, with local nature groups offering exhibits, presentations and hands-on activities for all ages. The parks department’s homepage says the lineup includes talks, walks and kid-focused programming. (cityofmadison.com) The timing ties the festival to a broader week of city-backed environmental events. Madison is also running its Earth Day Challenge on Saturday, April 25, asking volunteers to help clean local parks the day before the festival. (cityofmadison.com) City officials have been promoting the festival through council district newsletters this week, including District 20’s April 17 roundup. Those notices repeat the same core message: free admission, family-friendly programming and live birds on display. (cityofmadison.com) Warner Park’s recreation center is also carrying the event on its own calendar, placing the festival alongside other neighborhood programming at the northeast-side facility. The center describes itself as a multi-purpose public building for recreational, educational and cultural events. (cityofmadison.com) For visitors, the practical takeaway is simple: show up Sunday afternoon, spend half an hour or more moving between indoor and outdoor stops, and expect a city-run Earth Day weekend event built around birds, trees and local nature groups. (cityofmadison.com)