(Town of Lenox, NY- April 2013) Come celebrate the return of spring at the Great Swamp Conservancy’s 12 annual Spring Migration Art Festival on May 4 and 5. This major fundraiser for the 15-year-old nonprofit nature center in Madison County offers something for everyone, art and craft lovers, nature enthusiasts, art and environmental educators, conservationists and kids of all ages.
Featured artist this year is Claudia Loomis Chandler, a fine artist, silver jeweler, spinner, weaver and designer of knits and felt works. Her basketry, gossamer wools, rugs, paintings and jewelry reflect her love of nature. In addition there are more than 40 other wildlife artist and crafters exhibiting and offering artwork for sale.
Entertainment includes Talons with their birds of prey demonstrating trained falcons both days. Animal Adventure Park of Harpursville will bring wild babies to show up close to pet and photograph on Saturday, May 4. Sunday the Utica Zoomobile will bring more wildlife so bring your cameras. Also Dan the Snake Man will present his “Best Pets” on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Each day a guided Bird Walk will start at 8 a.m. The Swamp Snappers Camera Club will have a display and sale of more than 300 photographs. There will be displays by Trout Unlimited, Reynold’s Game Bird Farm, Wanderers’ Rest and more. There will be a quail release each day (1,000 were raised this year over the winter). There will be much more to see and do including games, food, music and animals.
The event barn opens at 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. each day. Fee is $3 adults, $1 per child. The GSC is located at the corner of North Main Street and Pine Ridge Road, Canastota, about 4 miles from the NYS Thruway exit 34.
Lineup of Events
Saturday May 4:
8:00am Guided Bird Walk
10:00am Festival opens with wildlife artists and crafters
10:00am-4:00pm TALONS- Birds of Prey
10:00am-4:00pm Animal Adventure Park
11:00am-12:00noon Iryna Jurvich Suzuki Violin Studio
12:00-3:00pm music by Dove Creek
3:00pm Quail Release
Sunday May 5
8:00am Guided Bird Walk
10:00am Festival opens with wildlife artists and crafters
10:00am-4:00pm TALONS- Birds of Prey
11:00am-3:00pm Dan the Snake Man -theme Best Pets
11:00am-3:00pm Utica Zoomobile
10:00am-noon Music by Ann Weider
12:00-3:00pm Off the Wall -blue grass music
All Day Both Days
Naturalist Susan Jones-Ornithology lab on Bird flight, feather, and migration
Reynold’s Game Farm Live Pheasant display
Trout Unlimited
Children’s Nature Hut Area
Boy Scout Troop 43
Madison County Dept. of Health
CAP- Community Action Program