Eagle Creek Park’s sixth annual Owl Fest – a two-day, family-friendly celebration of Indiana’s mysterious nocturnal hunter – takes place this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16 and 17, at Eagle Creek Ornithology Center, located inside the park at 6515 Delong Road, Indianapolis.
The fun begins at 10 a.m. both days with a full roster of events and activities including nature-themed games, pumpkin painting, live music, and a variety of wildlife programs presented by park naturalists. Guests also will have the opportunity to learn everything they’ve ever wanted to know about owl pellets (they may not be what you think they are!), and demonstrate their expertise at Quidditch.
Owl Fest is free with regular park admission but one scheduled event is ticketed with a charge: The Screech Owl Nest Box Workshop from 11 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Oct. 17. Click here to register.
The annual festival is one of the largest fundraisers at the park, with all proceeds benefiting the Eagle Creek Park Foundation for the long-term care of the park’s raptor ambassadors. T-shirts and a variety of refreshments (hot chocolate, cider, s’mores, popcorn) will be sold during Owl Fest. Additionally, a silent auction is in progress, now through Oct. 17, featuring items for bid including local handmade art, bird nest boxes, a guided birding tour to Minnesota, dining experiences at some of Indy’s finest restaurants, and more. Click here to peruse and participate in the auction.
Prior to Owl Fest, an additional fundraising event will be held to benefit the park’s raptor program: from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14 at Metazoa Brewing Co., 140 S. College Ave., Indianapolis. Ten percent of draft beer sales will be donated to the Foundation.
For more information about Owl Fest, visit eaglecreekpark.org.
About Eagle Creek Park
Eagle Creek Park is one of the nation’s largest municipal parks, with approximately 3,900 acres of land and 1,400 acres of water. The Eagle Creek Park Foundation, established in 1978, serves to promote, preserve, protect and enhance Eagle Creek Park. With community support, the Foundation provides financial and volunteer resources above and beyond limited funding from the City of Indianapolis to support essential park projects and programs that otherwise would not exist.