Festival of the Cranes celebrates annual migration of the long-legged and long-necked birds

DECATUR – An annual event that draws hundreds of spectators and thousands of bird returns next month.

The Festival of the Cranes recognizes the 14,000 Sandhill Cranes and several pairs of Whooping Cranes who spend the winter each year at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (WNWR) in Decatur.

The Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association hosts the three-day event offering a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. The festival is Jan. 10-12 with activities at WNWR, Princess Theatre and Alabama Center for the Arts in downtown Decatur.

Festival of the Cranes has become a popular event regardless of the festivalgoer’s birding experience. There are activities for experienced birders, for those with little to no birding knowledge and for anyone who would like to learn more about birding and other wildlife that call the Refuge home.

Guests are invited to visit the WNWR Observation Building at 3121 Visitor Center Road in Decatur to view thousands of Sandhill cranes along with several Whooping cranes, ducks, geese, raptors and perhaps a bald eagle from the comfort of the heated building. There are bleachers and spotting scopes available along with volunteers and staff to answer questions. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring a camera and binoculars. A bird walk with Christopher Joe will take place 3 p.m. Jan. 10.

The Princess Theatre and Alabama Center for the Arts in downtown Decatur are also offering special presentations, speakers and workshops in conjunction with the festival.

A “Muscle Shoals Meets the ’80s” concert featuring the Fiddleworms along with special guests including Kelvin Holly, Jay Burgess, Gary Baker, Jimmy Nutt, Dave Anderson, Mike Dillon, Marty Lewis, James LeBlanc, G Mane, Gary Nichols, Rob Aldridge, Bay Simpson, Daniel Crisler, Angela Hacker, Carla Russell, Microwave Dave, the Decatur High School Marching Band, among other noted artists, will take place at the Princess Theatre at 7 p.m., Jan. 10. Tickets may be purchased from https://www.princesstheatre.org/. For a schedule of events for all three locations, visit https://www.friendsofwheelernwr.org/foc-2025.

For more information, visit https://www.friendsofwheelernwr.org/foc-2025 or follow Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association – WWRA on Facebook for the latest updates.