The 2023 High Plains Snow Goose Festival Returns to Lamar February 3 – 5, 2023

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the High Plains Snow Goose Festival with three days of tours and events.

 

LAMAR, Colorado — Southeastern Colorado’s High Plains Snow Goose Festival is set to return to Lamar from February 3rd through the 5th.

Lamar is home to more than 400 species of birds over a year, making it one of the best birding locations in Colorado. Surrounded by grasslands and plains, the riparian habitats of Lamar draw thousands of birds in need of rest during their seasonal migrations. Lamar is, by all definitions, an oasis for our feathered friends.

This natural phenomenon is celebrated during the Annual High Plains Snow Goose Festival, one of Colorado’s largest birding festivals. It’s held every February when the fields and reservoirs of southeastern Colorado turn white—not from snow but from the large white geese arriving by the thousands during their traditional migration to their winter roosts.

“You do not want to miss the magnificent sight and sounds of seeing the snow geese. This year’s 20th anniversary will be the best one yet,” says High Plains Snow Goose Festival Director, Jessica Medina.

This year’s festival is scheduled for February 3rd through February 5th, and it’s expected that families, bird watchers, and a variety of outdoor enthusiasts will come to see the arctic waterfowl as they arrive via the Western Central Flyway that includes Colorado, New Mexico, and the Texas Panhandle.

While many of the festival’s popular events and experts are returning from previous years, new tours and events have been added to the schedule in celebration of the festival’s 20th anniversary. These include a free tour of Colorado Mills, where participants will have the opportunity to see how the local sunflower manufacturer works, and a tour of John Martin Reservoir Dam, where U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rangers will give an interpretive tour about the history and importance of the dam as participants explore it inside and out.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary Founder, Pat Craig, has also joined the 2023 schedule. Pat began saving captive wildlife when he was 19, becoming the youngest state and federally-licensed person in the country as well as the first person to build a sanctuary dedicated to saving large carnivores.

With lots of events to choose from, participants may book tours in advance to reserve their spots. These include a Raptor and Snow Goose tour, a Camp Amache tour, a sunrise tour to see snow geese wake and fly off to their feeding grounds, and more. While some of the tours require paid tickets, many of the events are free and fun for the whole family.

“We have packed the festival with so many great things to do. As always, there will be wildlife to see, heritage to learn, and memories made. We have seen lifelong friendships forged at these festivals throughout their 20 years. This year, we have brought back the banquet and added a lot more fun things to do for the kids. Bring the whole family and count on having a great, educational, fun time,” says Medina.

This year’s keynote speaker is Alison Kondler of BirdingByEar.com. Through her presentation, “Birds Heard in Words,” Alison will take participants through her mnemonic-based learning techniques to build brain-bridges from the bird’s sound to a bird watcher’s memory.

“This year we celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary,” says Chad Hart, Prowers County Lodging Tax Board Member. “Traditionally well attended by all ages from surrounding areas and other states, we always have a lot to offer, and this year is no exception. With the additional tours and speakers, we believe this festival will be our best yet.”

For more information on the High Plains Snow Goose Festival, visit highplainssnowgoose.com.

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