Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival
August 2, 2015 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Michigan DNR Event – Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival
The Department of Natural Resources and the Frank N. Anderson Foundation will host the 20th annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival Aug. 1-2 at Bay City State Recreation Area’s Saginaw Bay Visitor Center.
Activities run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. A Recreation Passport is required for each vehicle that enters the park for the festival. Passports (for those who have not gotten them with their vehicle registration) are $11 and can be purchased at the park the day of the festival or at any state park prior to the festival.
The weekend’s festivities include a Hunting and Outdoor Recreation Expo, the Michigan Duck and Goose Calling Contest, the 2016 Michigan Duck Hunters Association Michigan Duck Stamp Competition, adult and youth duck-calling clinics, a wildlife arts and crafts show and a wildlife carving show.
Special guest exhibitors include wildlife taxidermist Travis McLeod, waterfowl carver Tony Kirby, wildlife artist Gina Calocassides, and wildlife photographers Michael and Teresa McGill.
Other activities include:
- Wildlife Recovery live animal presentations.
- Waterfowl ID trail.
- Chainsaw carving contest.
- Parent/youth canoe races.
- Future Duck Stamp Contest for young artists.
- Opportunities to learn from featured artists.
- Wildlife photography contest with professional, amateur and junior divisions.
- Quack-athalon competition for teams of one adult and two youths.
- Retrieving dog demonstrations and fun trials.
- Special presentations by the DNR Wildlife and Law Enforcement divisions, including programs on endangered and invasive species.
- Outdoor sportsmen and conservation information booths, where kids can even earn a Junior Ranger Patch by visiting selected booths.
Additional sponsors making the Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival possible include the Friends of Bay City State Recreation Area, Michigan Duck Hunters Association, Cabela’s, Ducks Unlimited, the Michigan Waterfowl Legacy, Frank’s Great Outdoors, Toyota, the National Environmental Education Foundation, General Motors Foundation and the Dow Corporation.
For more information about the 2015 Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival, visit the Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival Facebook page or the Friends of Bay City State Recreation Area website at www.friendsofpark.org or call the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center at 989-667-0717.
