PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE RIO VISTA BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 12 WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY,  NOVEMBER 1 (9PM) UNTIL MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4 (5AM). PLAN EXTRA TIME TO TAKE OTHER ROUTES.

THE 2024 LODI SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 2-3. TOURS WILL TAKE PLACE NOVEMBER 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. RESERVATIONS FOR TOURS GO ON SALE SEPTEMBER 3, 2024.

THE 2024 FESTIVAL EVENTS (INCLUDING PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS, TOURS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES) CAN BE VIEWED HERE.

This year John Muir Laws is offering workshops about nature journaling and nature drawing during the festival. Click here to sign up and pay for the journaling workshop. Click here to sign up and pay for the drawing workshop. ng

WHY IS OUR FESTIVAL SPECIAL?

For 25 years, Lodi’s Sandhill Crane Festival has celebrated the return of the cranes. In partnership with the City of Lodi, the Festival tradition continues in November of 2023, welcoming an ever-growing circle of friends to our community to share the wonder of the Sandhill Crane … and so much more.

People return to our festival year after year because it is one of the best in California. It’s hard to say if that’s because of the excellent presenters and workshops, the many tours, the chance to shop in the exhibit hall, to view incredible art, or just to meet up with like-minded friends. One thing is certain; the Sandhill Cranes are the big attraction. This festival draws more people to Lodi than any other event.

A hundred years ago these magnificent birds darkened the skies over marshes in the Delta. Today, their numbers have been reduced to thousands. Because of this, the Lodi Sandhill Crane Association takes great pride in our efforts to promote crane conservation through our festival. We invite you to explore the wildlife refuges and farmlands in our area to experience first hand one of nature’s spectacles.

CLICK ON THE BOXES BELOW TO LEARN MORE:

Between October and February, Sandhill Cranes can be seen during the day feeding in fields throughout the California Delta. There is good viewing along Woodbridge Road, west of Interstate 5; on Staten Island Road, near Walnut Grove; and on the corner of Desmond Road and Bruceville Road in the Cosumnes River Preserve. In the evening they congregate in flooded fields at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, Staten Island, and the Cosumnes River Preserve.

Durning the spring and summer, the Greater Sandhill Cranes spread out in northern California and Oregon to raise their offspring. Lessers are spread out in Alaska and Siberia. Viewing the cranes becomes more difficult because the birds do not congregate in large numbers. Few people get to see the cranes hatching their young.    Click here to see a parent tending to its newly hatched colt.

You are reminded that all visitors at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve are required to poses a valid Lands Pass or hunting or fishing license. Lands Passes can be purchased at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Lands-Pass

You may be interested in knowing that other Sandhill Crane tours are available during the fall and winter. For more information about California Department of Fish and Wildlife tours during the season go to this CDFW website. For information about Sandhill Crane tours through the Cosumnes River Preserve, chick here.

Lodi Sandhill Crane Association gratefully acknowledges the support of these and others, whose generosity and commitment helps us to further promote Sandhill Crane conservation. For information on how to become a supporter, click here.

We also gratefully acknowledge the financial sponsors who support our Festival.

In addition, a special thank you to the tour leaders, presenters, exhibitors Hutchins Street Square staff and many volunteers whose assistance and support makes the Festival run smoothly.