Lodi Sandhill Crane Association Board Meeting

This paid workshop and field trip is focused on Nature Journaling. With guidance from John Muir Laws and his Wild Wonder Foundation, explore new ways of looking at nature while recording your observations in words and images. Following the workshop, apply the techniques of nature journaling in an exploration of the Lodi Lake Nature Area, a unique riparian resource on the Mokelumne River in the heart of Lodi.

The Festival Exhibit Hall is open to all Festival attendees, free of charge, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, November 4th and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 5th. The Hall houses commercial vendors, public agencies, non-profit agencies, education organizations and activities that focus on Sandhill Cranes, and the diverse wildlife and their habitats found in the Lodi area.

Sandhill Cranes migrate through a number of states as they fly to and from their summer nesting sites in Alaska and Canada to warmer states and Mexico for the winter months. No place gets more Sandhill Cranes than the Platte River outside of Kearney, Nebraska, where over 500,000 Sandhill Cranes and several hundred Whooping Cranes spend up to 6 weeks.

Stop by for hands on exploration that gives people of all ages the opportunity to expand their knowledge … and have fun doing it. Jay Bell, former Lodi USD Science Specialist, shares his collection of artifacts and equipment to offer a closer look, and a better understanding, of cranes and their adaptations.

Learn origami crane folding from our volunteer “experts”.  This activity is FREE … and everyone is welcomed to give it a try.  Stop by to learn more about the cultural significance of origami cranes and the history of this unique Japanese art form. 

Gabe Kerschner with Wild Things! returns with some of their special animals for this fun and educational program.  In past years he has shared a mountain lion, brown bear, raccoon, Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, rattlesnake, and other rescued animals that could not be returned to the wild. This presentation repeats on Sunday at 1:40 PM.

Welcome back Denis and James Kurata, who will perform this ancient form of Japanese music that has been a Festival highlight for 24 years.