California Department of Fish & Wildlife

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.

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 23 years. Taiko drumming originated in Japan hundreds of years ago and is now performed all around the world.

Join Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey. See hawks and owls up close and learn their unique stories. Native Bird Connections will bring several live, non-releasable birds - possibly a Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian Eagle Owl, and others.

Get inspired and join artists from the Lodi Community Art Center to create your own mini painting on canvas to take home.

Join Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey. See hawks and owls up close and learn their unique stories. Native Bird Connections will bring several live, non-releasable birds - possibly a Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian Eagle Owl, and others.

Dr. Gary Ivey will talk about the Sandhill Crane populations that breed and winter in California and the broader Pacific Flyway.  He will discuss the migration routes, wintering, and breeding areas of the 3 subspecies that use the state.  He will speak about their behavior and biology and also their conservation needs in the Flyway and the California Delta.

Join us in welcoming Paul Tebbel as Sunday’s keynote speaker.  What makes cranes so special?  This program combines video footage and photos with research results and personal anecdotes to introduce you to Sandhill Cranes and to help you understand how their physical and behavioral characteristics and their life history makes them special.  Paul has spent over 45 years watching, researching and learning about cranes.  This program is suitable for all age audiences, especially those just learning about cranes.

Obi Kaufmann, best-selling author of the California Field Atlas, is Saturday’s keynote speaker.  In his artful yet analytical work, Obi explores the transformation of California’s resource landscape, from its ancient origins to its modern challenges and future possibilities.  Heightened with lyrical prose and supported by well-sourced science, Obi demonstrates how we can learn from the deep ecological past to uncover truths about the potential future of California, including the Sandhill Crane and biodiversity in the Central Valley and California’s Delta.