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The focal points at the Eagle Festival are two large, heated
tents within easy walking distance of each other on Main Street,
both filled with interesting events.
Sprinkled around town at
other venues are art exhibits, book signings and other
nature-related activities developed to broaden the visitor’s
knowledge and appreciation of the natural world.
Festival activities include lectures by noted environmentalists
and authors, live birds of prey presentations, guided boat and
land-based eagle viewing tours, nature exhibits, nature classes
for children, bird carving exhibits, ice carving exhibits, craft-making activities, musical
entertainment, nature-related retailers and horse-drawn carriage
rides down Main Street.
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EcoForum
This year we are proud to introduce a new event to the
Connecticut Audubon Society Eagle Festival. The EcoForum will be a
conversation between Edward O. Wilson, PhD and world renown
environmentalist, and Phil Donahue, TV personality and Honorary
Chairman of the Eagle Festival, discussing Dr. Wilson’s book, The
Future of Life.
The EcoForum will take place on Saturday, February 19, 2005 at the
Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets will be available for sale beginning December 1 and will
be priced at $30 for general admission and $20 for students. For
additional information, please call 860.767.2848
Guided Eagle-Viewing Boat Tours
At the Eagle Festival, guided boat tours are offered at
7:30a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday of the
Festival weekend.
Prices for the eagle viewing boats are 7:30 a.m ($30); 10 a.m and
12:30 a.m. ($40) and 3 p.m ($30 adults/$15 children 12 and under
and free for children 3 years and younger) Advance reservations are required.
To make
boat tour reservations call 1-800-714-7201
FREE Environmental Lectures
Featured at the Connecticut River Eagle Festival are a
wide range of notable professionals in the environmental field who
present fascinating lectures on eagles, conservation and
ecosystems in Connecticut. Some of the featured lecturers in
years’ past at the Eagle Festival represented the following
organizations: CT’s Department of Environmental Protection, New
Jersey Audubon Society, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, The
Conservation Fund, Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge.
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Special FREE
Presentations
Listed below is a sampling of the many fun activities at the Eagle
Festival!
Children’s Programs -
A variety of unique and entertaining children’s programs utilize
music, puppets, masks and storytelling to impart the importance of
appreciating and protecting our natural world.
LIVE Birds of Prey Demonstrations -
Come see and learn about these remarkable large birds.
Presentations feature a variety of non-releasable birds of prey
who have become important wildlife ambassadors. Among the birds
presented are golden eagles, bald eagles, owl species, falcons and
hawks.
Land Based Eagle Viewing -
Along the Connecticut River there are numerous
opportunities to view eagles in the wild. Free shuttle buses bring
visitors to an excellent viewing site just outside of Essex. Also,
a self-drive tour is available with directions to six locations
along the CT River to see bald eagles. Naturalists will be at
designated locations with spotting scopes to aid in viewing.
Eagle Festival Marketplace -
Visitors can learn more about birding, binoculars and other
nature-related products at the Marketplace tent. Also, many
non-profit environmental groups have exhibits to provide
educational information.
Take a Chance and Win a Prize -- Stop by the
Connecticut Audubon Society table in the Riverside Tent at the 2005
Eagle Festival and enter a drawing to win a 16-foot Ranger Canoe
donated by North Cove Outfitters. The Ranger Canoe is a fine,
handcrafted canoe built using the finest material and workmanship
available. Valued at $1200, this canoe comes complete with two
paddles and a foam block kit for transporting. No purchase is
necessary. Donations are appreciated.
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Other Festival Events
Several art galleries, organizations and businesses in
Essex host special exhibits and activities throughout the Eagle
Festival weekend. Other participants include The Connecticut
River Museum, The Essex Steam Train, Essex Art Association, Fleur
de Lys Gallerie, Essex Town Library, Essex Historical Society,
Essex Savings Bank, and The Peddler.
In
Deep River: The Deep River Library, Deep River Land
Trust, and other organizations are sponsoring a free concert Sat.,
Feb. 14, as part of the Eagle Festival. Skip Healy and guitarist /
vocalist Bob Denton will perform original and traditional folk
music at the Town Hall Auditorium (174 Main Street, Deep River,
CT) from 7:30-9:30pm.
Come to Deep River for the day! View Eagles at the great
observation site on the river at the Town Landing. Refreshments
will be available. Enjoy the shopping downtown, have lunch at the
many restaurants in town, and a wonderful dinner at the great
Ivory Restaurant, and then attend this FREE event. Call the Deep
River Public Library at 860-526-6039 for details, and visit Skip's
website at:
skiphealy.com
On Main Street
Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, street entertainment
and ice carving demonstrations.
Musical Entertainment
Folk, Celtic, blues, jazz and rock & roll musical
entertainment is provided throughout the weekend at the
Marketplace Tent and the Essex Art Association.
Festival Shuttles
Park your car in a designated Festival parking lot and
shuttle buses will take you directly into downtown Essex and to
all the Eagle Festival venues around the town.
Festival
Program Guide 2005
A comprehensive Program Guide
containing specific details of lectures,
programs and events at the 2005 CAS Eagle Festival
will be available December 2004.
You may request a copy by calling
1-800-714-7201.
Festival
Archive - Read about Past Festivals
2003 CT River Eagle Festival Photos in the
Gallery
CT River
Eagle Festival 2004 Schedule
of Events & Map
(Adobe Acrobat 85k)
2004 CT River Eagle Festival Guide
(41 pages Adobe Acrobat 2.7mb)
Festival
Archive - Read about Past Festivals
2003 CT River Eagle Festival Guide
(39 pages Adobe Acrobat 1.9mb)
Highlights of 3rd Annual Eagle
Festival (2002)
Many Flock to
Eagle Festival 2001
