Birdcraft Carving and Decoy Show

Antique Decoy by CK, undated

 Saturday, August 9 & Sunday, August 10, 2025
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
FREE; no registration required

Connecticut Audubon’s historic Birdcraft Museum is the perfect setting for viewing award-winning decoys and decorative bird carvings, and for meeting the artists who create them. Stop in for this free event which includes a “paint your own duckling” activity for kids.

Lesser Yelllowlegs by Richard Kach

New England’s decoy carving tradition emerged from the practical needs of colonial waterfowlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. These earliest decoys were roughly hewn from local woods, with basic paint schemes designed purely for effectiveness on the water. Today, carvers produce decorative birds alongside traditional decoys, and use sophisticated painting methods, intricate feather detail, and lifelike poses. The evolution from simple wooden lures to museum-quality sculptures represents one of New England’s most distinctive contributions to American folk art.

This event takes place at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.