Come celebrate the birds of this historic Alabama region on July 29 and 30, 2022; Registration deadline is 12 p.m. CDT on Friday, July 15th, and space is limited. Details and tickets can be found at alaudubon.org/blackbeltfestival.

Alabama Audubon has announced plans to host the second annual Black Belt Birding Festival in Greensboro, Alabama. Highlighting the birds, history, and culture of Alabama’s Black Belt region, the Black Belt Birding Festival is a popular offering from the storied conservation nonprofit’s Black Belt Birding Initiative, a program aimed at bringing the economic
benefits of ecotourism to this stretch of rural Alabama.

The first Black Belt Birding Festival, hosted on August 7, 2021, gathered over 170 registrants in
historic Greensboro, Alabama, and surrounding areas. Sarah Cole, Owner and Head Chef of Abadir’s, enjoyed seeing the once-bustling downtown area full of activity, “It was great to see the town booming with so many interesting people who really seemed to appreciate our sweet little
community.”

In addition to taking in the town’s diverse bird population and culture, attendees came out in
droves to support local businesses of all kinds in downtown Greensboro and surrounding cities.

This year’s festival will feature many of the popular offerings from last year, including a
continued ecotourism partnership with Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours, LLC, field trips to experience the diverse birds and environs of the Black Belt, and opportunities to learn about the rich culture and history of this region. New additions for this year include a free kickoff event
at Lions Park featuring a vendor expo with local businesses, artists, and food trucks, on Friday,
July 29; Alabama Audubon will also be introducing an “a la carte” pricing system to the festivities on Saturday, July 30, allowing attendees to choose their own birding adventure for the weekend.
Details and tickets can be found at alaudubon.org/blackbeltfestival.

All of our Black Belt trips can be long and hot, so be sure to plan accordingly, with plenty of drinks and snacks, as well as a full tank of gas, insect repellent and sunblock, rain gear, and appropriate summer attire (including shoes you don’t mind getting muddy). And, don’t forget to bring your binoculars.

Free admission includes: Friday night kick-off event at Lions Park with vendor expo, Saturday morning early birding field trip for beginners around downtown Greensboro, and special visual arts programming at Aaron Sanders Head studio.

Prices vary for the following (space is limited for each session, and tickets are non-transferable):

• – Early Birding Field Trips including Perry Lakes Park, Birdability Accessible Driving Tour, M. Barnett Lawley Forever Wild Field Trial Area, Payne Lake Recreation Area, Downtown Birding for Beginners, and the Robinson Family Farm — view detailed descriptions of our offerings here (various prices and locations)
• – Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours ($30 at the Joe Farm)
• – Keynote Speaker Dr. Rashidah Farid, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Tuskegee University ($5)
• – Afternoon outdoor and indoor options including a Black Warrior River Walk, Black Belt Habitat Restoration at “Contentment,” Birds of Prey with Alabama Wildlife Center, Prescribed Burning and Wildfire Prevention in Alabama, and The Ridge Archeology Project — view detailed descriptions of our offerings here (various prices and locations)