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Celebration of Flight
Celebrate the magic of migration during the annual Celebration of Flight Festival at the Corpus Christi HawkWatch at Hazel Bazemore County Park. This is a family-friendly event with free activities in the park that coincide with peak Broad-winged Hawk migration in September. Thanks to our partners at the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi and the many volunteers who make this festival possible.
Don’t miss our trivia night the night before the festival, or the birding tour after!
Vendors and food trucks will be present throughout the festival.
Thursday
6:30pm South Texas Soar & Pour
Think you’re a bird nerd? Put your talons to the test during Raptor Trivia with owlsome prizes for the winners. Plus, meet HWI’s Raptor Ambassadors and enjoy a fun evening benefiting conservation. Free to attend or snag a ticket to reserve your spot and enjoy one complimentary beer and an order of dumplings from our friends at Sweet Bay EZ Eats!
Friday
7:30am Guided Bird Walk
Migration is on, but not just for raptors! Come see why Corpus Christi is known as the USA’s Birdiest City.
Liam Wolff, President, Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi
12:00pm Parade of Raptors
Do you know the difference between a hawk and a falcon? You will after this program! Join us and meet two Raptor Ambassadors up close and learn more about what makes them different.
2:00pm Program TBD
From How to HawkWatch to an Intro to RaptorID, join our experts to learn more about all things raptor migration! Specific program and speaker info coming soon!
9am-5pm Gifts, Games, & Giveaways
Enjoy games, hands-on activities like owl pellet dissections, and more from 9am-5pm each day of the festival thanks to our partners at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History, and the Coastal Bay Bend & Estuaries program. Plus, enjoy special visits from Goose Island State Park and Welder Wildlife Refuge, who will be at the festival one day only!
Food Trucks
Sweet Bay EZ Eats
Saturday
7:30am Guided Bird Walk
Guide TBD
10:00am Reading with Raptors
Perfect for families! Listen to a story about a raptor while meeting an Ambassador bird up close!
11:00am Program TBD
From How to HawkWatch to an Intro to Raptor ID, join our experts to learn more about all things raptor migration! Specific program and speaker info coming soon!
12:00pm Parade of Raptors
Do you know the difference between a hawk and a falcon? You will after this program! Join us and meet two Raptor Ambassadors up close and learn more about what makes them different.
2:00pm What All Do Owls Eat?
We’re often asked: what do raptors eat? Now, you can learn for yourself! Dissect a pellet and learn what a wild owl really eats by examining the bones of its prey.
3:00pm Program TBD
From How to HawkWatch to an Intro to Raptor ID, join our experts to learn more about all things raptor migration! Specific program and speaker info coming soon!
9am-5pm Gifts, Games, & Giveaways
Enjoy games, hands-on activities like owl pellet dissections, and more from 9am-5pm each day of the festival thanks to our partners at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History, and the Coastal Bay Bend & Estuaries program. Plus, enjoy special visits from Texas Master Naturalists, the Aquarium*, and King Ranch Visitor Center* who will be at the festival one day only!
*The aquarium will be joining with their wildlife rescue ambulance us from 9am-12pm only!
*King Ranch will depart at 2pm.
Food Trucks
Sweet Bay EZ Eats, Kona Ice
Sunday
7:30am Guided Bird Walk
Clay Taylor, Naturalist, Swarovski Optik
10:00am What All Do Owls Eat?
We’re often asked: what do raptors eat? Now, you can learn for yourself! Dissect a pellet and learn what a wild owl really eats by examining the bones of its prey.
11:00am Program TBD
From How to HawkWatch to an Intro to Raptor ID, join our experts to learn more about all things raptor migration! Specific program and speaker info coming soon!
12:00pm Parade of Raptors
Do you know the difference between a hawk and a falcon? You will after this program! Join us and meet two Raptor Ambassadors up close and learn more about what makes them different.
1:00pm Native American Blessing Ceremony
1:30pm Danza Azteca
9am-5pm Gifts, Games, & Giveaways
Enjoy games, hands-on activities like owl pellet dissections, and more from 9am-5pm each day of the festival thanks to our partners at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History, and the Coastal Bay Bend & Estuaries program. Plus, enjoy special visits from Lake Corpus Christi State Park who will be at the festival one day only!
Food Trucks
Sweet Bay EZ Eats
Directions to Hazel Bazemore County Park
Take FM624 west from SH77 for about 1 mile. Take a right onto County Road 69 at the stoplight (look for the park sign), which takes you to the park.
Looking for Accommodations?
You can get a HawkWatcher discount at the Best Western Northwest Corpus Christi Inn & Suites! King rooms are $99/night, or upgrade to a suite with a kitchenette for $114.99 (before taxes and fees)! You must call the local Best Western to receive the discount: (361) 241-6363. The hotel will not honor this rate for online reservations.
Thank you to our Sponsors, Partners, & Vendors
 
  
 
David Sarkozi