Hummingbird Festival prepares for growing attendance

The second annual Hummingbird Festival is set to take over Jeffers Bend Environmental Center this weekend and attendees can learn about the role hummingbirds play in the ecosystem and the folklore surrounding their existence.

Charles Turner and Diane Croney-Turner from the Jeffers Bend Environmental Center talked on WHOP about what attendees can expect to see at this year’s festival.

When the idea of a Hummingbird Festival was discussed prior to their inaugural festival in 2022, Turner says he was not sure how the event would pan out. However, after the festival had nearly 300 attendees Turner says they are expecting even more festival goers this year.

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In response to a possible increase in attendance Turner says they are planning to expand upon the activities they offer.

Festival goers can learn about and witness hummingbird banding which is a system of identifying and tracking hummingbirds. There will also be sessions discussing Native American folklore and plants that attract hummingbirds as pollinators.

Turner says attendees will also be able to learn about other pollinators such as bees and butterflies and the plants that attract them.

Along with the festivities, Croney-Turner says donation-based refreshments will be available, and the donations will go toward next year’s Hummingbird Festival.

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The Hummingbird Festival is on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jeffers Bend Environmental Center at 1170 Metcalfe Lane.