Heron Festival History
The annual Heron Festival, held in April at Northern California’s Clear Lake, began in 1994. The festival was created by the local Redbud Audubon Society, as a way to celebrate the springtime nesting of the plentiful Great Blue Herons in treetops along the meandering waterways at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
Redbud Audubon offered pontoon boat trips into the marsh with expert Audubon bird guides to point out the heron nests and explain heron behaviors. The purpose was to enable the general public to witness first-hand and to learn about the amazing local birds and wildlife. Audubon leaders had the conviction that, through first-hand experience with nature, people would come to understand the need to conserve and protect the area’s natural resources and habitats. The Heron Festival also provided bird walks, nature speakers, exhibit booths, and children’s activities.
In 2004 the Heron Festival undertook a major new direction by joining with another local springtime event and moving to Clear Lake State Park at the Northern end of 19-mile long Clear Lake. The festival joined with the Park’s Interpretive Association that had long offered a wonderful outdoor Wildflower Brunch in April. Combining the festival and brunch on the same weekend at the same location has dramatically expanded both attendance and enthusiasm. The growing reputation of both events as high-quality, fun experiences now draws people from a wide geographical area.
In 2006, 40% of the almost 600 people attending were from outside Lake County, including three from Alaska! Of the attendees, 255 took the pontoon boat tours to view heron and cormorant nests, watch the thousands of grebes in courtship displays on the lake, and see nesting osprey families.
The goal of the Heron Festival remains the same as in 1994: To showcase nature’s beauty and increase our appreciation and understanding of its value to all our lives.
Festival Co-Sponsors
Redbud Audubon Society
The Redbud Audubon Society, Inc. was founded in Lake County, California, in 1975 as a chapter of the National Audubon Society. Each year since, the chapter has offered nature education and conservation through monthly meetings, field trips, a newsletter, and special programs.
Redbud Audubon has provided strong leadership on important local conservation issues. In recognition of its many contributions to the community, Redbud Audubon received the first-ever Environmental Award at the 2006 Stars of Lake County Awards Ceremony.
Clear Lake State Park
Interpretive Association (CLSPIA)
In 1983 a group of Lake County volunteers formed a nonprofit to provide public education about the valuable natural and cultural resources located in Clear Lake State Park and its environs.
Promoting a strong environmental ethic, CLSPIA has raised funds to create a Visitor Center and gift shop. It provides a docent training program and a summer junior ranger program. Recently it has been raising funds for a new educational pavilion that will be open for the 2008 Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch.