INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF OWLS
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  • Kids' Art Contest
  • Festival Events & Programs
    • Schedule
    • Reception
    • Birding Bus Trip
    • Kid Stuff >
      • Kids' Activities and Programs
      • Kids' Hooting Contest
    • Medallion Hunt
    • Nest Box Building
    • Owl Prowls
    • Owl-Themed Food
    • Owl Pellet Dissection
    • Programs >
      • Live Owl Programs
      • Special Programs
    • Vendors
  • Registration
  • Directions & Lodging
  • Festival History
  • World Owl Hall of Fame
    • Hall of Fame Home
    • 2025
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    • 2009
    • 2008
    • 2007
    • 2006
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact Us
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF OWLS

Schedule

2025 Schedule
Mar. 3-7: Medallion Hunt

Friday, March 7, 2025 (programs at the International Owl Center)
11:00: Program: "So You Want to be an Owl" at International Owl Center*  
2:00: Program: "Identifying Northern Owls" at International Owl Center* 
6:00: Family Owl Prowl bus trip (pre-registration required, meet at the Houston Nature Center)
6:00: Adult-Only Owl Prowl bus trip (pre-registration required, meet at the Houston Nature Center)
*Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for ages 4-17

Saturday, March 8, 2025  (events at Houston High School unless otherwise noted) --this is the busiest day
Story Stroll: "The Barn Owls" by Tony Johnston
8:00 - 11:00: Pancake Breakfast (Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, $10 ages 13 & up, $5 for ages 4-12)
9:00 - 4:30:  Vendors & Face-painting & international children's owl art show +
9:30 - 10:30: Live Owl Program with Barn, Great Horned and Eastern Screech-Owls - by Illinois Raptor Center +
10:00 - 3:00 Lunch/Concessions in cafeteria +
10:00 - 4:00: Visit the International Owl Center & gift shop, live owls on display (International Owl Center) +
10:30 - 2:30: Owl Nest Box Building and Owl Pellet Dissection ($55/box, $5/pellet) +
10:30 - 2:30: Kids' Crafts +
11:00 - 11:15: "Owl Music" reading by children's book author Kat Beaulieu (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +
11:15 - 11:35: Short Meet an Owl program (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +
1:00 - 1:45: Kids Owl Calling Contest +
2:00-3:00: Frequently Asked Owl Questions program (International Owl Center) +
3:00 - 4:00: Live Owl Program with Snowy, Barred and Eastern Screech-Owl - by Illinois Raptor Center +
7:00 PM:  World Owl Hall of Fame award presentation; video by Rudolf Schaaf from Germany; Keynote presentation: Small Mountain Owls by Scott Rashid from Colorado; owl woodcarving exhibition by Robin Warburton; owl-themed refreshments (Houston Elementary School, pre-registration required
+ Festival wristband required: $12/adult, $8 ages 4-17, members and ages 3 & under free

Sunday, March 9, 2025 (events at Houston High School unless otherwise noted) --much less crowded than Saturday
Story Stroll: "The Barn Owls" by Tony Johnston
8:00 - 12:00:  Birding, Natural History & Geology bus trip (Meet at Houston Nature Center, pre-registration required)
9:00 - 1:00: Vendors & Face-painting & international children's owl art show +
9:30 - 10:30: Live Owl Program with Barn, Great Horned and Eastern Screech-Owls - by Illinois Raptor Center- by Illinois Raptor Center +
10:00 - 1:00 Lunch/Concessions in cafeteria +
10:30 - 1:00: Kids' Crafts +
10:30 - 1:00: Owl Nest Box Building and Owl Pellet Dissection ($55/box, $5/pellet) +
10:00 - 4:00:  Visit the International Owl Center & gift shop, live owls on display (International Owl Center) +
11:00 - 11:15: "Owl Music" reading by children's book author Kat Beaulieu (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +
11:15 - 11:35: Short Meet an Owl program (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +
12:00:  Alice the Great Horned Owl's hatch-day cake (free, until it's gone, high school cafeteria)
1:00 - 2:00: Live Owl Program with Snowy, Barred and Eastern Screech-Owl - by Illinois Raptor Center +
2:00 - 3:00: "Hoot for Owls: Nepal's efforts" by Raju Acharya from Nepal (International Owl Center, might be standing room only) +
+ Festival wristband required: $12/adult, $8 ages 4-17, members and ages 3 & under free

Other fun things to do in Houston
-Parade of Owls art tour of 11 public owl sculptures around town
-Street banners featuring kids owl art from around the world
-Historic Forsyth House open house Saturday March 8 from 10:00 - 4:00 (301 E Maple Street)
-Houston Area Museum open Saturday March 8 from 11:00 - 4:00 and Sunday March 9 from 1:00 - 4:00 (109 W Maple Street)
Download 2025 program flyer with map
Mobile-friendly daily schedule by location
Picture
For screen readers: Festival event locations are as follows. Owl Center, 126 East Cedar Street. High School, 306 West Elm Street. Elementary School, 310 South Sherman Street. Trailhead Park 215 West Plum Street. Lutheran Church, 210 South Chase Street. Restaurants in Houston: Barista's Coffee, 110 North Grant Street. River Valley Convenience, 103 East Cedar Street. BP and Houston Food Mart, Highway 16 East. SubZero Pizza, 210 East Cedar Street. JT's Bar and Grill, 125 East Cedar Street.
Please note: The International Owl Center uses photos and video from the International Festival of Owls for promotional materials. By attending the festival, you consent to be photographed and/or recorded and allow your image to be used for the International Owl Center's promotional or educational purposes without financial compensation. 

Header: Fluff Ball Brothers (c) Preston Hone

The 2025 international festival of owls is made possible by:

Major Sponsors
International Owl Center logo: line art of the face of a Great Horned Owl in maroon with the text
Vendi Advertising logo:
Houston Public Schools logo: Four long, curved silver triangles forming the shape of a hurricane inside a red circle, surrounded by a gray circle with the text
Houston Public Schools
Bob Kierlin and Mary Burrichter
●
​​Elizabeth Callender King Foundation

$1,000 Great Gray Owl Enthusiasts
Altra logo:
Kiwidyne logo: A vertical gradient of sky blue to white. The text
Driftless Art Academy logo: A dark blue-gray box with three blue spatters and a large blue paint smear. Overlaid is
Picture
Rushford State Bank logo: Two green shapes like bluffs with a white river curving between them and two simple black birds flying above. To the right,

$500 Great Horned Owl Advocates
Zumbro Valley Audubon logo: A green square with the white silhouette of a songbird sitting on a branch, leading into white text of
Prairie Moon logo: A light gray circle with the outlines of purple wildflowers with the text

​​$250 Barred Owl Contributors
MiEnergy logo: in lowercase letters,
New Albin Savings Bank logo: A circle containing swirling blue, green and white shapes, with the text
AcenTek logo: The word
Picture
Lions logo: A blue and yellow circular design with a large
Houston Lions

​​$100 Screech Owl Supporters
Bluff Country Financial Services    ●    Caledonia Veterinary Clinic      ●    Houston Dental Clinic    ●    Houston Hoedown Days    ●    JT's Bar & Grill    ●    ​Money Creek Haven    ●    Mound Prairie Mutual Insurance    ●    The Sawmill Inn     ●    ​The Wen Inn

The International Festival of Owls would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
Please contact us for information on having your business or organization become a sponsor, and please patronize our sponsors.

Many thanks are due to our prize donors and the army of volunteers that make this event possible.