This year’s Festival of the Cranes will be co-hosted at the City of Socorro Convention Center and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and will include:

Over 85 unique birding and photography workshops, tours, hikes and more!

Opening Night Celebration, Wednesday, December 2

Annual Dinner & Keynote Speaker, Thursday, December 3

Camera & Optics Tent including camera and optics rentals

Nature Fair featuring local, nature inspired and artisan gifts

Tours of local attractions and partners such as the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Very Large Array, Salinas Pueblo Missions, and White Sands National Park.

Registration Opens in October!

OASIS Members - October 12

Friends Members - October 13

General Public - October 14

Opening Night Celebration, Sponsored by Hunts Photo & Video

Join Friends of Bosque del Apache for a fun filled Opening Night Celebration!

This FREE event is a great way to kick off your 2026 Festival of the Cranes experience.

Enjoy free hors d’oeuvres, grab a drink at the cash bar, WIN PRIZES and sign up for first dibs on renting cameras and lenses from Expo vendors.

Acquaint yourself with our Festival of the Cranes home base at the Socorro Convention Center, and hear a presentation by Dr. Richard Beilfuss, President & CEO of the International Crane Foundation - "Saving Cranes and So Much More:  our 10-year vision for cranes, communities, and our natural heritage."

Friends Annual Dinner and Keynote with Michael Forsberg

Friends Annual Dinner and Keynote Presentation

Mingle, swap Festival stories and photos with new and old friends, and enjoy a delicious Pan-Asian banquet dinner, catered by Golas kitchen and featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Stay after dinner for our Keynote presentation by conservation photographer, author, and educator Michael Forsberg, who  will present "Into Whooperland - A photographer's journey with the rarest crane in the world."

Mike spent the last five years with camera-in-hand, exploring the natural history of whooping cranes across the continent, meeting people that love them, and discovering how these tall, magnificent and rarest of cranes are navigating our 21st-century world.

Bird Trivia, Sponsored by the Capitol Bar & Brewery

Think you know your birds? Want to test your bird nerdiness?

Join Friends of Bosque del Apache along with birding expert Holly Merker and Socorro’s local bird nerd Amy “Birds” Erickson for a night of Bird Trivia at the Capitol Bar and Brewery on Friday, December 4th from 7:00 – 8:30pm!  

There is no pre-registration for this event.  

Need help planning your trip?

Here is your quick “at-a-glance” guide to Festival of the Cranes. This guide includes what to bring, Festival locations and maps, where to eat and stay, as well local events and attractions.

Designing Your Schedule?

To help you plan your Festival activities, we’ve provided a category designation for each type of event and listed that on each session. Be careful to check locations and schedule for sufficient travel time between various Festival venues. See below for travel times as well.

Tours will introduce you to new things and places. They range from water management tours on the refuge, to a mural tour in Socorro, or a tour of Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.  Although bird and wildlife watching will take place when the opportunity arises on all tours, photography opportunities involving more than point-and-click will be limited unless otherwise noted. Participants on most tours will board buses or vans. Some tours, however, will require caravanning or walking. Please read descriptions carefully and contact us with any questions (see Contact Us tab at the top of the page).

Seminars on a variety of subjects are presented by people who are expert in their field and love to share their knowledge. Seminars are mostly located at the Socorro Convention Center.  Check the location when you plan your schedule.

Workshops are generally a combination of seminar, hands-on activities, and/or field work. Check the location when you plan your schedule.

Hikes range from a stroll for an intimate view of the refuge to more moderate off-refuge hikes. Read the descriptions carefully, bring plenty of food and water when necessary, and dress for the weather and the terrain. Please read descriptions carefully and contact us with any questions (see Contact Us tab at the top of the page).

Events offer a variety of entertainment choices that include Opening Night Celebration, Friends Annual Dinner, Bird Trivia at the Capitol Bar, The Socorro Fiber Arts Guild Quilt Show, and the New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series Nomad Ensemble Concert. To learn about other community events including the Festival of the Cranes Arts & Crafts Fair visit our Area Attractions Page.

Please note: Bosque del Apache is open 1 hour before sunrise until 1 hour past sunset every day of the year!  You are welcome to visit the refuge during Festival of the Cranes without registering for classes or events!

TRAVEL TIMES

Socorro—BdA NWR: 30 minutes

Socorro—VLA: 60 minutes

Socorro—Sevilleta NWR: 25 minutes

BdA NWR—San Antonio: 10 minutes

Socorro—Salinas Pueblo Abó: 60 minutes

Socorro—Salinas Pueblo Quarai: 90 minutes

Socorro—Water Canyon: 30 minutes

Registration Cancelation Policy

Cancelations in October are 100% refundable

Cancelations made Nov 1-14 are 60% refundable

Cancelations made after Nov 14 are no longer refundable