Discover Alabama’s Wild Side
Birmingham Nature Festival | July 10–13, 2025 at Oak Mountain State Park
Escape the ordinary and reconnect with the wild at the Birmingham Nature Festival, a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience hosted by the Alabama Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park, July 10–13, 2025. This immersive, hands-on weekend features 20 expert-led courses on everything from birding and fly fishing to native plants, wildlife rehabilitation, art, reptiles, and much more.
Choose your own adventure with morning and afternoon sessions, enjoy food trucks and live music, and hear from top conservation leaders during evening keynote talks. Whether you’re a lifelong naturalist or just nature-curious, this festival is for you.
📅 Festival Schedule Overview
Thursday, July 10
5:00 PM – Check-in, AWC Open House, Welcome Cookout
Friday, July 11
6:00–8:00 AM – Early Birding, Coffee, Guided Hike
8:00–11:00 AM – Morning Courses
11:00–1:00 PM – Lunch (food trucks & open rec)
1:00–4:00 PM – Afternoon Courses
4:00–6:00 PM – Dinner break
6:00–7:00 PM – Keynote: Dr. R. Scott Duncan, Alabama Audubon
7:30 PM – Nighttime Nature Activity
Saturday, July 12
6:00–8:00 AM – Birding, Coffee, Sunrise Walk
8:00–11:00 AM – Morning Courses
11:00–1:00 PM – Lunch (food trucks & open rec)
1:00–4:00 PM – Afternoon Courses
4:00–6:00 PM – Dinner break
6:00–7:00 PM – Keynote: Robyn Miller, Auburn University Raptor Center
7:30 PM – Nighttime Nature Activity
Sunday, July 13
8:00–10:00 AM – Breakfast and Closing Gathering
🌲 Add-On Experiences
In addition to your weekend pass, the Birmingham Nature Festival offers several optional add-ons to enhance your experience. Camp beneath the stars at Oak Mountain State Park with our Camping Pass, available for the full weekend. Grab exclusive festival merchandise, including Comfort Colors t-shirts featuring our limited-run 2025 design. You can also choose to become an AWC Member or sponsor a rehabilitated bird, directly supporting wildlife conservation in Alabama. All add-ons are available during registration and at check-in.
🎟️ Register Now
Admission is $200 per person and includes access to all courses, keynote presentations, Thursday’s welcome cookout, and Sunday breakfast. Attendees will customize their weekend by selecting from 20 different morning and afternoon sessions across Friday and Saturday. Courses have limited capacity and are available on a first-come, first-served basis—so register early to get your top picks! Optional add-ons like camping and t-shirts can be selected during checkout. Kids under 12 get in for free.
Join us for four days of learning, adventure, and connection with nature.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Birmingham Nature Festival takes place at Oak Mountain State Park, located at 100 Terrace Drive, Pelham, AL 35124. Most sessions will be held in outdoor spaces, pavilions, or indoor classrooms within the park..
Your registration includes:
– Access to all Friday and Saturday sessions
– Admission to both evening keynote presentations
– Thursday evening cookout
– Sunday morning closing breakfast
– Access to live music, vendors, and festival activities
When you register, you’ll be able to choose from over 20 sessions during Friday and Saturday. Sessions are grouped by time slot (morning and afternoon), and each attendee can pick one session per block. Courses are available on a first-come, first-served basis and have limited capacity.
Yes! You can register multiple attendees under one transaction and assign individual sessions to each person during checkout. Just be sure to select the number of attendees when you begin registration.
Your registration includes dinner at the Thursday evening cookout and breakfast during the Sunday morning closing gathering.
For Friday and Saturday, lunch and dinner are not included, but a variety of food trucks will be available on-site. You’ll also have access to local restaurants just outside the park and the Oak Mountain Grill, located within the park itself. You’re also welcome to bring your own meals and picnic between sessions.
We recommend comfortable outdoor clothing, refillable water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, and any personal gear for camping or hiking. If you registered for field-based sessions like fly fishing or bird walks, bring any equipment you’d normally use (binoculars, camera, etc.)—though many sessions will provide shared gear.
Yes! A Camping Pass is available as an add-on during registration. Festival camping will take place in a designated open field that accommodates tent camping, hammock camping, and car camping. Please note: RVs are not permitted in the festival camping area.
Clean, nearby bathroom facilities will be accessible throughout the weekend.
If you prefer a more traditional stay, cabins and improved campsites (with electricity and water hookups) are available directly through the Oak Mountain State Park website and should be booked in advance..
While pets are allowed in the park, we kindly ask that you leave pets at home for festival activities to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all guests, wildlife, and rehabilitated birds present at the event.
The festival is a rain-or-shine event. Many sessions are held under covered pavilions or indoors, and we’ll provide weather-related updates via email if needed.
Absolutely! Birmingham Nature Fest is a family-friendly event designed for nature lovers of all ages. While some courses are best suited for older kids, teens, and adults due to their hands-on or technical nature, many sessions are great for curious younger minds who enjoy the outdoors.
Children under 12 get in free with a ticketed adult. Parents should consider their child’s ability to focus in workshop-style settings when selecting courses. Some sessions—like wildlife hikes, crafts, and journaling—are especially welcoming to kids.
We encourage families to explore the schedule and build a weekend that fits their interests!