Winter Wildlife Festival
Join us in January for a month-long celebration of coastal wildlife and nature featuring a flock of engaging programs to embrace our coastal beauty.
Festival Information
Registration for the 2025 Winter Wildlife Festival opens on Nov. 15. Join the Facebook group to stay up to date, or check out highlights from the 2024 festival below.
Trips & Excursions*
*All trips and excursions that require registration include a $5, non-refundable, administrative fee.
Event Details
Join us on Jan. 25 at PARC from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for the Festival Kickoff! Visit wildlife-related vendors in the Exhibit Hall, let the kids participate in various children's activities, catch a free walk-up workshop, peruse the silent auction area and enjoy a treat from the on-site food vendors. Don't forget to stop by the neighboring Princess Anne Library and check out their festival activities!
Princess Anne Rec Center | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Children’s Activities
- Food Trucks
- Silent Auction
- Walk-Up Workshops
- Exhibit Hall
No pre-registration is required!
Walk-Up Workshops
Walk-up workshops at the Winter Wildlife Exhibit Hall are free, no registration required and appropriate for ages 10 & up.
- 10 a.m. - Top 10 Spots in Virginia Beach for Wildlife Viewing: An insider’s guide from Parks & Rec’s land manager
- 11:15 a.m. - Explore The Wild: An interactive app to maximize your outdoor experience
- 12:30 p.m. - Trailblazers In Nature: Rediscovering African American legacy in conservation
- 1:45 p.m. - Dinosaurs Swim Among Us: River Sturgeon in Virginia
Exhibitor Application Now Open
The Winter Wildlife Committee reserves the right to determine who will be accepted as an exhibitor. To be considered as an exhibitor, organizations or businesses must relate to one of the following categories:
- Wildlife conservation
- Wildlife rehabilitation
- Wildlife-related art
- Environmental conservation
Interested vendors that meet these requirements can reach out to the special events office at (757) 385-2990 or email outdoors@vbgov.com. Please note submission of the application does not guarantee a space at the exhibit hall.
My Journey to Passion, Inspiration and Excellence to Birds and Conservation, Presented by Dr. Mamie Parker
Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library
Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.
Free, no registration required
Dr. Mamie Parker spent her career as a fish and wildlife biologist and served as the former Head of Fisheries for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dr. Parker’s work focuses on building bridges with nontraditional partners in the conservation community and advocating for more women in Wild STEM careers.
Her achievements have earned her numerous industry board positions, leadership roles, and lifetime achievement awards, including the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame and recognition in the Smithsonian Institute’s book, Women, Environmentalism and Justice.
Special thanks to Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory (CVWO).
Show off your photography skills and celebrate the beauty of coastal Virginia in the Winter Wildlife Festival Photo Contest! Open to all ages, this is your chance to capture stunning wildlife, scenic landscapes, or moments from the festival itself, with photos taken between Jan. 1 and Feb. 3, 2025. Winning photos will be displayed at the MEO Central Library gallery in March for the whole community to enjoy.
Choose from these categories:
- Wildlife - Portrait: Perfectly capture still wildlife in all its beauty.
- Wildlife - Action: Snap animals in motion or showcasing unique behaviors.
- Festival in Action: Capture the fun and spirit of Winter Wildlife Festival events.
- Landscape/Scenic: Show off Coastal Virginia’s breathtaking scenery.
- Youth: Open to photographers under 16, focusing on wildlife, nature, or festival fun.
- People’s Choice: Let your photo shine in a public vote on Facebook.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been snapping photos for years, this contest is for you.
Photo Contest Quick Tips
- Time & Place: Photos must be taken in Coastal Virginia between Jan 1 - Feb 3, 2025.
- Wildlife Only: Only non-captive animals allowed in wildlife photos - no zoos or enclosures.
- People’s Choice: Photos entered here can’t be submitted to any other category.
- Category Limit: One photo per category - choose your best!
- File Naming: Follow this format: LastNameFirstInitial_CategorySubject (e.g., SmithJ_WildlifeActionRaccoon.jpg).
Submissions open at 9 a.m. EST on Jan. 1.
2024 Winter Wildlife Photo Contest Winners
Wildlife Action: Debbi Babashanian
Landscape/Scenic: Catherine Johnson
Festival in Action: Dean Shostak
Wildlife Portrait: Jason Crawley
Youth: Norah C., Age 8
People’s Choice: Shawn Brooks
Jan. 2
Finger Gym | 5 p.m. | Bayside Library | Ages 3-7 | Register for Finger Gym
Jan. 4
Photography 101 | 10:30 a.m. | Princess Anne Library | Register for Photography 101
Jan. 8
Elementary Science: Winter Wildlife | 4:30 p.m. | Joint Use Library | Grades K-2 | Register for Elementary Science
Jan. 9
- STEAM: Trees | 5 p.m. | Bayside Library | Grades 3-5 | Register for STEAM: Trees
- Wildlife First Responders: What is a wildlife rehabilitator and how you can help save wildlife | 6 p.m. | Great Neck Indoor Pavilion | Ages 14 and up | Register for Great Neck Indoor Pavilion
Jan. 11
- LiveArt: Birds | 2 p.m. | Oceanfront Library | Grades K-5 | Register for LiveArt: Birds
- Nature Mandala Workshop | 10 a.m. | West Neck Creek Natural Area | Ages 3 & up | Register for Nature Mandala Workshop
Jan. 14
Preschool Science: Winter Wildlife | 2 p.m. | Oceanfront Library | Ages 3-5 | Register for Preschool Science
Jan. 15
- Elementary Science: Winter Wildlife | 1 p.m. | Joint Use Library | Grades K-2 | Register for Elementary Science
- Wildlife Trivia | 7 p.m. | Voodoo Brewing | No registration needed!
Jan. 16
Learn & Paint a Decoy | 7 p.m. | Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum | Register for Learn & Paint a Decoy
Jan. 18
- Winter Wildlife Storytime & Craft | 10 a.m. | Joint Use Library | Ages 3-5 | Register for Winter Wildlife Storytime
- The Mitten Storytime & Craft | 10:30 a.m. | Bayside Library | Ages 3-12 | Register for The Mitten Storytime & Craft
- Rain Barrel Workshop | 10 a.m. | VB Farmer’s Market | All ages | Register for Rain Barrel Workshop
Jan. 23
- Preschool Science: Winter Wildlife | 2 p.m. | Princess Anne Library | Ages 3-5 | Register for Preschool Science
- Inside the Squid! | 5:30 p.m. | Seatack Rec Center | Ages 10+ | Register for Inside the Squid!
Jan. 30
Preschool Science: Winter Wildlife | 11:15 a.m. | Great Neck Library | Ages 3-5 | Register for Preschool Science
Mary Reid Barrow Wildlife Advocate Award
Named after Mary Reid Barrow, who devoted her entire career to engaging the public about our natural environment, the Wildlife Advocate Award was created in 2020 as a way to honor those in our community that strive to make a difference for wildlife and the environment.
Barrow's weekly columns made nature relatable to the average person and she was a gentle, but tireless, advocate for wildlife. She continues to serve the community through her involvement with environmental non-profits and campaigns.
Submissions for the 2025 Wildlife Advocate Award have closed.
Previous Award Winners
- 2024: Maurice Cullen
- 2023: Mark Swingle
- 2022: Reese Lukei
- 2021: Meredith Broadhurst
Special Thanks to our Sponsors
Winter Wildlife Festival
Get Your WWF Merch
