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.
Registration Open
The 2026 Winter Wildlife Festival is officially open for registration. Spots go quickly, so claim yours soon for Jan. 24–Feb. 1.
Trips & Excursions
Event Details
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 who 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.
2025 Winner: Jody Ullmann
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation has named Jody Ullmann the 2025 recipient of the Mary Reid Barrow Wildlife Advocate Award as part of the 15th annual Winter Wildlife Festival. Recognized for her dedication to educating, celebrating, and advocating for local wildlife, Ullmann has made a lasting impact across Hampton Roads through her work with institutions like the Virginia Living Museum and Lynnhaven River NOW. Her hands-on approach to environmental education has inspired future generations, fostering a deep connection between people and nature. The award was presented on January 26 to honor her contributions to wildlife advocacy and education.
Previous Award Winners
- 2025: Jody Ullmann
- 2024: Maurice Cullen
- 2023: Mark Swingle
- 2022: Reese Lukei
- 2021: Meredith Broadhurst
Winter Wildlife Festival Kickoff
- Princess Anne Recreation Center
- Saturday, Jan. 24 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- FREE • No Registration Required
Join us at Princess Anne Recreation Center for a fun, family-friendly day of nature and community. Explore exhibits and vendors, check out hands-on kids’ activities, and drop in for walk-up workshops. There will be food trucks on site and a silent auction to support the FLOW Fundraiser hosted by VBPRF.
The event is free and open to everyone - no registration needed.
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 @ PARC 5-8 p.m. Wildlife at a Brushstroke: A Guided Painting Experience with Ethan Cason
Join locally known acrylic wildlife artist, Ethan Cason, for a one-of-a-kind guided paint class. Ditch the canvas and join Ethan as he guides you in painting a waterfowl scene on an old slate shingle from the 1920s!
Saturday, Jan.17, 2026 @ WNNA 10 a.m. to noon; Nature Mandalas with Lynnhaven River Now
Connect with nature at West Neck Creek Natural Area as you forage for natural materials and create your own outdoor mandala. Dress for the weather and bring a camera to capture your artwork.
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 @ Atlantic Wildlife Heritage Museum 1-9 p.m. Learn & Paint at Decoy
Paint, learn, and connect with local history at the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum during the Winter Wildlife Festival! Create your own Dudley-style decoy and discover the legacy of the Dudley Brothers at the historic de Witt Cottage. Limited to 15 participants.
Guest Speakers
Keynote Session
- Sunday, Jan. 25 • 3 p.m.
- MEO Central Library.
- FREE • No Registration Required.
- In partnership with the Virginia Beach Public Library, the Virginia Beach Library Foundation, and sponsored by Dominion Energy.
Joan Strassmann, author of Slow Birding (2022) and The Social Lives of Birds (2025)
Strassmann is an award-winning teacher of animal behavior, first at Rice University in Houston and then at Washington University in St. Louis, where she is Charles Rebstock professor of biology. She has written more than two hundred scientific articles on behavior, ecology, and evolution of social organisms. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the Animal Behavior Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has held a Guggenheim Fellowship. She lives with her husband in St. Louis, Missouri and Leland, Michigan.
⭑NEW⭑ Special Guest Speaker
- Friday, Jan. 23 • 6 p.m.
- MEO Central Library.
- FREE • No Registration Required.
- In partnership with the Virginia Beach Public Library, the Virginia Beach Library Foundation, and sponsored by Dominion Energy.
Natalia Rojas, award-winning board game illustrator (Wingspan)
Rojas is a Colombian-American artist and scientific illustrator whose work celebrates the beauty and diversity of wildlife. A self-taught illustrator, she specializes in colored pencil, graphite, and watercolor, creating finely detailed and realistic depictions of birds and other species. Her artwork is featured in the award-winning board game Wingspan by Stonemaier Games, published in more than 20 languages and enjoyed by players around the world. Originally from Medellín, Colombia, Natalia lived in the United States for more than a decade before relocating to Costa Rica, where she continues to develop her practice. Through her art, she aims to inspire curiosity, wonder, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
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. 2, 2026. 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. 2, 2026.
- 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.
2025 Winter Wildlife Photo Contest Winners
Best in Show: Corby Amos
People’s Choice: Caleb Taylor
Wildlife Action: Caroline Prevost
Wildlife Portrait: William Murray
Landscape/Scenic: Judy Jones
Festival in Action: Constance Owen
Youth: Josie K. (7 years old)
Honorable Mention Winners
Wildlife Action: Barbara Houston
Wildlife Portrait: Corby Amos
Landscape/Scenic Tim Erskine
Festival in Action: Sylvia Williams
Youth Category: Caydence C. (8 years old)
Winning photographs will be displayed from March 3 through March 28 at the Gallery at the MEO Central Library.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors
Winter Wildlife Festival
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