About
The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival is a three-day event generally held that end of March. Pricing ranges from $5/$7 general admission fee to tour fees ranging from $7-$55.
The Festival started in 1998, and is sponsored by the Grant County Conservation District and the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). The festival enjoyed financial support from the City of Othello through tourism development funds (hotel/motel taxes) and is logistically supported by the Othello School District and Othello Community Schools.
With admission price into the Festival on Saturday, you may attend free lectures which are repeated throughout the day. Past lecture topics have included falconry, the Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands, the Woodland Park Zoo, Grouse of Washington, Othello History within the Drumhellar Channeled Scablands, Shrub-Steppe Flora and Fauna, Owls of Eastern Washington and Spring Migration in the Columbia Basin. You may also enjoy vendors, live birds, art, food booths, non-profit organizations, author's forum, and so much more.
The Festival also offers many tours for crane viewing along with specialty tours on biology and geology. Specialty tours have included Columbia National Wildlife Refuge/Potholes area wildlife tour, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands, a Lower Grand Coulee birding tour and Wahluke Slope/Shrub Steppe birding tour. Pre-registration is suggested to reserve your seat.
The Sandhill Crane Festival Committee plans, organizes and conducts the festival. The Committee includes the Grant Conservation District staff, as well as volunteers from Grant and Adams Counties.
