It’s A Wrap!

As the end of May approaches and we are starting to look forward to the end of the windy spring season and the warmer, sunny days of early summer, we thought it was a perfect time to reflect on the highlights of the 2022 Crane Festival.

By all measures, the 39th Annual Crane Festival was a huge success. As usual, the star of the show were the thousands of Sandhill Cranes and other migratory birds who covered the landscape and filled the air with their wingbeats and calls. Despite the cold temperatures, we were treated to big shows by thousands of cranes, geese, and ducks on the Monte Vista Refuge.

Friday's festival day was a record cold morning—a brisk -14 degrees at 7am. But the hardy crane viewers viewers showed up to meet the cranes despite the cold. The Cranes flew in close to where we were meeting folks for the Crane Orientation, and were sunning themselves throughout the morning presentation. We were excited to note that the majority of Crane Orientation attendees were first-time Crane Fest visitors and were experiencing the wonder of the crane migration for the very first time! Our faithful Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) volunteers were ready with spotting scopes to make sure everyone had the opportunity to see cranes up close.

In addition to the Crane Orientations, the special tours were a big hit, as always, and something we look forward to expanding as we prepare for our big 40th Anniversary festival in 2023. And, of course, it was a treat to be able to hold the Arts & Crafts Fair in the beautiful new Ski Hi Building in Monte Vista. The space is clean and bright, and the quality of the venue mixed with a wonderful turnout from vendors and presenters made for a very successful Craft Fair.

The 40th Monte Vista Crane Festival will be held March 10-12, 2023, so be sure to stay tuned to hear what we have planned to celebrate our big anniversary year!