Image: Cerulean Warbler (male), the featured bird of the 2026 Indiana Dunes Birding Festival. This striking forest songbird was chosen for its conservation importance and its ties to the hardwood forests of the region. Photo by Ryan Sanderson.
A record-setting crowd of more than 800 registered attendees is expected for the 2026 Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, May 14-17, during the peak of spring bird migration.
The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 N. State Road 49 in Porter, will serve as the festival’s hub, with free public events, walk-in registration and daily programming, including the Migration Marketplace and live bird presentations.
Online pre-registration closes May 1. Beginning at noon Central time May 12, registration will reopen with limited availability, and remaining trips and workshops will be available through the online system.
Public events begin Wednesday with the unveiling of the 2026 festival art poster from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at the Visitor Center. The poster, created by Kristina Knowski, will be available for purchase following the event.
The Migration Marketplace will be open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors will offer birding gear, nature-themed art, native plants and conservation resources, with food trucks available on-site. Live birds of prey programs will take place daily from 1 to 1:30 p.m. in the tent.
A silent auction will support Indiana Audubon’s Mumford and Keller Grants and Scholarships program, which funds bird-related conservation, research and education. The auction includes birding experiences, travel opportunities and other items, with online bidding open to all. Bidding opens May 14 and closes at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 16. View the auction at idbf26.givesmart.com. Proceeds will support grants awarded later this year.
The “Dune Birds in Art” exhibition includes a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ancillaerie Art and Framing, 109 S. Calumet Road in Chesterton.
Youth and Family Birding Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center. Free with park admission, the event includes beginner birding walks, crafts, face painting and hands-on activities.
Held in partnership with Indiana Dunes National Park, the festival draws visitors from across the United States and internationally. In 2025, 212 species were tallied during the festival, the highest total in its history, and it generated an estimated $436,000 to $506,000 in local economic impact.
The 2026 keynote will feature Dr. Francie Cuthbert, whose decades of research have helped guide the recovery of the endangered Great Lakes piping plover. The keynote will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton. The event is open to the public with registration. Tickets are $60 and include dinner.
The festival is organized by Indiana Audubon in partnership with Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes Tourism. For a full schedule, visit indunesbirdingfestival.com or contact Indiana Audubon at [email protected] or 765-205-1255.
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