Join us for our 50th Crane Festival on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21, 2020! On-line registration will begin December 9 and will include Saturday meals and access to all sessions and speakers. Student and child discounts available. 

Festival registration does not include field trip fees. Trips are purchased separately but are only open to people who register for the festival.

Hotel rooms will fill up fast - reserve yours early! Rooms are not part of festival registration; attendees must make their own lodging arrangements.

All field trips will leave from and return to the west entrance of the Holiday Inn. 

Festival HQ: Holiday Inn and Convention Center, 110 2nd Avenue Kearney, NE  68848  (308) 237-5971

A block of rooms is being held exclusively for Audubon Nebraska at a discounted group rate of $109.95 per room, per night, plus tax for March 19, 20 & 21, 2020.  (If the Holiday Inn is booked, this rate will also be available at the La Quinta Inn and the Comfort Inn.) This block of rooms is being held until February 18, 2020, and will be subject to availability after that date.

To make your room reservations, call the phone number above and state you are attending the Audubon Crane Festival. Please note that if you have difficulty reaching hotels/motels in Kearney, some of them are closed because of flooding damage that occurred in June. There are still lots of rooms available and all of the hotels in Kearney plan on being open by March 2020. 

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Friday, March 20

5:15 am-9:30 am - Morning Rowe Sanctuary Crane Viewing

2:00 pm-7:00 pm - Registration at Festival Booth in the Holiday Inn

3:00 pm (Returning Saturday at 12:00 noon) - Greater Prairie Chicken Calamus Outfitters Field Trip

4:00 pm (Returning Saturday at 12:00 noon) - Prairie Chicken Dance Tours Field Trip

5:00 pm-9:00 pm - Evening Rowe Sanctuary Crane Viewing

5:15 am–9:00 am - Morning Rowe Sanctuary Crane Viewing

8:00 am 7:00 pm - Registration at Holiday Inn

8:00 am–5:00 pm - Vendor Displays at Holiday Inn

9:30 am-10:30 am - Group Breakfast

10:30 am-11:00 am - Welcome 

11:00 am - Keynote Speaker

12:30 pm-1:30 pm - Luncheon

1:30 pm-3:00 pm - Concurrent Sessions

3:00 pm-3:30 pm - Break

3:30 pm–5:00 pm - Concurrent Sessions

6:00 pm-7:00 pm - Social Hour

7:00 pm–8:00 pm - Banquet

8:00 pm-9:00 pm - Banquet Speaker