Event
Flock Fest
Sat., March 21st! Enjoy hands-on activities, gallery tours, birding opportunities, and more on this special day full of feathered fun.
Event Date
Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The State Museum invites you to Flock Fest, a special event featuring hands-on activities, gallery tours, birding opportunities and programs presented in partnership with organizations from across the state.
- Participate in a gallery tour of the new exhibition, South Carolina Wings of Wonder
- Explore the new exhibition, Bird Photographer of the Year
- Enjoy a live "Raptor Experience" from the Avian Conservation Center and witness the power and beauty of birds firsthand.
- Join the statewide iNaturalist birding challenge
- Learn about bird photography and more in special presentations from experienced experts.
- Interact with partners to discover opportunities for birding and other outdoor activities in your community
- Discover birding items available in the "Library of Things" from Richland County Library
Plus, food truck(s) will be on site for lunch and snacks!
Event Admission
Entrance is included with museum general admission or membership.
Flock Fest Activity Schedule
8:30 a.m. | Early Morning Birding for SCSM Members
10:30 a.m. | iNaturalist presentation with Grant Foster from USC Department of Biological Sciences
11:15 a.m. | "Dinosaur & Bird Connections" presentation with SCSM Natural History Curator, Dr. Scott Persons
12 p.m. | South Carolina Wings of Wonder tour led by Dr. Scott Persons
1 p.m. | "Bird Friendly Backyards and Native Plants" presentation by Jennifer Tyrrell of Audubon South Carolina
2 p.m. | Bird Photography presentation by Don Wuori of Carolinas' Nature Photography Association
3 p.m. | Live Raptor experience with Avian Conservation Center
More information coming soon!
Event Partners
Audubon South Carolina | Avian Conservation Center | Carolinas' Nature Photography Association | City of Columbia Parks & Recreation | Environmental Education Association of South Carolina | Gills Creek Watershed Association | Midlands Nature and Bird Alliance | The Palmetto Trail | Professional Photographers of South Carolina | Richland County Library | Richland Soil and Water Conservation District | Riverbanks Zoo & Garden | Saluda Shoals Park | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources | South Carolina Wildlife Federation | South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism | The Carolina Bird Club | The Midlands Master Naturalist Association | USC Department of Biological Sciences
Birding Activities Across SC
iNaturalist Birding Challenge | South Carolina State Museum
March 21 - May 1, 2026
Learn More
Birding Programs | South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Learn More
Midlands Bird Walk | The Palmetto Trail
April 18 from 8:00 - 10:30 A.M.
Stroll along our very popular Peak to Prosperity Passage. Participants will meet at our Alston Trailhead, and we hope to see both arriving migratory birds as well as our hearty year-round residents that call the Broad River riparian corridor home.
Learn More + Sign Up
Upstate Bird Walk | The Palmetto Trail
April 25 from 8:00 - 10:30 A.M.
Stroll along our Blue Wall Passage. This walk will focus heavily on the migratory birds that can be found during that time of year passing through the Appalachian Mountains on their way to breeding grounds farther north.
Learn More + Sign Up
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