Created to promote and support the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

Free Parking. Free Admission. Free Activities.

A Celebration of the Treasure Coast's natural resources and the 106th birthday of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. An average of 7,000 people expected. Many exhibitors line the sidewalks of Riverview Park, including arts & crafts, environmental, and food vendors. Live wildlife shows feature birds of prey and reptiles throughout the day. Discounted Pelican Island tours by pontoon boat depart every 45 minutes. Special kid's activities and live music are offered non stop throughout the day. An incredible photography display features entries and winners of the festival photography contest. A full day of fun and leisure for the whole family.

This year's emcee will be Teddy Roosevelt, aka Joe Wiegand. Mr. Wiegand has studied President Roosevelt extensively and has re-enacted Theodore Roosevelt in Chatauqua-style events for many years! He is "...A lifelong student of American history, government and foreign policy, Joe is a political science graduate of The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and a former graduate assistant at the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois."

So be sure and say hi and chat with President Roosevelt and learn a thing or two about history! For more information on Mr. Wiegand, his expertise and reprisal of President Roosevelt, please visit his website at: www.teddyrooseveltshow.com.

And speaking of history, be sure not to miss the "Florida Remembered" tent with more information and story telling about our local history.

Festival Activities

Over 30 Activities Include
		Live Wildlife Shows
		Kayaking Activities & Poker Run
		Many Environmental Exhibitors
		Boat Tours to Pelican Island
		Kids Educational Activities & Games
		Environmental Arts & Crafts Exhibits
		Live Music & Food
		Amateur Photography Contest
		Historical Reenactments

2009 Pelican Island Wildlife Festival Photo Contest Exhibit

Click on image above to see a listing of the Photo Contest winners

Festival Information

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES/li>
Kayak Poker Run and Tours Info/Application

Sponsorship Information

Exhibitor Booth Application

Food Vendor Application/li>
Riverview Park/Sebastian Street Map

Photo Contest Flyer

Festival Flyer

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Program Flyer - Event Schedule/Map
Live Music Schedule 10 am Harp & Harmony - multi-instrumental duo with classical, folk, bluegrass and Celtic styles 11:45 am Sleepin' Dogz - eclectic blend of blues, rock, country and jazz 1 pm Old Barber Bridge - acoustic folk, rock, bluegrass and blues Bring a lawn chair and enjoy a variety of music.	News Release Pelican Island NWR/US Fish & Wildlife
Raffle To be drawn at 3:30 PM day of the event - you do not need to be present to win. This year's raffle grand prize is a Jackson Kayak "Day Tripper 12"! "...the Day Trippers are designed to be just what you want from a kayak… fun, super comfortable and easy to paddle, with a ton of options for whatever you might want to do when paddling." "The Day Trippers truly are different and are ushering in a fresh experience for those looking for more out of their recreational kayak." Check out all the details at Jackson Kayak. Retail value - $779. Please visit the Pelican Island Preservation Society Welcome tent at the festival to purchase raffle tickets and for a complete list of raffle prizes available.	Silent Auction Silent auction items are TBA. Winners of the silent auction will be announced following the raffle prize drawings at 3:30 PM. You do not need to be present to win. Bid sheet located at the Pelican Island Preservation Society Welcome Tent.
Exhibitors & Vendors *Thanks to all our vendors for joining us. You help make this event a success!* Food Vendors In addition to our usual variety of food vendors, this year PIPS will be cookin' too! Please stop by our "Rookery Cookery" for all the great fixin's. Wiley's Pit Barbecue will be doing the cooking and victuals include chicken, ribs, pig wings and more, so stop by and check them out! All proceeds from the Rookery Cookery go to the Pelican Island Presevation Society, for the benefit of Pelican Island NWR. Abbotts Frozen Custard Big Ears Dough Blue Ribbon Catering Chubby's Good Eats Country Kettler's Korn Dogs 'n Paradise Festival Foods Standing Room Only Viglione Italian Ices Exhibitors Live Wildlife and Touch Tanks Avian Reconditioning Center Riverwalk Nature Center, Lagoon Touch Tank Treasure Coast Herpetological Society Treasure Coast Wildlife Center Environmental Education/Historical Barrier Island Sanctuary - Brevard County EEL Program Brevard County Natural Resources Office Brevard County Parks & Recreation - Riverwalk Nature Center Brevard County Solid Waste Management City of Palm Bay - Turkey Creek Sanctuary Environmental Learning Center Florida Division of Forestry Florida for Sustainable Population Friends of St. Sebastian River Ft. Pierce Inlet State Park Indian River County Parks & Recreation Indian River Lagoon Program Keep Indian River Beautiful Pelican Island Audubon Society Save the Chimps Sea Turtle Preservation Society Sebastian Inlet State Park Smithsonian Marine Station The Humane Society of Vero Beach The Ocean Conservancy Turtle Coast Group - Sierra Club US Fish & Wildlife, FL Ecological Services Office Vero Beach Elementary School Watershed Action Volunteers (WAV), SJRWMD Wildflower Arts & Crafts Alley Cat Creations Alyssa's Soybean Candles Beaded Jewelry by Esta Beautiful Beachglass Jewelry Bob Virelli Chester Zaremba Christine Boudreau Coconut Bills Colour Dancers Studio Creative Wood Art Eyes For Light Photography Georgiana Teacher Greg Heller's Wildlife Photography Island Images Jeff Kissinger Jewels By The Sea Lagoon LLC Linda Nicolis Lynda Davis Mikky Campbell Monkey 'N Around One World Imports, Ltd. Sally Carey Sebastian River Art Club Stan Molenda Boating & Fishing Capt. Christy Lenz "Causal Cruisin'" Kayaks, Etc. SeaTow Sebastian Sebastian Fishin' Chics Sebastian Inlet Sail & Power Squadron TowBoat US, Sebastian US Coast Guard Auxiliary FL 56 US Fish & Wildlife Fisheries Division Civic Organizations Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce Environmental Commercial Climatic Solar Corp. Florida Eco-Safaris Seaside Landscaping, Inc. Historic Florida Friends of Historic Roseland Historic oak Lodge Indian River County Historical Society Sebastian Area Historical Society Teddy Roosevelt Show National Wildlife Refuges Archie Carr NWR J. N. "Ding" Darling NWR Lake Woodruff NWR Merritt Island NWR National Key Deer NWR Pelican Island NWR

Bird Watching by Boat

The Pelican Island Wildlife Festival includes boat tours through the Indian River Lagoon to Pelican Island. Wintering birds seen on the island may include White Pelicans, Brown Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills and Forster's tern. Check out our new shorebird visitors to the islands oyster shell reef created by our shoreline restoration project.
Wood Storks The Birds of Pelican Island

Over 30 species of birds use Pelican Island as a rookery, roost, feeding ground, or loafing area. 16 different species of birds nest on Pelican Island, including the Brown Pelican, Wood Stork, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Reddish Egret, Cattle Egret, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green-backed Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Double-crested cormorant, Anhinga, White Ibis, American oystercatcher, Common moorhen.

Wintering birds include the White pelican, double-crested cormorant, Roseate Spoonbill, Blue-wing teal, Lesser scaup, Red-breasted merganser, Ring-billed gull, Forster's tern, and Common Loon.

General Event Information:

Pelican Island Preservation Society
P.O. Box 781903
Sebastian, Florida 32978-1903
General Event Info: 772-562-3909, ext. 258
Email: info@pelicanislandfriends.org
Website: www.pelicanislandfriends.org

What Does the Event Cost?

All the event activities at Riverview Park are free, except for kayaking and boat tour activities. Please see the links above for more information on these events and fees. The pontoon boat tours to Pelican Island are a suggested donation of $5.

All proceeds from this event will go towards the new Joe Michaels Trail and birding observation platform to be built at the Pelican Island NWR. To see a conceptual view of what the "Joe's Overlook" birding observation platform will look like, please click here.

Where is the Festival Held?

The festival is held at Riverview Park in Sebastian, Florida. Riverview Park is located at the intersection of SR 512 and US 1 along the western edge of the Indian River Lagoon.

From I-95, take exit 156 and go east on SR 512. SR 512 ends at Riverview Park on US 1.

The Pelican Island Wildlife Festival is hosted by the ...

Pelican Island Preservation Society
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the City of Sebastian

Festival Committee

Kristen & Mike Beck Diane Butler David Cox Tim Glover Melanie Neach Julita Kosiak Vince Lamb	Denise Leeming Steve Massey Kim Poole Steve Schubert Walt Stieglitz Bonnie Swanson Scott Webb
in cooperation with Joanna Webb U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service