2025 Festival

You assume the risks of any communicable diseases by participating in any of the events. The High Plains Snow Goose Festival will not be liable for any illness as a result of your participation. By signing up and attending, you agree to any and all risks as mentioned above.

4:00pm-6:00pm Hospitality Gathering - unwind after your adventurous day and pick up information. Come meet folks, ask questions, and enjoy some food and friends. This will be held at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street.

FRIDAY TOURS

8:00am-10:00am Black Hole / Two Buttes TOUR. $5.00 Join Debbie Barnes- Shankster for a birding opportunity below the Two Buttes Reservoir Dam. Enjoy this beautiful birding hotspot on the Baca/Prowers County Line. This tour involves walking on some uneven trails. Transportation is on your own. You will meet on top of the Dam. If you want to follow down to the dam, a lead car will leave Lamar High School, 1900S. 11th Street at 7:00am.

10:00am-12:00pm John Martin Dam TOUR - Free with LIMITED SPACE. Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rangers for an interpretive tour of the historic John Martin Reservoir! Learn about the history and importance of the dam as you explore the dam inside and out. There is no cost for this tour, reservations are required as there is a limit on the number of individuals that can go. Transportation is on your own. You will meet at the Dam.

10:00am-11:30am Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

11:30am-5:30pm The Wild Animal Refuge - $100. This tour of the near 10,000 acre wild animal sanctuary will allow you to see lions, tigers, wolves, alpacas, wild mustangs, and more. Get a chance to see for yourself this amazing creation. These rescued animals have been given a second chance at a better life. Hear amazing stories and get an opportunity to see the largest carnivore sanctuary in the world. This specific location is not open to the public, but we have special permission to do a tour. Sign up now. You will not want to miss this unique experience. Tour includes a school bus, hardy snacks, water, and a tour

guide. (Return times are approximate). Meet at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street.

1:00pm-3:00pm John Martin Dam TOUR - Free with LIMITED SPACE. Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rangers for an interpretive tour of the historic John Martin Reservoir! Learn about the history and importance of the dam as you explore the dam inside and out. There is no cost for this tour, reservations are required as there is a limit on the number of individuals that can go. Transportation is on your own. You will meet at the Dam.

1:00-2:30pm Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

1:00-2:30pm Big Timber’s Museum TOUR- $2. Take a tour of the museum and gain a better understanding of the History and Heritage of Southeast Colorado. Check out the 1927 Buick that was owned by the Fleagle Gang and learn about the famous robbery as well as how that case made FBI history. 7515 US 50 Scenic Lamar CO 81052

2:00pm-Sundown Snow Goose TOUR- $30. Join Eric DeFonso on a tour to see the snow geese. Tour includes a school bus, snacks, water, and a tour guide. (Return times are approximate). Meet at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street.

3:00pm-4:30pm Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

3:00pm-4:30pm Big Timber’s Museum TOUR- $2. Take a tour of the museum and gain a better understanding of the History and Heritage of Southeast Colorado. Check out the 1927 Buick that was owned by the Fleagle Gang and learn about the famous robbery as well as how that case made FBI history. 7515 US 50 Scenic Lamar CO 81052

4:00-Sundown Birding TOUR - Free. Join Jenyva Fox on a tour of Lamar’s Willow Creek. This area is renowned for exciting and unusual birds, year-round. Join us for a tramp through the riparian area looking for these avian gems. Space is limited so sign up early. Meet behind the Lamar Community College at the north end of the nature area.

FRIDAY PROGRAM

All programs will be at Lamar High School in the auditorium. 1900 South 11th Street. All programs are free to the public.

1:00pm Sand Creek Massacre A heritage presentation of the Sand Creek Massacre will give you insight into a historical event that took place in Southeast Colorado. Come listen to experts on this event.

SATURDAY TOURS

6:00am-10:30am Raptor and Snow Goose TOUR - $30. Join Eric DeFonso as we tour the grasslands in an area known for several species of raptors, and then the Arkansas River bottom for ducks and passerines. Bus included. Indoors and outdoors with minimal walking. (Return times are approximate). Meet the bus at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street.

7:30am Birding TOUR - Free. Join Jenyva Fox on a tour of Lamar’s Willow Creek. This area is renowned for exciting and unusual birds, year-round. Join us for a tramp through the riparian area looking for these avian gems.Space is limited so sign up early. Meet behind the Lamar Community College at the north end of the nature area.

9:00am-10:30am Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

10:30am-12:00pm Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

1:00-3:00pm Boggsville TOUR - Free. Take a tour of Boggsville, Colorado, a historic town that was an important center of commerce and trade. Learn about the important role this town played in the history of the American West along the Santa Fe Trail. 28120 CO-101 Las Animas, CO 81054

1:00-2:30pm Big Timber’s Museum TOUR- $2. Take a tour of the museum and gain a better understanding of the History and Heritage of Southeast Colorado. Check out the 1927 Buick that was owned by the Fleagle Gang and learn about the famous robbery as well as how that case made FBI history. 7515 US 50 Scenic Lamar CO 81052

1:30pm-3:00pm Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

2:00pm-Sundown Snow Goose TOUR- $30. Join local birder, Dotti Russell on a tour to see the snow geese. Tour includes a school bus, snacks, water, and tour guides. (Return times are approximate). Meet at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street.

3:00pm-4:30pm Colorado Mills TOUR - Free. Take a tour of this unique local manufacturer of Sunflower Oil. See how it all works. This tour is free, but space is limited. Sign up to take advantage of this opportunity. Tour will be at Colorado Mills 505 Hickory Street, Lamar. Meet your tour guide there.

3:00pm-4:30pm Big Timber’s Museum TOUR- $2. Take a tour of the museum and gain a better understanding of the History and Heritage of Southeast Colorado. Check out the 1927 Buick that was owned by the Fleagle Gang and learn about the famous robbery as well as how that case made FBI history. 7515 US 50 Scenic Lamar CO 81052

3:00pm-Sundown North Gateway Park TOUR - Free. Meet birder Debbie Barnes for a walk around the Valco ponds to find some local birds. This tour is free and requires quite a bit of walking. Meet at the West Pavilion 1402 Valco Road Lamar CO

4:00pm Birding TOUR - Free. Join Jenyva Fox on a tour of Lamar’s Willow Creek. This area is renowned for exciting and unusual birds, year-round. Join us for a tramp through the riparian area looking for these avian gems. Space is limited so sign up early. Meet behind the Lamar Community College at the north end of the nature area.

SATURDAY PROGRAMS

All programs on Saturday will be at Lamar High School in the auditorium. 1900 South 11th Street. All programs are free to the public.

9:30am John Hopper - Camp Amache. Come watch this unique presentation on the historic Japanese internment camp, Camp Amache. Learn about the history of this area and then drive down and take a tour of the site. Event will be at Lamar High School. We also encourage you to go down and visit the site at County Road 23 5/10, Granada, CO 81041.

11:00am Debbie Barnes-Shankster - A Different Kind of Birding, Pelagic Birding -Test the waters of a different kind of birding experience, through visual imagery and tales from a few West Coast excursions! Pelagic birding offers opportunities to see birds that only come to land for breeding purposes, not to mention some up close encounters with these birds and other wildlife. Pelagic birding is an exciting adventure and a different type of birding experience. This program will discuss what pelagic birding is and

what one needs to know to do it successfully. Debbie Barnes has been birding for over 20 years. She has helped lead field trips and give programs at different Colorado birding festivals and conferences. She was a volunteer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. She also served on the board of Aiken Audubon.

1:00pm Birds of Prey - Diana Miller from the Raptor Center will present lots of great information with all the wonderful raptors to Santa see. She will be here with hawks, eagles, and owls. See the big predators in the bird world! See the live birds from the Pueblo Raptor Center and hear of the efforts to rehabilitate injured or orphaned raptors.

 3:00pm Eric DeFonso - Bird Conservation Challenges and Successes in New Zealand. Protecting bird life is a tall order in any part of the world. But perhaps no place serves as a better example for what a society can do when it dedicates itself to conserve and protect birds than New Zealand. Eric spent a full month in New Zealand in late 2023, a land rich in unique and remarkable birds that are threatened with extinction and overwhelmed by introduced mammals and even other birds. He is eager to share anecdotes, experiences, and discuss how New Zealand confronts its wildlife crisis directly and impactfully. Could Colorado learn from New Zealand's experiences? Let's find out! 

7:00-9:00pm Evening Keynote presentation- $15 per person or $25 per couple. Children under 12 FREE with a paid adult. Flock together with us for a presentation from our Keynote speaker- Dr. Henry Pollock from The Southern Plains Land Trust. The Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT) protects more than 60,000 acres of shortgrass prairie in southeast Colorado. The keynote speech will focus on grassland birds and be presented by Dr. Henry Pollock, Executive Director of SPLT and resident bird conservation expert. Grassland birds are one of the cornerstones of SPLT's wildlife conservation programs. The most rapidly

declining avian guild in North America, grassland birds are threatened by habitat loss and degradation, pesticides, and a variety of other threats. Dr. Pollock will present an overview of grassland bird conservation across the Great Plains, discuss strategies for protecting these vulnerable bird populations, and detail efforts by SPLT to move the conservation needle on grassland birds in southeast Colorado. Dessert will be served after the presentation. This will be held at the Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th

Street.

5:30-10:30am Sunrise Tour - $30. Watch the snow geese wake up and fly off to their feeding grounds. Tour State Wildlife Areas and farm fields to see a variety of waterfowl including some raptors. Tour includes a school bus and a Colorado Parks and Wildlife tour guide. (Return times are approximate). Meet at Lamar High School, 1900 S. 11th Street. 

Extra Treat Birders, while you are in town, visit 304 Woodland Drive. You may experience the best in backyard birding. On a good morning, you can view birds in riparian woodland (deciduous and coniferous) and plains habitats. Many mornings more than 20 species will visit the numerous feeders.