The City of Tukwila will be hosting its 11th annual Backyard Wildlife Festival on Saturday, May 14th, featuring garden tours, arts and crafts and guest speakers including local gardener and host of KING5’s “Gardening with Ciscoe,” Ciscoe Morris.

The festival, which will be held at Tukwila Community Center (located at 12424 42nd Ave South) is FREE to attend.

Here are the details:

WHAT: The City of Tukwila and the Tukwila Community Center present the 11th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival

WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 2011; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE: Tukwila Community Center, located at 12424 42nd Ave South; Tukwila, WA 98168.

INFO: From a press release:

The City of Tukwila announces the 11th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival taking place on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at the Tukwila Community Center. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about native wildlife and how to create an environmentally-friendly backyard habitat and enjoy fun activities throughout the day. Festival highlights include: Hummingbird Madness Talk with Ciscoe Morris, Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River, Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour, Arts & Crafts Marketplace, Pancake Breakfast, and more.

Popular highlights of the festival include the Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River and the Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour. The bird tour is led by a Rainier Audubon expert and meanders along the banks of the Duwamish River – where bird sightings are numerous. The garden tour takes you on an adventure through backyards and gardens in the area, including Tukwila and SeaTac, which have been certified as backyard habitats by the National Wildlife Federation.

A complete schedule of activities, speakers and tours is as follows:

• All Day – Art & Crafts Marketplace, Educational Booths, Native Plant Sale by Tadpole Haven Native Plants, Recycled Art Show and Tukwila Days Fine Art Show
• 8:30 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast provided by Tukwila Sister Cities Committee
• 9 a.m. – “Managing Invasive Plants and Using Native Plants to Benefit Wildlife” with Sandra Whiting, Urban Environmentalist, City of Tukwila
• 10 a.m. – “Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden and Yard” with Courtney Sullivan, Education Manager, National Wildlife Federation PW Region
• 10 a.m. – Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River with Carol Shulz, Rainier Audubon Society
• 11 a.m. – “Bats of the World and the Pacific Northwest: How You Can Help” with Michelle Noe, President, Bats Northwest
• 12 p.m. – “Easy Steps for Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden” with Colleen Miko, Landscape Artist and Garden Designer
• 1:30 p.m. – “Hummingbird Madness: How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard and Garden” with Ciscoe Morris, Master Gardener, Certified Arborist and Teacher at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture
• 3-6 p.m. – Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour

For additional information on the Backyard Wildlife Festival, please visit www.backyardwildlifefair.org. Stay close to the action by booking a nearby Backyard Wildlife Hotel and receive a complimentary bag filled with goodies.

Some local hotels that are offering special deals include:

• Courtyard by Marriott Southcenter: Rates start at $99 and include complimentary parking and access to the indoor pool. For reservations call 800-321-2211.
• Doubletree Guest Suites: Rates start at $119 and include complimentary parking, indoor pool. For reservations call 888-235-4411.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton: Rates start at $119 and include complimentary Manager’s Reception, full cooked to order breakfast and access to the indoor pool. For reservations call 800-362-2779.
• Homewood Suites: Rates start at $129 and include complimentary continental breakfast, parking and access to the outdoor pool. For reservations call (800) CALL-HOME.

Each of these hotels offer complimentary courtesy shuttle service to and from the Festival based on availability. Rates are subject to availability, payable in US Funds and do not include applicable taxes.

What do you get when you mix wildlife habitat advocacy with a fun, FREE, all-day event featuring varieties of entertainment and educational sessions?

You get the Backyard Wildlife Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary in Tukwila on Saturday, May 8th, from 9am to 3pm at the Tukwila Community Center.

And you also get the very popular Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour at 3:00pm.

In honor of its 10th anniversary, the City of Tukwila will also be dedicating its newest park and certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat – Codiga Park!

Brimming with activities, the Backyard Wildlife Festival inspires people to welcome wildlife into their backyards, gardens, and communities. The arts and crafts marketplace, educational talks, kids area, and the garden tour will return to delight attendees. In addition, the Guided Bird Tour with Rainier Audubon Society’s Carol Shulz is back by popular demand.

Here are the details:

WHAT: 10th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival.

WHEN: Saturday, May 8th from 9am – 3pm.

WHERE: Tukwila Community Center, located at 12424 42nd Ave. South.

SCHEDULE: 2010 Schedule of Events:

• 9:00am: Codiga Park Dedication
• 9:00am – 3:00pm: Festival at the Community Center. Workshops, presentations and events; arts and crafts and nature booths; live music; kids area; arts and crafts station; and food booths!
• 10:00am: Guided Bird Tour with the Rainier Audubon Society.
• 11:30am: Ed Hume – Secrets for Success in Growing Vegetables
• 1:00pm: Linda Chalker-Scott – Miracle or Marketing-Do Garden Remedies Really Work?
• 2:00pm: Seattle Tilth – Composting At Home
• 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Self-guided tour of local gardens certified as Backyard Wildlife Habitats

INFO: Event Hotline: Tukwila Community Center (206) 768-2822.

Also:

An Official Washington State Event – International Migratory Bird Day is also May 8th!

All over the country, IMBD celebrates the return of millions of migratory birds to their North American breeding grounds. As the hallmark annual event, IMBD is turning into Earth Day for birders.

Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with us: www.birdday.org

Thinking of Staying Overnight? Check with the Seattle Southside Visitors Center for more information on area hotels.

Sponsored by:

• City of Tukwila
• National Wildlife Federation
• Puget Sound Energy
• REI
• King Conservation District
• Ed Hume Seeds

Backyard Wildlife Festival Advisory Committee:

• Tracy Gallaway, Shannon Fisher and Karla Lindula, City of Tukwila
• Pam Linder, Tukwila City Council
• Courtney Sullivan, National Wildlife Federation
• Michelle Roedell, Tukwila Wildlife Habitat Project
• Kristen Ragain, REI
• Paul Borne – King Conservation District
• Rebecca Fox, City of Tukwila

For more information, check out the Backyard Wildllfe Festival website here.

Tukwila’s annual Backyard Wildlife Festival is a free all-day event on Saturday, May 9th, to educate and inspire people to welcome wildlife – such as birds, butterflies, and other wildlife – into their backyards, gardens and communities.

Appropriately, coming up on Mother (Earth)’s Day weekend, and it’s a free, all-day event to educate and inspire people to welcome wildlife – such as birds, butterflies, and other wildlife – into their backyards, gardens and communities.

Here are the details:

WHAT: 9th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival

WHEN: Saturday, May 9th, from 9am to 3pm; Craft Vendors, Education, Workshops: 9am – 3pm; Certified Wildlife Garden Tour: 1pm – 5pm

WHERE: Tukwila Community Center, locted at 12424 42nd Ave. South in Tukwila (map below)

INFO: The event will host a variety of activities and educational opportunities on how to attract and support wildlife through garden and landscape practices, and creating and preserving wildlife habitat in our region.

• Keynote Speaker Chris Heeter – Join wilderness guide, speaker, and poet Chris Heeter speak about how to reconnect with the natural world, right outside our windows. (11am and 2pm)
• The Parrot Lady – Catch a peek at some live Parrots!
• Guided Birding Walk on the Duwamish River by Carol Schulz of the Rainier Audubon Society (9:45am)
• Procession of the Species Costume Parade – a procession of children of all ages dancing and marching in costumes that mimic their favorite northwest wildlife (Workshop and sign-ups 9am-11:30am, parade at noon)
• Native Plant Sales – Talk to the experts about what plants will thrive on your property, ask about drought-tolerant plants and have your questions answered while you purchase the plants that will make your property a wildlife-paradise. (9am – 3pm)
• Arts and Crafts Marketplace – Browse gardening and nature related product booths including plant sales, fresh produce, birdhouses and more. (9am – 2pm)
• Bird Show of North America – The musical group will be performing their trademark bird songs live while painting scenes of birds. (10:00am and 12:30pm)
• Garden Tour – Take a self-guided tour or the shuttle to certified wildlife habitat gardens in the area. (1–5pm)
• Recycled Art Show – A showcase of local art create by recycled materials. The Recycled Art Show even includes prizes for the best!

CONTACT: Event Hotline: Tukwila Community Center (206) 768-2822

More info at the Backyard Wildlife Festival website.