Programs & Events at Birdcraft
The Birdcraft Museum will be closed on Thursday, June 19, in observance of the Federal Juneteenth holiday. Our trails remain open from dawn to dusk.
Make Music Day at Birdcraft
Saturday, June 21
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Join us in the Birdcraft courtyard when CT Audubon’s Fairfield Region hosts auto harpists Louise Rojo and Cathy Paine for Make Music Fairfield–a day of free, town-wide events that are part of the global Summer Solstice festival happening in over 2,000 cities around the world. This is a free event, no registration needed. Find more information at: makemusicday.org/fairfield/.
Birdcraft Family Day – Summer Shorebirds
Oystercatcher, David Cox
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Drop in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The American Oystercatcher eats mostly (you guessed it) oysters, as well as clams and mussels. Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Oystercatcher model to take home. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult.
Fee (per model kit): Members $13, Non-members $15.
Pre-registration required. Please register here.
Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.
Birdcraft Carving and Decoy Show
Antique Decoy by CK, undated
Saturday, August 9 & Sunday, August 10, 2025
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
FREE; no registration required
Connecticut Audubon’s historic Birdcraft Museum is the perfect setting for viewing award-winning decoys and decorative bird carvings, and for meeting the artists who create them. Stop in for this free event which includes a “paint your own duck” activity for kids.
Lesser Yelllowlegs by Richard Kach
New England’s decoy carving tradition emerged from the practical needs of colonial waterfowlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. These earliest decoys were roughly hewn from local woods, with basic paint schemes designed purely for effectiveness on the water. Today, carvers produce decorative birds alongside traditional decoys, and use sophisticated painting methods, intricate feather detail, and lifelike poses. The evolution from simple wooden lures to museum-quality sculptures represents one of New England’s most distinctive contributions to American folk art.
This event takes place at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Day – The World of Warblers
Common Yellowthroat by Mike Budd/USFWS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Drop in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dozens of species of Warblers visit Birdcraft, and each species sings their own songs. Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Warbler model to take home. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult.
Fee (per model kit): Members $13, Non-members $15.
Pre-registration required. Please register here.
Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.
Birdcraft Family Day – Clever Corvids
Blue Jay by Richard Stone
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Drop in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Crows and Blue Jays are not just some of the smartest birds in Connecticut, they’re some of the smartest animals in the world! Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Corvid model to take home. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult.
Fee (per model kit): Members $13, Non-members $15.
Pre-registration required. Please register here.
Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.
Birdcraft Family Day – Winter Woodpeckers
Pileated Woodpecker by Grayson Smith USFWS
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Drop in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
You’ve heard Connecticut’s Woodpeckers drumming on dead trees, which they do to attract mates or establish their territory. Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Woodpecker model to take home. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult.
Fee (per model kit): Members $13, Non-members $15.
Pre-registration required. Please register here.
Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.
Birdcraft Family Day – All About Owls
Snowy Owl by Hank Golet
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Drop in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
From the Great Horned Owl to the tiny Saw-whet Owl, Connecticut is home all sizes and shapes of Owl! Join us to build and decorate your own recycled wood Owl model to take home. For kids up to 10 years accompanied by a participating adult.
Fee (per model kit): Members $13, Non-members $15.
Pre-registration required. Please register here.
Please wear art-appropriate clothing and footwear. This program is held at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.
Birdcraft Family Days are sponsored by Richard Wrightman Design.
