Berkeley Bird Festival

Website: berkeleybirdfestival.org

Every bird holds a memory. Every memory holds a meaning. Across different cultures and communities, across time and space, birds have played a significant role in shaping our understanding of the world, ourselves, and our relationship in nature.

On Sunday, October 18th, this year’s Berkeley Bird Festival invites you to celebrate our incredible birdlife here in the Bay Area through the theme of “Myth and Memories”.

Get outside and witness the birds and our shared environment. Engage with the Myth of the Flying Africans. Fold a crane for peace and longevity. Hear the story of SF’s Wild Parrots. Watch the street “split the sky” through a dance inspired by migration. Listen to the science behind wildlife and remember, every feather, past and present, is a portal to a world where all of us thrive.

This year two award-winning journalists and authors, Lauren Markham and Ed Yong, will share the stage and talk about what it means to “Bear Witness” through their most recent and forthcoming works!

This festival brings science, art, and culture under its wing to inspire our collective imagination and action in protecting birds and our environment. We hope you’ll join us whether you're bird-curious or a long-time advocate.

All performances and presentations are drop-in with the exception of birding trips that require advanced registration. Gather your flock, swoop in, and dive into a world of birds, Myth and Memory.

Transportation: We highly recommend taking public transit via BART to the Downtown Berkeley BART station to get here! We’re also big proponents of biking to your favorite bird festival if possible.

Directions: From the Downtown Berkeley BART station the David Brower Center is a four minute walk away. Head south from the station and turn left onto Allston Way.

Parking: The street along Allston between Oxford and Shattuck will be closed for the festival and street parking is very limited near the venue. There is a parking garage at 2165 Kittredge St., just around the corner of the venue with a $3/hr fee or $22 for the day.

Sponsors

This event is made possible by Bonolok, The City of Berkeley, UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, The Wood Foundation, Blue Heron Bikes, and Wildbirds Unlimited.

#MythandMemory #BerkeleyBirdFest2026 #BBF2026

Event venue & nearby stays

Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, United States

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