Celebrate Earth Day with the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources at CoastFest on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick!
CoastFest, in its 28th year, is the largest outreach event hosted by the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This free, family-friendly event features educational programs, touch tanks, wildlife viewing opportunities, and exhibitors from partner agencies and nonprofit organizations.
There’s plenty to see and do for people of all ages at CoastFest. Whether you’re interested in fishing, sea turtles, birds of prey, or Coastal Georgia history, CoastFest Offers something for you! Bring your family, curiosity, and sense of adventure when you “Catch the Excitement” at CoastFest on Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick, 100 F St., Brunswick, GA 31520.
CoastFest is a free-admission event and will happen rain or shine. We can’t wait to see you there!
Educational Programs:
Dumpster Doug
- New to CoastFest this year, Dumpster Doug travels the earth searching for the sources of air, land and water pollution and then shows audiences that small changes make a huge difference when it comes to protecting the earth’s natural resources.
- Audiences learn about the 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Read so they too can become Eco-Superstars in the funniest and most magical environmental show CoastFest has ever seen!
- Watch a dirty soda can become brand new and filled with soda as it is magically recycled in just 30 seconds. Witness trash being turned into useful products instantly as it enters a recycling bin, and see a scrap of paper turned into something valuable instead of being tossed aside.
- Tons of audience participation keeps viewers on the edge of their seats while everyone can laugh along with all the great lessons. It’s the perfect assembly show for Earth Day celebrations or anytime of the year.
Georgia Southern University Center for Wildlife Education
- Be wowed by birds of prey from Georgia Southern University’s Center for Wildlife Education!
- Raptors, also known as birds of prey, are a diverse and fascinating group of birds that have all adapted to a life of eating meat. Raptors include Eagles, Hawks, Owls, Falcons and Vultures.
- Though incredibly diverse, all of these raptors will possess three important characteristics; keen eyesight for spotting prey, powerful curved talons for capturing and gripping prey and a curved beak for tearing food into smaller pieces. Raptors play an important role in the environment as key predators and scavengers and are some of the most important natural vermin control mechanisms. Experienced falconers show off several species of birds of prey, and explain the various adaptations that make this group of birds so intriguing.
- Program lasts approximately one hour.
Program Schedule:
- 10:30 a.m. – Dumpster Doug
- 11:30 a.m. – Georgia Southern University Birds of Prey
- 1 p.m. – Dumpster Doug
- 2 p.m.: GSU Birds of Prey
- 3 p.m. Dumpster Doug
- Cannon firings every hour on the hour
- Musket firings on the half hour every hour
- Touch Tanks and Coastal Experience
- Visit the Coastal Resources Division pavilion for the Coastal Experience. Travel from the uplands, through the marsh, and out to sea as you see and learn about what CRD does to conserve the coast for the benefit of present and future generations.
- Take a journey through Coastal Georgia, starting in the upland where you’ll learn about maritime forests and the transitionary ecosystem. Then, venture down into the marsh to experience the mucky mud, keystone plant species, and organisms that call Georgia’s 368,000 acres of marsh home. Finally, cross over onto a barrier island and see how the forces of nature shape the beaches, dunes, and coastline of the Peach State.
- It all wraps up with a dip into our touch tanks, where you’ll be able to see and touch wild Georgia sea life, including stingrays, horseshoe crabs, finfish, and other marine life! This exhibit is a family favorite that you won’t want to miss!
Animal Village and other attractions:
CoastFest features a wide variety of other attractions, including animals, activities like the Fish Rodeo, reef ball painting, and more.
The CoastFest Animal Village this year features exhibitions from Georgia Southern University’s Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia DNR’s Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Chehaw Park and Zoo, FlintRiverquarium, and Okefenokee Swamp Park and Adventures.
At CoastFest’s Animal Village, you’ll be able to see:
- Corn snake
- Rat snake
- Indigo snake
- Hawk
- Bard Owl
- Screech owl
- Gopher tortoise
- Diamondback terrapin
- Gopher frog
- Amphibians
- Insects
- and more!
For more information, click HERE.
