Salty Bird Festival

A Family Event Celebrating the
Wild Birds of Saltville, Virginia!
October 3-5, 2025

Did you know that more than 200 species of birds have been documented in the Saltville Well Fields?

Join us for a weekend of celebrating the amazing wild birds found in Saltville! Here’s a schedule with an idea of what to expect:

Bird Lecture: When Birds Follow People: Why Birds Are Where They Are.
Fri., Oct. 3, 7-8 pm, at the Museum of the Middle Appalachians:
Our speaker is Dr. Chris Marsh. Dr. Marsh has spent his 50+ year career as an ecologist, naturalist and environmental educator working in the Southeast. Dr. Marsh will share 10 stories that illustrate how bird biodiversity changes as the North American landscape changes — both at the regional level and the local level. And yes, Saltville is in one of these stories.

Chris received his B.S. degree in Zoology from NC State in 1977 and his Ph.D. in Zoology from Oregon State in 1984. After serving on the faculty of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC from 1984 until 1998, he became Executive Director of the Spring Island Trust in Beaufort County, SC and remained in this position until his retirement in July 2022. During that time he helped cofound the South Carolina Master Naturalist program and the Port Royal Sound Foundation. He now lives in Winston-Salem, NC with his wife Barbara where is working on his current professional passion — the newly created Northwest Piedmont Master Naturalist Program.

Bird Walk
Sat., Oct. 4, 9-10 am, in the Well Fields, leaving from Food Country Parking Lot:
Bob Riggs will lead a 1-hour bird walk through the Well Fields beginning at 9 am – great for kids and adults!

Learning Stations, Games, Prizes!
Sat., Oct. 4, 9-11 am, Food Country Parking Lot, near the Well Fields:
Visit tables from 9-11 am with information, games, and prizes! Meet representatives from The Holston Rivers Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist, Hungry Mother State Park, Steele Creek Education Center, Department of Wildlife Resources, Blue Ridge Discovery Center, and the Virginia Society of Ornithology.

Bird Crafts and Games
Sat., Oct. 4, 4-5 pm, Saltville Town Commons:
Look for the Saltville Public Library staff as they team up with VMN volunteers to offer bird crafts and games for the kids!

Bird Walk
Sun., Oct. 5, 8:15-9:30 am, Food Country Parking Lot:
Saltville native Leola Griffin will be joined by fellow volunteer Monica Hoel to lead a morning bird walk in the Well Fields. Fun for the whole family!

We want to thank our partners!
Saltville Public Library
The Museum of the Middle Appalachians
Smyth County Chamber of Commerce

We want to thank our supporters!
Food Country
Saltville Animal Clinic
Town of Saltville
Hungry Mother State Park
The Nature Center at Steele Creek Park
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Blue Ridge Discovery Center
The Virginia Society of Ornithology