Annual Event

Hawaii Island Festival of Birds — Tickets

Join us for a weekend of birding, conservation, culture, and community on the Big Island of Hawaii. Tours, workshops, and an unforgettable Gala Dinner.

Ticket Options

The Hawaii Island Festival of Birds offers several ticket options designed to accommodate different interests, budgets, and schedules. Whether you are a first-time visitor looking for an accessible introduction to Hawaii's birds or an experienced birder seeking the most intensive guided access to the island's best wildlife locations, there is a festival ticket option for you.

Ticket TypeDayPriceGroup Size
General AdmissionSaturday$10 (incl. $5 Birdie Bucks)Open
Morning Bird HikeSaturdayLimited availabilitySmall group
Photography WorkshopSaturdayLimited availabilitySmall group
Gala Dinner and AuctionSaturday eveningIndividual ticketOpen (seating limited)
Sunday Boat TourSundayVery limited spotsBoat capacity
Sunday Van ToursSundayVery limited spotsSmall group
Sunday Photography TourSundayVery limited spotsVery small group
Gala Table SponsorshipSaturday evening$1,000 (table of 8)Private table

General Admission — Saturday Program

The Saturday general admission program is the heart of the Hawaii Island Festival of Birds — an all-day experience open to the public that provides a comprehensive introduction to Hawaii's avian heritage, conservation challenges, and ongoing research.

Your $10 general admission ticket includes $5 in Birdie Bucks redeemable at festival vendor booths and the Saturday silent auction. Keiki aged 15 and younger are admitted free with a paid adult ticket, making general admission an ideal family outing.

Saturday Schedule Highlights

  • 9:00 – 9:15 am — Hawaiian Blessing ceremony opening the festival
  • 9:00 – 4:00 pm — Activity Zone open with family-friendly activities
  • 9:00 – 4:00 pm — Silent Auction featuring artwork, experiences, and merchandise
  • 9:00 – 4:00 pm — Informational and vendor booths open throughout the day
  • 9:30 – 10:30 am — Brian Sullivan, eBird.org: Digital Media for Birders
  • 10:45 – 11:45 am — National Park Service: Hawaiian featherwork and birdcatching
  • 12:00 – 12:45 pm — Screening: "Struggle for Existence" documentary + filmmaker Q&A
  • 1:00 – 2:00 pm — Hawaii Forest Bird Survey Panel Discussion
  • 2:15 – 3:15 pm — Chris Farmer, American Bird Conservancy: Saving Hawaiian birds
  • 3:30 – 4:00 pm — Contest winners announced and silent auction results revealed

Sunday Guided Tours

Sunday's guided birding tours represent the most exclusive element of the festival — small-group expeditions to some of Hawaii Island's best and most restricted birding locations, led by expert naturalist guides. Tour spots are strictly limited and are among the first festival offerings to sell out each year.

Boat Tour

The Sunday boat tour departs from Hilo Harbor and heads offshore to visit coastal and pelagic birding locations not accessible by land. Participants can expect to see breeding colonies of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Brown Noddies, and Sooty Terns on offshore rocks, along with open-water seabirds and the chance of rare pelagic species. The tour is conducted by an experienced naturalist and boat captain familiar with the most productive offshore routes.

Van Tours to Upland Forest

The Sunday van tours provide road-accessible visits to prime native forest birding locations, including areas near Hakalau Forest NWR and the saddle road corridor. With expert naturalists to guide identification and share ecological context, these tours are ideal for birders seeking to maximize their encounter rate with Hawaii Island's endemic forest birds. Small vehicle sizes ensure personalized attention and minimal disturbance to wildlife.

Photography Tour

The Sunday photography tour is the most exclusive offering — a very small group visit to optimal photography locations led by a professional wildlife photographer. Participants receive both access to prime locations and real-time photographic guidance throughout the tour.

Gala Dinner and Auction

The Gala Dinner and Auction on Saturday evening is the festival's premier social event — an elegant and celebratory gathering of the Big Island birding community featuring live Hawaiian entertainment, fine dining, and a fundraising auction that supports the festival's conservation mission.

The evening begins with a no-host bar at 5:00 pm, giving attendees time to peruse the silent auction items and connect with fellow bird enthusiasts before dinner. Live Hawaiian music sets the cultural tone for the evening, with a hula performance by a local polynesian dance academy adding to the festive atmosphere.

After dinner, the evening's keynote speaker — a distinguished scientist, cultural practitioner, or conservation leader — shares perspectives on the biological and cultural significance of Hawaii's birds. Past keynote speakers have included renowned ornithologists, National Park Service scientists, and cultural advisors whose presentations have been among the most memorable aspects of the festival.

The Gala concludes with a spirited live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items: exclusive multi-island guided birding trips, original wildlife art by Hawaiian and mainland artists, and special travel and event packages unavailable anywhere else. All proceeds from the auction support the festival's conservation and education programs.

Table Sponsorship

Table sponsorships at the Gala Dinner and Auction are available for $1,000. A sponsored table seats eight guests and includes premium seating near the entertainment, a complimentary bottle of wine, and recognition in the festival program as an 'I'iwi-level sponsor — a designation that honors one of Hawaii's most brilliant and beloved native birds.

Table sponsorship also includes two general admission tickets for Saturday's program, giving sponsors full festival access across both days. When booking a table, you can list the names of your eight guests at the time of reservation; if you don't yet know all of your guests' names, you can list them as Guest 1 through Guest 8 and update later.

Photography Workshop

The Saturday morning photography workshop provides hands-on instruction in bird and wildlife photography from a professional photographer with extensive experience documenting Hawaii's birds in the field. The workshop covers camera settings, composition, ethical wildlife photography practices, and the specific challenges of photographing fast-moving birds in Hawaii's forest, wetland, and coastal environments.

Participants should bring their own camera equipment. Any camera capable of shooting in manual or semi-manual modes with a telephoto lens of at least 200mm will work well. The workshop is limited to a small number of participants; register early to secure your spot.

Act quickly on Sunday tours and workshops — spaces fill fast every year. General admission remains available through the morning of the event. For the most up-to-date festival information, see the Festival Updates page.

Frequently Asked Questions

General admission tickets to the Hawaii Island Festival of Birds are $10 per adult. When you purchase general admission, $5 is returned to you in "Birdie Bucks" — festival currency that can be used at vendor booths and the silent auction on Saturday. Keiki (children) 15 and younger receive free general admission with a paid adult admission ticket.

General admission includes access to the full Saturday program: the Hawaiian Blessing ceremony, Activity Zone, Silent Auction, and all indoor presentations by expert speakers. It is the most accessible and family-friendly ticket option and provides an excellent introduction to Hawaii's birds and the festival community.

Sunday's guided birding tours take festival participants to prime birding locations across Hawaii Island in small groups led by expert naturalists. Tour options include boat tours offshore to seabird nesting areas, van tours to upland forest reserves, and specialized photography tours to locations with the best opportunities for close-range wildlife photography.

Sunday tours are limited to very small group sizes to minimize disturbance to wildlife and maximize the quality of the experience. Spots sell out well in advance of the festival. Advance booking is strongly recommended — in past years, spots on the Sunday photography tour and boat tour have been filled weeks before the event.

Yes. The Gala Dinner and Auction on Saturday evening can be purchased as a standalone ticket separate from general admission. However, many attendees choose to combine both: spending the day at the general admission program and then transitioning to the Gala Dinner in the evening for a full festival experience.

The Gala Dinner ticket includes a multi-course dinner, access to the no-host bar beginning at 5:00 pm, the silent and live auction, live Hawaiian entertainment including music and hula performance, and the keynote presentation by a distinguished guest speaker from the Hawaiian natural science or cultural community.

The photography workshop is held on Saturday morning and is led by a professional wildlife photographer with deep expertise in Hawaiian birds and natural history photography. The workshop covers techniques specific to photographing birds in Hawaii's challenging forest and coastal environments: managing difficult light conditions, capturing fast-moving subjects in dense vegetation, and selecting optimal camera settings for different bird photography scenarios.

The workshop is limited to a small number of participants to ensure personalized instruction. Attendees should bring their own camera equipment — any camera with a lens of 200mm or longer is suitable, and both DSLR and mirrorless systems work well. The workshop is appropriate for photographers at intermediate to advanced levels; a basic familiarity with manual or semi-manual camera settings is helpful.

Group rates and partnerships are available for schools, birding clubs, and nonprofit organizations that want to bring multiple participants to the festival. Contact the festival organizers directly to discuss group pricing and any special arrangements needed for organized groups, including accessibility accommodations.

Corporate sponsorship packages are also available at various levels, with benefits ranging from logo placement in festival materials to reserved table sponsorship at the Gala Dinner. Sponsoring the festival is an excellent way for local businesses, conservation organizations, and travel companies to demonstrate their commitment to Hawaii's natural heritage while reaching an engaged audience of birders and ecotourists.

Saturday's general admission program takes place primarily indoors with some outdoor activity zones. Comfortable, casual clothing is appropriate — dressing in layers is advisable since Hawaii's weather can change during the day. Closed-toed shoes are recommended for anyone participating in the morning bird hike or other outdoor activities.

The Saturday evening Gala Dinner is a semi-formal event. Aloha wear (Hawaiian-style shirts and dresses) is entirely appropriate and encouraged as an expression of the island's cultural spirit. More formal attire is also welcome. Sunday birding tours require practical outdoor clothing: sturdy waterproof shoes, rain gear, a hat, and sunscreen are essential for the lava fields, forest trails, and coastal locations visited on the tours.