The 35th Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival is set for Jan. 17-18, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday) at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Cherokee Removal Memorial Park, and Birchwood Community Center. The festival celebrates the thousands of sandhill cranes that stop over or spend the winter on or near the refuge. It is also an opportunity to focus attention on the rich heritage of the state and the Native American history of the area.
The free event runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET) each day and includes free shuttle transportation from the Birchwood Community Center to the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park and the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and parking is available at the Birchwood Baptist Church. Visitors will notice a change this year regarding parking. A parking map can be found on the festival webpage.
Volunteers will be on hand, with spotting scopes that allow for an up-close view of not only sandhill cranes but also many waterfowl, bald eagles, songbirds, and possibly a glimpse of the endangered whooping cranes at the refuge, and the overlook at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Tennessee rivers…