A free, all-day event to educate and inspire people to welcome wildlife - such as birds and butterflies - into their backyards, gardens and communities

11th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival
Saturday, May 14th, 2011
9:00am to 3:00pm
Tukwila Community Center


Do you have a backyard, patio, porch or deck? You’re invited to find out how to enhance your outdoor space to create a wildlife and environmentally-friendly backyard habitat. The 11th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival is a FREE family event that is brimming with activities and arts & crafts for all ages, including “especially for kids” activities. Meet our keynote speaker Ciscoe Morris and hear him talk about how to attract hummingbirds to your yard or garden.

Popular highlights of the festival include the Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River and the Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour. The bird tour is led by a Rainier Audubon expert and meanders along the banks of the Duwamish River – where bird sightings are numerous. The garden tour takes you on an adventure through backyards and gardens in the area, including Tukwila and SeaTac, which have been certified as backyard habitats by the National Wildlife Federation.


Featured Speaker: Ciscoe Morris

Local gardener Ciscoe Morris will be our keynote speaker this year, giving a talk on how to attract and support wildlife through garden & landscape practices, and creating & preserving wildlife habitat in our region.



Schedule of activities, speakers, and tours:

All Day - Art & Crafts Marketplace, Educational Booths, Native Plant Sale by Tadpole Haven Native Plants

8:30am – Pancake Breakfast provided by Tukwila Sister Cities Committee

9:00am – Managing Invasive Plants and Using Native Plants to Benefit Wildlife Sandra Whiting, Urban Environmentalist, City of Tukwila

10:00am – Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden & Yard Courtney Sullivan, Education Manager, National Wildlife Federation PW Region

10:00am – Guided Bird Tour along the Duwamish River Carol Shulz, Rainier Audubon Society

11:00am – Bats of the World and the Pacific Northwest, How You Can Help Michelle Noe, President, Bats Northwest

12:00pm – Easy Steps for Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Colleen Miko, Landscape Artist & Garden Designer

1:30pm – Hummingbird Madness: How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard and Garden Ciscoe Morris, Master Gardener, certified arborist and teacher at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture

3:00 – 6:00pm – Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour



Kids Garden Party, especially for kids featuring:

  • Hands-on Arts & Crafts
  • Educational Passport Fun
  • Healthy Cooking demos – featuring Dianasour Dishes
  • Shelly the Snail's Birthday Party – featuring Colleen Miko
  • Story time with Ranger Rick
  • REI’s Leave No Trace Program
  • The Bubbleman


The festival takes place at the Tukwila Community Center annually on the second Saturday in May from 9am to 3pm. Tukwila was the first community in the state to become a certified Community Wildlife Habitat and only the fourth in the county to achieve such an honor.



Events Coinciding With The Backyard Wildlife Festival:



Creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat

Attracting bird, butterflies, and other wildlife is a fun way to enjoy nature in your own backyard. Learn about the five elements of a healthy wildlife habitats and how easy it is to create one. Receive recognition for your efforts to restore habitat by becoming a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation. This class is held in conjunction with the City of SeaTac

Location: North SeaTac Park Community Center, 13735 24th Ave South
Instructor: Courtney Sullivan, National Wildlife Federation Education Manager
Date: 4/20     Time: 6-7:30pm       Fee: FREE



Recycled Art Show
Saturday, May 14 TCC

The 4th Annual Recycled Art Show will again be held in conjunction with the Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival. To enter, artwork must be created from at least 85% recycled materials. If interested in submitting artwork or to have questions answered please call 206-767-2342 for details.


Tukwila Days Art Show
Saturday, May 14 TCC

Do not miss the annual Tukwila Days Art Show featuring local artists throughout Southern King County. Traditionally held in August, this show is now being held in conjunction with the Backyard Wildlife Festival to kick off Tukwila Days! This year’s theme is paintings that feature Garden Scenes. Purchases may be made directly with artists. For information about submitting artwork please call 206-767-2342. Cash awards based on judging.





This is a TUKWILA DAYS SUMMERTIME SERIES event.