This release was issued under a previous government.

Swan Festival - Swans

The Swan festival celebrates the return of rare Trumpeter swans to their nesting lakes in the Peace Country and allows Albertans the opportunity to see the birds in their natural habitat.

The Grande Prairie region is home to a large number of Trumpeter swans during the spring and summer. Saskatoon Island Provincial Park – located 25 kilometres west of Grande Prairie on Highway 43 and three kilometres north on Range Road 81 – is in the Grande Prairie Trumpeter Swan Important Bird Area and is a designated Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary, home to large numbers of parkland, forest and lakeside birds.

Swan Festival events run on Sunday, April 27, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and include various family activities, like face-painting and a barbeque at the Saskatoon Island day-use area.

Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation staff will also be offering guided swan-viewing tours that will depart every 30 minutes from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Bus tours run for approximately 90 minutes and cost $5 per person or $20 per family.

As a lead up to the Swan Festival, senior conservation advisor and former refuge biologist John Cornely will be presenting The Trumpeter Swan Story in North America: a remarkable wildlife conservation story on Saturday, April 26.

The presentation runs from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Centre 2000 in Grande Prairie and will include refreshments, music and a silent auction.

Admission is by donation to the Friends of Saskatoon Island and Alberta Parks. All proceeds will go towards supporting environmental education, nature preservation and stewardship at Saskatoon Island Provincial Park.