The mystical red rocks of Sedona provide the perfect backdrop for one of Arizona’s most enchanting wildlife celebrations. This summer brings the 11th Annual Sedona Hummingbird Festival, where the desert’s tiniest aerial acrobats take center stage against the stunning panorama of cathedral rocks and towering spires. The timing couldn’t be more perfect – late July marks the peak of Sedona’s hummingbird season, when up to eight different species converge on this high-desert sanctuary, creating a natural spectacle that draws enthusiasts from across the Southwest and beyond.
Peak Migration Season Spectacular
The International Hummingbird Society has crafted this extraordinary three-day celebration to coincide with the remarkable southbound migration of hummingbirds heading to their winter homes in southern Mexico. During this magical period, Sedona’s hummingbird population swells dramatically, with some local residents reporting over 500 hummingbirds visiting their feeders daily based on nectar consumption alone. The festival transforms the Sedona Performing Arts Center into “Hummingbird Central,” where visitors can witness these iridescent jewels in action while learning about their conservation and the science behind their incredible abilities.
Education Meets Conservation
What makes this festival truly special is its unique combination of accessible wonder and scientific education. The International Hummingbird Society, founded in 1996 and headquartered right here in Sedona, has created an event that serves both curious families and serious birding enthusiasts. The organization’s mission of education and conservation shines through every aspect of the festival, from expert presentations by world-renowned hummingbird researchers to hands-on banding demonstrations that contribute to ongoing scientific research.
A Festival Rich with Discovery and Wonder
The Sedona Hummingbird Festival offers an remarkable array of activities designed to immerse visitors in the fascinating world of these extraordinary birds. The festival features fourteen different speaker presentations covering diverse hummingbird topics, from attracting them to your garden to understanding the latest conservation efforts protecting endangered species worldwide. World-class experts share insights into hummingbird behavior, migration patterns, and the remarkable adaptations that allow these tiny birds to hover, fly backwards, and beat their wings up to 80 times per second.
The festival’s garden tours provide visitors with inspiration and practical knowledge for creating their own hummingbird havens. These carefully curated tours showcase private gardens throughout the greater Sedona area, demonstrating how thoughtful landscaping with native plants and strategic feeder placement can transform any space into a hummingbird paradise. The tours operate via a convenient hop-on, hop-off shuttle service, making it easy to explore multiple locations while learning from experienced gardeners who have mastered the art of hummingbird attraction.
Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of the festival is the live hummingbird banding demonstrations. These carefully conducted scientific sessions allow visitors to witness the delicate process of placing tiny, uniquely numbered bands on hummingbirds for research purposes. Lucky participants may even have the opportunity to release a newly-banded bird back into the wild, creating an unforgettable connection with these remarkable creatures. The banding contributes valuable data to the Hummingbird Monitoring Network, supporting conservation efforts across North America.
Field Trips and Family Activities
Early morning birding field trips, led by the knowledgeable guides from the Northern Arizona Audubon Society, take advantage of the cooler temperatures and increased bird activity at dawn. These expeditions venture to sixteen different locations throughout the Sedona area, offering opportunities to spot not only hummingbirds but also the diverse array of other bird species that call this high-desert region home. The variety of habitats – from riparian corridors to pinyon-juniper woodlands – provides an excellent introduction to Arizona’s remarkable avian diversity.
For families, the festival’s Kids’ Day on Saturday transforms learning into adventure. Children can participate in hands-on crafts, meet live animals, and discover the wonders of hummingbirds through age-appropriate activities designed to spark curiosity and foster a lifelong appreciation for wildlife. The festival also features sunrise hummingbird breakfasts, allowing early risers to enjoy a meal while watching hummingbirds in their most active period of the day.
Essential Festival Information
📅 Festival Dates: July 25-27, 2025
📅 Workshop Dates: July 24, 2025
🕐 Hours:
- Friday & Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Sedona Performing Arts Center (SPAC)
995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona, AZ 86336
💰 Admission: FREE admission to Hummingbird Central (Marketplace, hummingbird feeders, Kids’ Day activities, photo contest display). Tickets required for speaker presentations, garden tours, banding demonstrations, birding field trips, hummingbird breakfasts, and festival dinner.
Ticket Information
🎫 Ticketing details:
- Online registration opened May 1, 2025 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time
- Online ticket sales close July 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM
- Tickets available at the door (higher prices, subject to availability)
- Advanced purchase strongly recommended as popular activities sell out
Contact Information
📞 Phone: (928) 284-2251
Email: TeamColibri@hummingbirdsociety.org
Festival Coordinator: Lexi Helm – Lexi@hummingbirdsociety.org
Website: sedonahummingbirdfestival.com
Organization Website: hummingbirdsociety.org
Social Media: @hummingbirdsociety on Instagram
🏢 Event Organizer: International Hummingbird Society
📮 Mailing Address: PO Box 4222, Sedona, AZ 86340-4222
Registration & Logistics
🚗 Registration & Packet Pick-Up:
- Thursday, July 24: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Friday, July 25: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday, July 26: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday, July 27: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
♿ Accessibility: Limited accessibility for off-site activities; Saturday and Sunday banding locations are handicapped accessible
🐕 Pet Policy: Pets not permitted at any festival activities
🍽️ Food: On-site food concession offering snacks and sandwiches
🚌 Transportation: Shuttle service provided for garden tours; carpooling arranged for birding trips
The Perfect Arizona Summer Experience
Sedona’s elevation of 4,300 feet provides blessed relief from the intense heat that characterizes much of Arizona in late July. The festival coincides with the region’s monsoon season, bringing cooler temperatures and the possibility of dramatic afternoon thunderstorms that add their own spectacular element to the red rock landscape. This natural air conditioning makes outdoor activities comfortable and enjoyable, while the dramatic lighting created by monsoon clouds enhances the already breathtaking scenery.
The festival’s location at the Sedona Performing Arts Center places visitors in the heart of one of America’s most photographed landscapes. The venue’s setting among towering red sandstone formations creates an unparalleled backdrop for the event, living up to the festival’s tagline as “The Most Beautiful Place in America to See Hummingbirds.” The indoor presentations benefit from the center’s excellent acoustics and climate control, while the outdoor marketplace and feeding areas take full advantage of the stunning natural setting.
Marketplace and Photography
The Hummingbird Marketplace transforms the venue into a treasure trove of hummingbird-related gifts, supplies, and artwork. Local artisans showcase their hummingbird-inspired creations alongside specialized feeders, native plants, and educational materials. The marketplace operates on a free-admission basis, making it accessible to anyone interested in learning more about attracting hummingbirds to their own spaces. A special plant sale on Saturday morning (9:00 AM – 1:00 PM) offers visitors the opportunity to take home native plants specifically chosen for their appeal to hummingbirds.
The festival’s photo contest celebrates the artistic beauty of hummingbirds while encouraging conservation awareness. Entries are displayed throughout the event, allowing visitors to vote for their favorites while appreciating the incredible diversity and beauty of these remarkable birds. The contest provides inspiration for photographers of all skill levels and highlights the importance of documenting wildlife for both artistic and scientific purposes.
For those seeking deeper engagement with hummingbird photography and art, pre-festival workshops on July 24 offer intensive instruction in specialized techniques for capturing and creating hummingbird imagery. These workshops, led by expert instructors, provide hands-on experience with the equipment and techniques necessary to successfully photograph these fast-moving subjects or create artistic interpretations of their beauty.
The festival dinner provides a more intimate setting for connecting with fellow hummingbird enthusiasts while supporting the ongoing conservation work of the International Hummingbird Society. This special event brings together festival attendees, speakers, and researchers in a celebration of shared passion for these remarkable birds and their protection.
A Gathering of Conservation Champions
The Sedona Hummingbird Festival represents much more than a weekend of wildlife watching – it embodies a growing movement of conservation awareness and action. The International Hummingbird Society’s work extends far beyond the festival itself, supporting critical research and habitat protection efforts throughout the Americas. The organization partners with researchers worldwide to study hummingbird populations, migration patterns, and the threats they face from habitat loss, climate change, and human development.
Festival attendees become part of this conservation community, learning about simple actions they can take to support hummingbird populations in their own communities. From planting native flowering plants to maintaining clean feeders and reducing pesticide use, the festival emphasizes how individual actions can contribute to broader conservation efforts. The Society’s certification program for “Hummingbird Havens” provides participants with the knowledge and recognition for creating wildlife-friendly gardens that benefit both local and migrating hummingbirds.
International Conservation Impact
The festival also highlights the Society’s international conservation work, including support for endangered species like the Marvelous Spatuletail in Peru and the Juan Fernández Firecrown in Chile. These efforts demonstrate how local passion for hummingbirds can translate into global conservation action, protecting species that might otherwise face extinction.
The timing of the festival during peak migration season serves as a powerful reminder of the epic journeys these tiny birds undertake twice each year. Some of the hummingbirds present at the festival, particularly the Rufous Hummingbirds, will have traveled from as far as southern Alaska and will continue south to wintering grounds in Mexico – a journey of thousands of miles accomplished by birds weighing less than a penny.
An Essential Arizona Experience
This remarkable festival continues to grow in reputation and attendance, drawing visitors from across the United States and internationally. The combination of world-class expertise, stunning natural beauty, and genuine conservation impact creates an experience that resonates long after the last hummingbird has departed for its southern journey. Advance registration is strongly recommended, as the most popular activities consistently sell out weeks before the event. The festival represents a unique opportunity to combine education, inspiration, and natural beauty in one of America’s most spectacular settings, making it an essential experience for anyone interested in wildlife, conservation, or the natural wonders of the American Southwest.
