Pack up the family to enjoy the great outdoors on the banks of the Tres Rios, at the 15th Annual Spring Tres Rios Nature Festival.   Nature lovers, visitors and families can look forward to another outstanding weekend spring outdoor event at the Tres Rios Nature Festival, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 – 4, 2018 in Avondale.

For the past 15 years, thousands of people have descended upon the confluence of the Gila, Salt and Agua Fria rivers for the annual Tres Rios Nature Festival, a celebration of the plants, animals, ecological relationships, as well as many recreational opportunities of the area. Kid-friendly activities, educational displays, entertainment and vendors make this a great event for the entire family. Attendees will be able to see wildlife up close, go canoeing, try a hand at stand up paddle boarding, archery, fishing, view local birds, hike, and learn all about STEAM opportunities in the Southwest Valley.

HANDS ON EXHIBITS: A variety of outdoor, nature and history organizations will showcase informative exhibits.  The most popular are the wildlife encounter exhibits.   Experts on these topics will be available to answer questions and tell you about their organizations.  Featured organizations include:  Sonoran Audubon, Arizona Game and Fish, and Arizona Audubon to name a few. 

GO FISH: Bass will be spawning so your chances are really good at catching the ‘Big One’.  No license required. Bring your own or use our fishing gear. 

SPLISH & SPLASH: Free access to canoes, kayaks and paddle boards to explore the water ways of the safe and wildlife friendly river. Additionally, REI has teamed up this year to offer Paddle Board classes, pre-register at www.tresriosnaturefestival.com

BEER GARDEN: Hang out in the beer garden located on the bridge over the river with a perfect view of the stage (21 years of age and over only)

BIRDS EYE VIEWING: Take a try at one of the most popular hobbies in the world, bird watching! Audubon experts will provide guided tour of the local bird watching opportunities.  Some of the birds you may see include osprey, red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, and orange-crowned warblers. You may get lucky and spot one of the Bald Eagles that ventures down to the festival. 

CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT: Enter the first corn hole tournament of Tres Rios! $10 to enter, prizes for the winners.  Pre-registration required online  www.tresriosnaturefestival.com

BULLS-EYE: Visit the beginner archery range and learn about shooting a bow and arrow in a safe setting, instruction provided my Arizona Game and Fish. 

ENTERTAINMENT: Be entertained by folk, blue grass and country talent at the main stage throughout the weekend. Pull up a chair, or bring your own, as entertainment continues all day each day. Featured entertainment for this year’s festival include renown local and regional acts including Run Boy Run, Jam Pak, D-Squared and Jarabe Mexicano.

FOOD: There will be great food to tease your taste buds. Burgers, BBQ, and fry bread are some of the food options to quench the appetite that you build up participating in all of the fun outdoor activities. 

STEAM: Kids can learn and use Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM), as the Tres Rios Nature Festival is excited to be a Signature Event of the Arizona SciTech Festival.

Along with great entertainment, attendees will be able to see wildlife up close, go canoeing, try a hand at archery, fish, view local birds, hike, and more.  The event is free.  Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with headlining entertaining, Jarabe Mexicano, performing along the river until sunset on Saturday, 6-7:30 p.m..  The event is hosted at the Base and Meridian Wildlife Area is located adjacent to ISM Raceway (formally Phoenix International Raceway) in Avondale, five miles south of I-10 on Avondale Boulevard (7602 S. Avondale Blvd., Avondale, AZ 85323).

For more information, and entertainment updates visit  www.tresriosnaturefestival.com or call 623-333-2400.