MartinFest 2025
June 28, 2025 10:00AM to 4:00PM
15th Annual Free Event
Oconto City Park (Wisconsin Purple Martin Public Colony Site)
5182 County Highway N, Oconto, WI 54153
The Wisconsin Purple Martin Association (WPMA) invites you to join us for the free 15th Annual Martin-Fest with our sponsors to celebrate the beloved Purple Martin (Progne subis subis) along with Bird City Oconto.
Oconto City Park is a 24 acre site containing 700 feet of beach along the Bay of Green Bay, providing a picturesque setting to celebrate with your whole family watching purple martins along with mingling with martin enthusiasts. Weather permitting: seeing up close martin young, eggs, and live capturing of adult martins for banding. A vendor for purple martin housing will be present. Please join us for our Silent Auction for educational support throughout the day with awarding of items after 3:00 PM.
Facilities include playground, camping facilities, and flushed bathrooms. The Farnsworth Library will be present for activities with a scheduled storybook walk. Talks on banding, purple martin nest checks and nest replacements, a demonstration about taking horizontal gourds to drill and install 90 degree elbows on the covers for air circulation, on bluebirds and trail monitoring, fossils, reptiles, bees, Motus towers, etc.
Sponsor Contacts:
WPMA—Co-Presidents Les Rhines (920) 889-0060 & Nicki Schumacher (920) 207-6480
Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin ( Oconto County)—Gene Birr (920) 461-0108
City of Oconto Parks Recreation & Forestry—Director (920) 834-7706, https://cityofoconto.com/parks-and-rec/
Farnsworth Public Library in Oconto—(920) 834-7730
R L Hall Land Title Company Inc—David Hall (920) 835-5733
15th Annual Free Event
Oconto City Park (Wisconsin Purple Martin Public Colony Site)
5182 County Highway N, Oconto, WI 54153
The Wisconsin Purple Martin Association (WPMA) invites you to join us for the free 15th Annual Martin-Fest with our sponsors to celebrate the beloved Purple Martin (Progne subis subis) along with Bird City Oconto.
Oconto City Park is a 24 acre site containing 700 feet of beach along the Bay of Green Bay, providing a picturesque setting to celebrate with your whole family watching purple martins along with mingling with martin enthusiasts. Weather permitting: seeing up close martin young, eggs, and live capturing of adult martins for banding. A vendor for purple martin housing will be present. Please join us for our Silent Auction for educational support throughout the day with awarding of items after 3:00 PM.
Facilities include playground, camping facilities, and flushed bathrooms. The Farnsworth Library will be present for activities with a scheduled storybook walk. Talks on banding, purple martin nest checks and nest replacements, a demonstration about taking horizontal gourds to drill and install 90 degree elbows on the covers for air circulation, on bluebirds and trail monitoring, fossils, reptiles, bees, Motus towers, etc.
Sponsor Contacts:
WPMA—Co-Presidents Les Rhines (920) 889-0060 & Nicki Schumacher (920) 207-6480
Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin ( Oconto County)—Gene Birr (920) 461-0108
City of Oconto Parks Recreation & Forestry—Director (920) 834-7706, https://cityofoconto.com/parks-and-rec/
Farnsworth Public Library in Oconto—(920) 834-7730
R L Hall Land Title Company Inc—David Hall (920) 835-5733
Bird City Oconto
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Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (Oconto County)—Gene Birr (920) 461-0108
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Farnsworth Public Library in Oconto—(920) 834-7730
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R L Hall Land Title Company Inc—David Hall (920) 835-5733
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Troyer’s Birds Paradise—Adam Troyer (814) 587-2756
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Purple Martin Schedule of Events
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Wisconsin Purple Martin Association (WPMA) Registration. Talk to WPMA Board Members throughout day on issues concerning purple martins. Housing Vendor will be present near registration area for people interested in homemade housing.
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Silent Auction. Items will be awarded after 3:00 PM. Must be present to win with payment due and pick up items.
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Capture of Purple Martin adults and young by licensed banders who attach bands for the Bird Banding Laboratory (Weather permitting).
Presentation on nest checks and nest replacement & Presentation on venting of gourds
3:00 PM
Silent Auction Ends with announcement of awards afterwards
4:00 PM
End of MartinFest
Other Events & Booths Scheduled
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM--Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin with presentation, house monitoring & sale
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM--Raptor Education Presentation
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM--
Food fundraiser provided by the Park and Recreation Department of Oconto
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Wisconsin Purple Martin Association (WPMA) Registration. Talk to WPMA Board Members throughout day on issues concerning purple martins. Housing Vendor will be present near registration area for people interested in homemade housing.
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Silent Auction. Items will be awarded after 3:00 PM. Must be present to win with payment due and pick up items.
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Capture of Purple Martin adults and young by licensed banders who attach bands for the Bird Banding Laboratory (Weather permitting).
Presentation on nest checks and nest replacement & Presentation on venting of gourds
3:00 PM
Silent Auction Ends with announcement of awards afterwards
4:00 PM
End of MartinFest
Other Events & Booths Scheduled
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM--Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin with presentation, house monitoring & sale
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM--Raptor Education Presentation
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM--
- Bird City Oconto with children’s bags including educational bird items
- Farnsworth Public Library with children’s activities along with a storybook walk
- Archies Angels with Reptiles
- Earthaven Museum with fossil dig for children at the beach. Fossil display and identification for rocks
- Lake Michigan Bird Observatory with educational information on Motus Towers, bird research, and habitat information
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Wildlife Management on educational aspects
- Brown County Beekeeper Association on educational aspects with honey for sale
Food fundraiser provided by the Park and Recreation Department of Oconto
| MartinFest 2025 flyer |
