Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival

October 14-19, 2025

& WOW Encore December 5-7, 2025

Registration opens the first week of June

About Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival

Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival began in 1997 to connect the public with wildlife and wildland experiences in regional national wildlife refuges. Hosted across six refuges in northeastern North Carolina, the festival features about 60 programs, including birding, paddling, photography, and natural history, making it one of the premier East Coast wildlife festivals.

It also supports refuge conservation and education through the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society.

Find out More About Wings Over Water

2025 Keynote Speaker

Brian Patteson

A native of Virginia, Captain Brian Patteson has been organizing pelagic birding trips since 1986, eventually moving full-time to the Outer Banks in 1995. In addition to his fieldwork, Patteson has played a crucial role in educating people about seabirds and their offshore ecosystems.

More About Our Keynote Speaker