• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

  • Explore
    • Attractions
      • Amish
      • Arts & Theater
      • Caves
      • Museums & Historical
      • Orchards & Agritourism
      • Tours
    • Scenic Byways
    • Trails
    • Waterways
    • State Parks
    • Minnesota
    • Iowa
    • Wisconsin
    • Live Cams
  • Recreation
    • All Recreation
    • Biking
    • Hiking
    • Water Activities
    • Golfing
    • Fishing
    • Hunting
    • ATV/UTV
    • Indoor Recreation
    • Winter Recreation
  • Stay
    • All Lodging
    • B&B’s
    • Hotels & Inns
    • Resorts
    • Vacation Rentals
    • Campgrounds
    • Cabins
  • Taste
    • Dining & Drinking
      • Bar & Grills
      • Family Dining
      • Fine Dining
      • Casual Dining
      • Fast/Grab-n-Go Food
      • Outdoor Seating
    • Craft Beer, Wine & Spirits
    • Farmers Markets
  • Shop
    • All Shopping
    • Amish
    • Antiques, Retro & Vintage
    • Apparel
    • Crafts & Fibers
    • Gifts
    • Grocery & Specialty Foods
    • Lawn, Garden & Floral
    • Off Sale
    • Pets & Animals
    • Vehicles & Boats
  • Plan Your Visit
    • About Historic Bluff Country
    • View Guidebook
    • Visitor Centers
    • Business Directory
    • Local Services
    • Bluff Country News
    • Gallery
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Car Shows & Cruises
  • WIN!
    • Vote for the Best of Bluff Country and WIN!
    • Enter to WIN a T-Shirt
    • The Best Winners 2025
    • The Best Winners 2024
    • The Best Winners 2023
    • The Best Winners 2022
    • The Best Winners 2021
    • The Best Winners 2020

It’s a hoot!

March 2, 2023 by Visit Bluff Country

It’s a hoot!

By Charlene Corson Selbee

Prepare to have a hoot at the International Festival of Owls, March 3-5.

The event originally started at a “hatch-day” party for Alice the Great Horned Owl in 2003. The celebration has grown from 300 attendees to over 2,000 visitors from all over the United States, Canada, Jamaica, England, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Nepal, Taiwan, Japan, Kenya, and South Africa.

“Expect to be immersed in owls,” explained Karla Bloem, International Owl Center executive director.

The entire town of Houston, Minn., is actively involved in the celebration. The Cross of Christ Lutheran Church will once again host the favorite owl-face pancake breakfast. Barista’s Coffee House specialty is owl-themed drinks, and SubZero Pizza & Ice Cream will feature owl shaped pizzas on Friday night.

Looking for owl-themed gifts? Visit the vendor show at Houston High School, 306 W. Elm, and the International Owl Center’s Gift Shop, located in the Owl Center, 126 E. Cedar, for a wide selection of owl-themed gifts.
Check out the self-guided Parade of Owls art tour. eleven public owl sculptures are located throughout the town. Watch for the street banners featuring kids’ owl art from around the world. Note that three of the banners feature artwork from Ukraine. Over 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 U.S. states were submitted this year.

First place winner, Alexander Xu (age 16) USA in the 2023 International Kids’ Owl Art Contest out of about 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 US states.
Photo submitted by the International Owl Center
Roar Solheim from Norway is the 2023 World Owl Hall of Fame keynote speaker on Saturday night. The presentation will focus on Solheim’s encounters with owls and owl people in North America. Owl-themed refreshments will be provided by the town’s Forget-Me-Not Garden club.

Other activities include live owl programs, owl crafts, medallion hunt, kids’ owl art contest, kids’ owl calling contest, birding and natural history bus trip, owl nest box building, owl pellet dissection, and owl prowls.
Some events require registration. The schedule and registration information are available online at festivalofowls.com.

Bloem emphasized, “Sunday programs are much less crowded than Saturday.”

The three-day celebration is the center’s largest event of the year and is a fundraiser for the center.

Upcoming Bluff County events:
• March 2-5, Oneota Film Festival, Decorah

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping.

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Bluff Country News & Stories

11 Can’t-Miss Things to Experience in Mabel

July 14, 2025

Rushford Days Offers Fun for All Ages, July 16-20

July 7, 2025

Discover Whalan’s Charm

July 3, 2025

Lanesboro: The Driftless Region’s Perfect Staycation Destination

July 3, 2025

Celebrate the Fourth of July in Harmony – Four Days of Family Fun and Festivities!

June 30, 2025

Experience, Brownsville, a Quaint River Town on the Mississippi River

June 24, 2025

Celebrate Small-Town Spirit at Laura Days and Brownsville Days

June 23, 2025

First Kayak winner of the 2025 Summer

June 12, 2025

Founders Day Celebrates 10 Years in Downtown Caledonia

June 5, 2025

44th annual Art in the Park fine art festival in Lanesboro

May 19, 2025

Dana Boler Photography on the Cover of Visit Bluff Country Magazine

May 8, 2025

Join Vesterheim to Celebrate Syttende Mai, Norway’s Constitution Day

May 7, 2025

New Exhibit at Vesterheim Museum

April 25, 2025

Drift Cycle Bike Share Launching in the City of La Crosse

April 17, 2025

Wrapping up the season!

April 15, 2025

Nordic Fest Board of Directors Announces 2025 Honorees

April 10, 2025

24th Annual Bluff Country Studio Art Tour

April 3, 2025

Celebrate Beer, Wine & Cheese Fest & Taster’s Eve!

April 3, 2025

Vesterheim New Forging Studio Opens in May 2025

April 1, 2025

Commonweal Theatre to present “The Half-Life of Marie Curie”

March 28, 2025

Before Footer

Footer

Visit Bluff Country

Enter to Win

  • The Best Contest Entry
  • Enter to Win a Shirt
Visit Bluff Country
136 St. Anthony Street | PO Box 496
Preston, MN. 55965

800-599-0481
A publication of the Fillmore County Journal

Plan Your Visit

  • Attractions
  • Recreation
  • Eat & Drink
  • Shopping
  • Lodging
  • Explore Iowa
  • Explore Minnesota
  • Explore Wisconsin
  • Explore Historic Bluff Country
  • Plan Your Visit
  • Area Events

Information

  • Bluff Country News & Stories
  • Business Directory
  • The Best Winners 2025
  • Visitor Guidebook
  • Visit Bluff Country Distribution
  • Advertise
  • Gallery
  • Submit Your Photos
  • Live Cams
  • Visitor Centers
  • Home

Minnesota Towns

  • Brownsville
  • Caledonia
  • Canton
  • Chatfield
  • Fountain
  • Fremont
  • Harmony
  • Hokah
  • Houston
  • Kellogg
  • La Crescent
  • Lake City
  • Lanesboro
  • LeRoy
  • Mabel
  • Millville
  • Peterson
  • Plainview
  • Preston
  • Red Wing
  • Rushford
  • Rushford Village
  • Spring Grove
  • Spring Valley
  • Wabasha
  • Whalan
  • Winona
  • Wykoff

Iowa Towns

  • Bluffton
  • Burr Oak
  • Cresco
  • Decorah
  • Elkader
  • Hawkeye
  • Highlandville
  • Lansing
  • Lime Springs
  • Marquette-McGregor
  • Riceville
  • Waukon

Wisconsin Towns

  • Alma
  • Bay City
  • Fountain City
  • Galesville
  • La Crosse
  • Nelson
  • Pepin
  • Prairie du Chien
  • Warrens

© 2025 · Website Design and Hosting by SMG Web Design of Preston, MN.