For birders, hikers, and nature lovers, this is a great event that primarily takes place at my beloved Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood. There are numerous outings over several days and it’s a great way to explore the Verde Valley. It’s conducted by the non-profit organization Friends of the Verde River. They do such great work protecting this vital waterway. I’ll be one of the guest speakers at the festival on Saturday. www.verderiver.org.