Description: EAGLE FEST VENDORS 2026
Location: Reelfoot Lake State Park
Eagle Fest 2026 Schedule
Friday, January 30th
Saturday, January 31st
8:30 am - Vendors Open All Day
9:30 am - Meet and Greet Bald Eagle!
10:00 am - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
12:30 pm - John and Dale Stokes Bird of Prey Show - 1HR
Sunday, February 1st
7:30 am - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
8:00 am - Vendors Open- Till 1:30 pm
10:00 am - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
1:30 pm - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
6:00 pm - John and Dale Stokes Bird of Prey Show - 1 HR
2:30 pm - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
5:30 pm - Photography Contest Winners Announced
8:30 am - Vendors Open All Day
9:00 am - Welcome Eagle Watchers Presentation- Park Staff
10:00 am - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
1:30 pm - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
4:00 pm - Eagle Eye Van Tour - 2HR
6:15 am - Sunrise Photography Van Tour - 2HR
John and Dale Stokes Bird of Prey shows sponsored by
Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council and Friends of Reelfoot Lake.
$20 Registration is required per person for all Eagle Eye Van Tours. Visit our website or call the visitor center at 731-253-9652 to register.
Art and Photo:
$10 Registration is required.
Deadline for submissions is January 31st at 11:00 am.
2595 Hwy 21 E Tiptonville, TN 38079
Visitor Center: 731-253-9652
All entries must be mounted and hang-ready and turned into the visitor center for display. Ribbons will be awarded by People’s Choice voting at 5:30 pm on February 1st.
Art categories: Nature/ Scenic, Wildlife, and Festival-Themed.
Photo categories: Nature/Scenic, Wildlife, and Festival-Themed.
A special category for both art and photography featuring the Freedom Silo of Tiptonville, sponsored by the Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council, will also be included. First Place in this special category will receive $50!
EAGLES OF REELFOOT LAKE
Flying alone or in pairs, they soar on magnificent wings south from the Great Lakes and isolated regions of Canada to spend the winter in Northwest Tennessee. The American Bald Eagle (weighing 16 pounds and has a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet) has made this annual winter pilgrimage to Reelfoot Lake for generations.
Bald Eagles, the symbol of our great country, are still threatened. Most Americans have never had the opportunity to observe these magnificent birds in the wild, and/or observe the awe-inspiring beauty and power of this bird of freedom.
Reelfoot Lake State Park provides an opportunity to see our national symbol in its natural habitat. Reelfoot Lake has one of the largest wintering populations of Bald Eagles outside of Alaska, and the return of eagles has become a major event. The familiar image of the eagle is that of the mature bird with the stately “balde” meaning white wig, its’ crown of feathers, making it known as the bald eagle. The immature eagles completely brown are less than five years of age are sometimes mistaken for large hawks.
During the eagle tour, other birds can be observed around this 15,500-acre lake. There are over 100,000 ducks, 6,000 Canada Geese, and 254 kinds of birds that visit the lake each year. Reelfoot Lake is a unique bird watchers paradise. See clerk for winter birding check list.
The state park has established interpretive programs for winter visitors to Reelfoot Lake. Eagle tours begin early January and continue through the last weekend of February. Eagle tours are two hours and will depart from the Visitor Center Saturday & Sunday at 10am or 1:30pm. Monday – Friday call for private group reservations. Reservations are recommended and bus tours are $20 per person.
Program Host: Reelfoot Lake State Park
Contact Email: Vanessa.Henson@tn.gov
Contact Phone: 7312539652
Meeting Place: Reelfoot Lake State Park 2595 State Route 21 East Tiptonville, TN. 38079
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