INDIAN RIVER BIRD & NATURE ART SHOW

11th Annual Indian River Bird & Nature Art Show
October 11-19, 2025

The Pelican Island Conservation Society is sponsoring the eleventh annual Indian River Bird & Nature Art Show in conjunction with National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 11-18, 2025. This year’s event will be hosted by the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, at their facility in the old Sebastian Public School, at 1235 Main Street, Sebastian. Be sure to get out and visit the Pelican Island NWR, or your favorite refuge during NWR Week, or anytime!

The National Wildlife Refuge Association, in celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week, produced Finding Refuge, a report that celebrates “… the National Wildlife Refuge System and the diversity of imperiled species that call it home, reveal critical threats to refuges and their wildlife, and look to the future of America's public lands network dedicated to our wildlife.”

This is a juried show and the artwork will be for sale, which supports the artists and PICS - thank you for your support! The show will be open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. Weekend days are expected to be open, as well - times to be determined.

Additional information about the show, as well as artwork submission rules and application, will be posted on the IR Bird & Nature Art Show Facebook page as it becomes available.

Event Schedule

The show is being held at the IR Lagoon NEP office at 1235 Main Street, Sebastian

October 11 through 19 - Art Show exhibit, Second Floor, IR Lagoon NEP office. Please note that the Sebastian Area Historical Museum is located on the ground floor of the old school, as well. Plan to stop in and visit them - they have limited open hours, check their website for more info or call 772-581-1380.

Additional activities and tours may be planned as we celebrate the Pelican Island NWR and National Wildlife Refuge Week. Details will be posted on our Calendar as they become available. Some events require reservations, such as the always popular wine and cheese cruise to Pelican Island!

An artists’ reception will be held, with the presentation of awards for winning artworks. The reception, and a planned featured presentation, will be announced as details are confirmed.

National Wildlife Refuge Week

October 11-18, 2025 - The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s first Refuge, established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, will be celebrating the National Wildlife Refuge Week with volunteers onsite to provide information and answer questions, on Friday and Saturday of that week. In addition, they will be available to assist those needing transport to reach some of the viewing areas along the trails. You may wish to check their Facebook page for possible updates and information, at www.facebook.com/PelicanIslandNWR.

Pelican Island Wine and Cheese Cruise

This is one of the more popular events we hold during the Art Show. We anticipate holding at least one of these trips this year and plans will be announced once they become available.

The video below is a slideshow of photos taken on the Sunset Cruise to Pelican Island, during the 2019 IR Birding Fest & Nature Art show, by PICS member Sandy Peterson.  Wildlife seen on the trip included brown and white pelicans, white and glossy ibis, great blue herons, cormorants, black vultures, wood storks, white egrets, osprey and dolphin.  The tour was led by Master Naturalist Heather Stapleton.