Coast Fest 2023 Brunswick GA
CoastFest is returning as an in-person event on April 22nd after being held virtually for the past two years. This annual outreach program, put on by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division, has been running for 28 years, and it's coming back with some exciting new additions. Tyler Jones, CoastFest coordinator and CRD spokesperson, has stated that the event will feature many of the same interactive highlights that have made it a popular event for nearly three decades in Coastal Georgia.
Jones also revealed that the timing of CoastFest has been shifted this year. It will now align with Earth Day, unlike in previous years, where it was traditionally held on the first Saturday of October. The event will feature around 40 exhibitors at Mary Ross Waterfront Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibitors will showcase everything from birds of prey to fish in the sea, a climbing wall, and even cannon firings.
One of the most exciting new additions to the event is the Coastal Experience, which will allow visitors to take a journey through Coastal Georgia, starting in the upland and venturing down to the marshes and the barrier islands. Jones said that visitors will get to see how the Coastal Resources Division interacts with each of those ecosystems. There will also be new technologies on display at CoastFest, including a virtual reality tour of a Coastal Georgia reef that includes some unique fish and other species caught on camera at a reef off the coast.
Returning to the event are CoastFest staples like the touch tanks, the animal village, and aquarium exhibits that allow people to get up close and personal with some of the wildlife of Coastal Georgia, whether it's snakes, amphibians, birds, mammals, or fish. Georgia Southern University Center for Wildlife Education is bringing its birds of prey back to show during two presentations that last about an hour each.
The Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society will also present its invasive species exhibit to give a complete picture of local ecosystems and the threats they face. People can see the animals that don't belong here and learn about how they can help protect the natural resources of Coastal Georgia.
CoastFest is made possible by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to CRD, and it's a great opportunity to learn about the natural wonders of Coastal Georgia. Jones suggests visiting CoastalGaDNR.org/CoastFest to learn more about the event. Free parking is available in the grass field in front of Brunswick Landing Marina via the I Street parking lot entrance.
