By the 1950s, the whooping crane was nearly extinct, with only 50 or so birds left in the wild. Thanks to aggressive conservation efforts, the species has made a miraculous recovery, and is now considered stable. 

From Sept. 6-8, residents in Fort Smith got together to celebrate the species' remarkable recovery with the first Northern Whooping Crane Festival.

"It was a soaring success," said Daniel Wiltzen, Fort Smith's economic and tourism development officer, and one of the organizers of the event. "The response to the festival has been overwhelmingly positive."

Whooping cranes are one of two species of crane native to North America, along with the slightly smaller Sandhill Crane. They're known for their snow-white plumage and hold the distinction of being the continent's tallest bird.

The only remaining wild population of the species winters in coastal Texas, but they breed in and around Wood Buffalo National Park, near Fort Smith.

The community's debut whooping crane festival "blended education with hands-on fun," according to Wiltzen, with "everything from bird-watching to conservation talks" on the weekend schedule. 

"A large portion of this event went to bringing in leaders of the scientific field related to whooping cranes and protected species," he said. "For example, John Conkin and Mark Bidwell, a wildlife biologist and research ecologist, respectively, who worked for Environment and Climate Change Canada, based out of Saskatchewan, joined the whooping crane festival to share information about habitat challenges throughout the seasons, the impact industrial development has on whooping crane migration and the specific route they fly through to get to the wildlife reserves in Port Aransas [Texas]."

The festival was well-attended, with "groups of people of all ages, from all walks of life" participating in the various events on the agenda.

Attendance spiked on the Sunday, when "over a 100 people joined the community to visit with local artisans, listen to some tunes and grab a bite at the fish fry," said Wiltzen. However, he was most excited by the number of people who joined festival organizers out on the nearby salt plains. 

"This festival had a limited marketing campaign, but still, the interest in the landscape and the elusive whooping crane drew a large crowd in," he said. "Around 20 people joined us to hike the salt plains, in addition to the 30 youth also on their [own] tour.

"[The youth] went to the salt plains for a guided hike, Thebacha Campgrounds to participate in Dene game demonstrations, and then Fort Fitzgerald for a medicine walk. A similar schedule was offered for adults and included knowledge-sharing talks along with the natural guided tours."

The festival was a major undertaking. Planning began in July, and work continued even after the event was over, but Wiltzen believes he and his fellow organizers "made magic happen."

"The weeks flew by as we worked to figure out timelines, logistics, marketing options and leadership priorities," he said. "I was thankful to have a large planning committee: Patricia Heaton, with Fort Smith M茅tis Council; Emily Prescott, with Smith's Landing First Nation; Connie Benwell, with the Salt River First Nation; and myself, with the Town of Fort Smith."

By late September or early October, the young whooping cranes around Fort Smith will be strong enough to join their parents on the 4,000-km journey to Texas. They should be back in the NWT by mid or late April of 2025, and it sounds like they can expect another festival in their honour that summer.

"[The] feedback from the community is a good sign that we will continue to prioritize the celebration of the whooping cranes," said Wiltzen.