Bats spend most of the year being misunderstood. On Saturday they get their day. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge holds its annual bat festival on Oct. 31, and the timing works out well for anyone who already planned to wear the cape.
The festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the refuge visitor center, 3815 American Blvd. E. Admission is free, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge says the point is to celebrate the role bats play in Minnesota and around the world, and the event falls during International Bat Week.
Activities run all day. Kids and adults can meet Eugene, a live big brown bat, walk through a replica bat cave, sign on as junior bat scientists, test themselves at bat trivia and make batty crafts. There's also information on gardening for bats, with free native seeds, plus bat house information and free bat houses. The full lineup is on the festival's event page.
Four 30-minute talks are scheduled. At 11 a.m., Melissa Boman of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources covers the state's 8 bat species, what they do in the ecosystem and what current research shows. At noon, Brittany Turner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota explains what to do if you find an injured bat. At 1:30 p.m., Carrie Klumb of the Minnesota Department of Health separates facts from fiction on bats and rabies, including what to do after a possible exposure. At 2:30 p.m., Mary Mallinger of the Minnesota Zoo talks about tracking bat migration with MOTUS towers.
The costume parade and contest is wedged between talks at 12:45 p.m. Bats, vampires and the occasional Batman are all welcome.
Food trucks will be parked outside all day: Potter's Pasties, Amazing Momo, Thai Thai Street Food and Brew & Barre. The visitor center lot is the main parking, and the lot at the Hilton next door takes the overflow. You can also skip parking entirely: take the Blue Line to American Boulevard Station and walk about 1/4 mile east to the entrance.
