Shockoe Bottom is home to the only known urban bird festival where onlookers experience the phenomenon of Purple Martins rushing to roost in the heart of the city!

This Saturday from 6:00-9:00 pm come out and enjoy the “Gone to the Birds” festival. Even if the guests of honor fail to show, there will be family friendly activities, educational discussions, and of course, purple martinis. For more information, visit http://gonetothebirds.org/.

Shockoe Bottom is set to have its second Purple Martin Festival, but where are the birds? The RTD reports that last year about 1,000 people came down to the Bottom to watch an estimated 4,000 birds fly over the neighborhood. On Sunday about 300 birds swooped in, only to quickly leave.

“We don’t know why they were there in the first place, so it’s hard to say why they left,” Wilson [Mike Wilson, biologist with the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University] said of the Shockoe birds.

The festival will still go on as planned on Saturday night with food and festivities, with or without the birds. [via]

The RTD is reporting that the purple martins that flock to Shockoe Bottom every summer will lose their place to roost during construction on the proposed stadium. The birds brought almost 1,000 people downtown last year to see them during “Gone with the Birds” festival. While the Shockoe Center spokesmen admits most of the trees will have to go, other city leaders are more optimistic that the plan can be altered so that the birds are less affected. [via]

Come experience a unique phenomenon as 10,000 Purple Martins rush to nest at sunset at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market! The Shockoe Chef Showdown and the Gone to the Birds Festival, part of a full day at The 17th Street Farmers’ Market, both run this Saturday, July 26. The Showdown runs from 11AM-4PM and Gone to the Birds runs from 6-9PM.

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