Ohio Bat Fest

Mark your calendars for Bat Fest 2026 on October 24 from 12–5pm! Discover the world of bats at Ohio Bat Fest, a free community event. Families, students, and nature lovers of all ages are invited to join us for a day of fun, learning, and hands-on activities that highlight the importance of bats.

Guests will engage in live demonstrations of field equipment, interactive exhibits, and kid-friendly activities. New this year, visitors can learn how moon gardens can support nocturnal pollinators, make their own native seed balls to take home, and explore our pollinator booth to discover more about the connections between bats, insects, plants, and healthy ecosystems.

Experts will be on hand to answer questions, dispel myths, and showcase cutting-edge research on bat ecology and conservation. Attendees will get a firsthand look at the tools of wildlife research, including drone flights that reveal how researchers track bats across the night sky. Mist-net and harp trap set-ups will showcase how bats are safely studied in the field, providing rare insight into conservation practices normally seen only by scientists.

The event also features a Silent Auction, with unique items including a signed copy of Merlin Tuttle’s The Secret Lives of Bats. Donations will support bat conservation and education programs like the Ohio Bat Fest.

Join us for this one-of-a-kind event and celebrate our often-misunderstood neighbors of the night sky.

Learn more at https://ohiobatlab.com/ohiobatfest