A quirky event called the Keep Your Chicken in Line parade kicks off the Edison Bird Festival this weekend in the Skagit Valley hamlet that sits amid some of the world's finest bird-watching opportunities.

Organizers and sponsors include local art gallery owners and the owners of the Farm to Market Bakery, a popular stop for visiting birders.

"Since it's the first annual event, we're not exactly sure how the parade is going to work. But it sounds really fun," said Andrew Vallee, owner of Smith & Vallee Gallery, which is among the sponsors.

Chicken owners will herd or carry their fowl the few blocks from the south end of town to the north, he said.

There's no prize, but it's a good bet the winner will do some crowing.

Vallee said the event is free and there's no need to register in advance. It starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, outside the Farm to Market Bakery, corner of Gilmore Avenue and Cain's Court at the south end of downtown Edison.

"If you show up with your chicken, you can do it," Vallee said. "If you're really brave, you can release your chicken and herd it on down the line."

Vallee said the Edison Bird Festival is presented in conjunction with the annual Skagit Flats Winter Hawk Count, an effort sponsored since its inception in 1985 by the Falcon Research Group, which is based in the nearby village of Bow.

Vallee said the organizers were looking to start a festival that combined the various aspects of birding in the Skagit Valley.

"We wanted something with broad appeal," Vallee said. "It had to be about birding and art, and there's the conservation element. And of course, we wanted it to be fun for the family."

Besides the chicken parade, festival events include birding tours with naturalists from the North Cascades Institute near Diablo; lectures on raptors and owls with experts in the field; and a presentation of live birds presented by the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

In addition, there will be demonstrations of wood carving and glass etching that feature an ornithological theme. All events are free, except for the closing dinner on Sunday.

Vallee said that because street parking could be difficult in Edison, visitors are encouraged to use the parking lot at Edison Elementary School 5801 Main Ave. and walk to the events.

To reach Bow, take Interstate 5 south from Bellingham to exit No. 236, Bow Hill Road. Turn west (right), and follow Bow Hill Road past Chuckanut Drive into town. For a more scenic trip, take Chuckanut Drive south from Bellingham, turning west (right) at Bow Hill Road.

For more information about the festival, call 360-766-6230, email info@smithandvallee.com, or go online to edisonbirdfestival.com

EDISON BIRD FESTIVAL

Saturday

• A presentation of live birds with the Woodland Park Zoo Raptor Center is from noon to 1 p.m. at Edison Elementary School, 5801 Main Ave.

• A talk with Denver Holt, a renowned snowy owl researcher and director of the Owl Research Institute; and Bud Anderson, founder of the Falcon Research Group, is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Edison Elementary School, 5801 Main Ave.

• Opening reception for the "Birds in Flight" art show from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5719 Gilkey Ave.

Saturday-Sunday

• Demonstrations of vitreography (glass etching) with local artist Theo Jonsson from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Smith and Vallee Gallery, 5718 Gilkey Ave.

• Demonstration on carving birds in flight, an open woodshop with Andrew Vallee, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Smith and Vallee Gallery, 5719 Gilkey Ave.

• Open studio with Todd Horton, who paints birds in flight, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the second floor of the Smith and Vallee Gallery, 5719 Gilkey Ave.

Sunday

• Birding tours of the Skagit Valley, a prime location for raptors such as bald eagles and northern harriers, in addition to migratory species such as trumpeter swans, snow geese and tundra swans. Buses depart hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Farm to Market Bakery. Space in the buses is on a first-come-first-served basis.?

• Closing dinner at 6 p.m. at Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5719 Gilkey Ave. It's catered by the Farm to Market Bakery. Cost is $75; make reservations by calling 360-766-6230 or by email at info@smithandvallee.com.