two day celebration of trillium
Fun, Food, Music & Conservation
NEW LOCATION
MAIDEN ROCK AMERICAN LEGION
Every spring, something quiet and beautiful happens along Pine Creek. For just a short time, the forest floor fills with white trillium blossoms — delicate, native flowers that remind us how special this valley truly is.
The Trillium Festival is a fun two-day gathering to celebrate that bloom and the natural world that surrounds us. Hosted in the scenic valley at the Maiden Rock American Legion along Rustic Road, this event brings together people who care about the land, the birds, the plants, and the future of this region.
Our Mission
To propagate and protect NATIVE plants and ADVOCATE for improving the quality and quantity of HABITAT that benefit our birds, wildlife and people.
Whether you’re a longtime naturalist, a photographer, a birder, or simply someone who appreciates a walk in the woods, you’re invited. Come spend time in the valley, learn something new, and celebrate the beauty that returns each spring.
May 9, 2026
Saturday Events
Keynote speaker
Dr. Stanley A. Temple
on Aldo Leopold, the “Father” of Wildlife Management, was a Plant Guy
Saturday, May 9, 2026
10:00am - 11:30am
Dr. Stanley A. Temple is the Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
For 32 years he held the academic position once occupied by Aldo Leopold, and during that time he won every teaching award for which he was eligible. He and his students have helped save many of the world’s endangered species and the habitats on which they depend. He is currently a Senior Fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation, where he leads crane tours and introduces Future Leaders Fellows to Leopold's history, phenology, and wildlife ecology. He has also been a core contributor to the yearly Wisconsin Phenology Calendar. He has received conservation awards from the Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society, and Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. He has been President of the Society for Conservation Biology and Chairman of the Board of The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2020.
Music & Food Truck
Saturday, May 9, 2026
11:30 - 2:30pm
We welcome Chef Shack to this year's event! Stay between sessions and enjoy lunch prepared by Chef Shack Food Truck and music on the scenic grounds of the Maiden Rock American Legion.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket for listening on the grounds
Little Wing Band
Saturday, May 9,2026
12:00 - 2:00
You can catch Faith Ulwelling vocal work with the jazz combo Milanesa & the blues duo Little Wing. Dubbed by V1 magazine as having “the strongest and most soulful vocals you'll hear north of the Mississippi delta.” and often likened to Aretha Franklin, Joss Stone and Lydia Pence, Ulwelling is sought after for studio work and has been recorded on several albums spanning genres outside her own including rock, indie folk, and even heavy metal. Listen for her on the next Jimmy’s album!
Community Conservation: From Wisconsin to the World
Dr. Teri Allendorf
Saturday, May 9.2026
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Honorary Fellow Forest and Wildlife Ecology and Executive Director of Community Conservation
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences | Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
Hometown: Missoula, MT
Dr. Teri Allendorf is a conservation biologist who has worked on issues of local communities and conservation since 1994. She was a member of USAID’s Biodiversity Team, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal, and has partnered with NGOs and communities on conservation issues in Nepal, Myanmar, China, and India. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals and taught courses at the University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Future Generations University, as well as short courses in India and Namibia. She has also consulted on biodiversity and forestry projects for USAID in Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, Nepal, Guatemala, and Guyana. Currently, she is the director of Community Conservation, based in Viroqua, WI.
Daily Activities
Experience & Explore
10am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday
Trillium Self Guided Tour
Native Plant Sale
Maple Syrup Tasting
Nature Trail Open
MAy 10, 2026
Sunday Events
Sparky Stensaas
Sparky Stensaas is the founder and executive director of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog (www.SaxZim.org) which has purchased & preserved over 25,000 acres of bog creating a Forever Home for future generations of birds and birders. A birder since age 14, Sparky is also a naturalist, publisher of field guides, wildlife photographer and now YouTuber (really?). He is the author of 6 books on the natural history of the North Woods. Sparky, his wife, Bridget, and two sons, Birk and Bjorn, make their home under the big pines in the Nemadji Valley in northern Minnesota. You can see more of Sparky's images atwww.ThePhotoNaturalist.comand his bird/wildlife videos on YouTube “Sparky Stensaas”
Sunday 10:00 - 11:30
**SAX-ZIM BOG & THE INVASION OF THE VOLE SNATCHERS**
After an Introduction to the Sax-Zim Bog and why it's the "magic mix" for boreal birds, we'll learn about the Invasion each winter of "VOLE SNATCHERS": Sax-Zim Bog in northern Minnesota is a Hot Spot for rarely-seen boreal mammals and owls...and many of them depend on the tiny vole for survival.Through Sparky's video clips and short films we’ll see these critters in action. We'll hunt with Great Gray Owls, Red Fox, Bobcat, Boreal Owl, PIne Marten, Snowy Owls, Northern Hawk Owl and more. Oh, and we’ll learn some amazing and little-known facts about these boreal residents and the fascinating rodent prey they hunt.Sparky will also update us on the best ways to visit and photograph owls and wildlife at the Sax-Zim Bog.We'll also touch on the work of FOSZB to preserve bog lands for future generations of birds and birders.
Sunday 2:30 - 4:00
**A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A SAX-ZIM BOG BEAVER POND**
After an Introduction to the Sax-Zim Bog and why it is such a special place, Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Executive Director Sparky will share through HD VIDEO the mega-highlights of our year-long Trail Camera project at a VERY REMOTE Beaver Pond.You will be AMAZED at the myriad of DAILY DRAMAS that occur around a single Beaver Pond: Bobcats hunting Raccoons, Beavers splashing Bobcats, battling Bitterns, Beavers felling trees, not to mention adorable Bobcat, Wolf and Black Bear babies. You’ll also meet Hank and Ginger, the regular Timber Wolf pair that make regular visits to the pond, not only to hunt, but also to play! You won’t believe it!Over 20 species of mammals and 25 species of birds have been recorded during this year-long project.Sparky will put all this in perspective and share how this Beaver Pond project fits in with the mission of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog. He will also update everyone on upcoming FOSZB projects and events.
Conservation Partners
Habitat Partners
