OAKLAND, Iowa (KMTV) — Visitors are invited to join Pottawattamie Conservation at Botna Bend Park for the 2nd Annual Bison Fest on November 5th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is held on National Bison Day and is a family-friendly event that encourages the public to visit the park’s bison herd and learn more about this magnificent species and efforts to protect them.
There will be live music, crafts, flint knapping, fossil finding, wool spinning, atlatl throwing, hayrack rides, bison artifacts, historical information, food, and presentations about the vital role bison play in the prairie ecosystem.
There is a $3 per vehicle entry fee or annual park membership required to enter the park. Feed Trough will be providing bison chili, chicken noodle soup, homemade fries, and funnel cakes on a free-will donation basis. Visitors are encouraged to bring extra cash to support this local Oakland, IA-based business. This event will be held rain or shine.
Bison Fest is about remembering and celebrating this American icon that was once wiped out to the brink of extinction by early settlers — from an estimated 30-60 million to less than 1,000. Today their numbers hover around 220,000 thanks to conservation and education efforts across the country. Botna Bend Park is proud to play a part in these efforts and to offer an opportunity for visitors to engage with and build respect for bison and their habitat.
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