Don’t Miss It: Birds of the World Show
A 25 year tradition at the State Fair of Texas is about to come to an end. This will be the final year to see the Birds of the World show at the great State Fair of Texas. After a long and popular run, show host Steve Martin has decided it is time to pursue other interests. Here is why we love the Birds of the World show and why we think you should catch it before it is gone…don’t miss the photos from our special tour at the end of this post.
Our History With The Show
My wife and her family have been going to the State Fair since she was a little girl. They would go every year and it was a big deal! She has been going to the Birds of the World show ever since it started. In the 25 year run of the show she has only missed seeing it three years. The show is such a part of her family history that her brother calls each year on her birthday and sings ‘Happy Birthday” in the style of a singing parrot from the show.
Her family tradition has become our family tradition. Even before we had children we would attend the State Fair. Sometimes with her family and sometimes without. Our children have been going to the fair ever since they were babies and the Birds of the World show has been a ‘must see’ each year.
This year we were a bit shocked and a little sad to find out that the long run of this popular performance would be coming to an end. During the show we heard about the “Backstage Pass Experience” that was available for the show. I thought this would be a great way to end my wife’s long history with her favorite event at the fair. So I surprised her with a trip for the two of us to the fair for the Backstage Pass Experience.
The Backstage Pass Experience
Before I tell you about this special experience, let me give you a word of warning about the show and the experience. The Birds of the World show is all about free flight performance of birds. There aren’t birds on little tricycles or anything like that. Birds showcase their natural abilities in a reward based system. The birds fly all over the amphitheater and even come swooping down from the Texas Star ferris wheel. The Backstage Pass Experience is of the same spirit. You won’t be petting birds or handling them, the staff doesn’t even do that. They refer to the birds as their co-workers and the Backstage Pass Experience is a chance to see the birds up close and see how the whole show gets put together.
Our Backstage Pass Experience started 50 minutes before the 2:30pm performance. Right off the bat we learned how big a deal the Birds of the World show is in the avian community. Shane, our guide for the afternoon, flew in from Austrailia to be a part of the show and for the chance to work with Steve Martin and the birds. There were several other members of the 28 person team who flew in from other international locations. Shane told us that some former crew members will be flying in from abroad for the final performances.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Backstage Pass Experience but right from the start we were made to feel very welcomed. Shane provided an amazing amount of information about a show that we have been coming to see for years. I was impressed with how calm and organized everything was behind the scenes. The birds were all hanging out and the crew members were calmly getting things in place for the next performance.
Shane walked us around on the performance stage and then took us in the back to see the birds. The birds are amazingly well cared for and I was impressed with the regiment of work it takes to keep their individual cages clean. Special attention is given to the health and well-being of each and every bird, from the large birds of prey to the flock of pigeons that flies out at the end of some of the shows. You would think an area with a high concentration of birds (and bird poop) would have a bit of a stink, but it is so clean that I hardly even spotted any poop at all.
The birds are never handled, unless there is a medical procedure to be done. They are trained to load themselves in and out of modified pet carriers using a reward system to reinforce positive behavior. Shane said that many of the birds can be trained to perform their part of the show in just a week or two. All the birds are free flight and could simply fly away if they wanted to in a performance. Much to the credit of their special care, the Birds of the World show has never lost a bird in the 25 years they have been producing the show.
During our Backstage Pass Experience we were guided through the various areas where the birds are kept, got to see the technical side of how the show runs, learned a bit about the life of a crew member, and we got to meet the show host, Steve Martin. Mr. Martin is obviously a very busy guy but he took a few minutes make a genuine connection with my wife and I and he was very pleasant to visit with. The 50 minutes flew by and it was time to take our seats backstage for the 2:30 performance. Our seats were perched on an overlook near one of the main stage doors. Shane sat with us during the show and talked about things that would be coming up and provided further insight into the performance. It was really neat to see a different perspective on a show we had seen many times before.
Our Backstage Pass Experience concluded with a photo session with a bald eagle. The staff’s attention to detail and providing a special experience was clearly evident in the photo session. They wanted to make sure that everyone who was having their photo made with this beautiful bird had a wonderful lasting memory. We left Shane with a great big THANK YOU and signed the guestbook for the final season of the Birds of the World show.
Catch It While You Can
The Birds of the World show is a free show at the State Fair of Texas. On weekdays the show is popular but visitors will have no trouble finding a seat in the large venue. On weekends the large amphitheater is quite often filled to standing room only. I think the 30-minute Birds of the World show is the highlight of the fair.
The Backstage Pass Experience is a special experience for great fans of the show. The cost of admission for this special experience is a $75 per person donation to wildlife conservation efforts that are overseen by Steve Martin’s company Natural Encounters, Inc. We really enjoyed the tour and felt that it was a great value! Plus the money is going to a great cause. In addition to the amazing backstage tour we received refreshments, a commemorative cap, tote bag, and photos with a bald eagle loaded onto a memory stick.
Most days the Birds of the World show can be seen at 1:00pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm and 6:00pm. The State Fair runs through Sunday, October 20. Cost of admission is $17 but there are tons of discounts out there. Here are a few:
- Thursday is senior day, guests who are 60+ get in free
- Wednesday guests can get in for $3 if they bring 3 canned food items
- Thursdays you can get in for $6 with an empty 20oz coke product bottle or for free if you bring a ticket stub from a Cinemark theater. (Tip: Some dollar movie theaters are owned by Cinemark…hint, hint.)
- A full list of discounts can be found here.
Perhaps the most important thing I learned on the tour is that chickens can easily be trained using the reward system. Now you know what to see on www.LiveChickenCam.com in the near future!
Further Reading
There are a number of great articles about the State Fair that I thought some of you might enjoy. Here are some that I have read recently:
Birds of the World Steal the Show at State Fair – Fort Worth Star-Telegram (2012)
Departing State Fair president says it’s been quite a ride – Dallas Morning News (2013)
Producer sets stage for memorable concerts at State Fair – Dallas Morning News (2013)
All State Fair articles at Dallas Morning News
Disclaimer: We were not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own and we paid our own way for this event. I just wanted to share some information about a special event our family enjoys.
Hello Jon,
I was wondering if you and your wife have found another similar event? I’d like to surprise my boyfriend with a bird show but I’m not having much luck. I’m in the San Antonio area but willing to drive a bit. Any info is greatly appreciated!!