LAKE PLACID – Are you a loon enthusiast? Do you participate in LoonWatch each July? Do you find yourself canoeing to remote places to try to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures in their natural habitats? If you answered, “Yes,” to any of these questions, Sunday’s Adirondack Loon Celebration at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts might be the place for you.

The celebration is presented by the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation. It will feature loon presentations, a loon calling demonstration, ventriloquist Sylvia Fletcher and her puppets, children’s crafts and activities, an art show, a silent auction, live music by the Rustic Riders, a “Life of a Loon” quilt raffle and food donated by area restaurants.

“I hope people can come to the event and enjoy the shows,” event Coordinator and Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Nina Schoch said. “It should be a great event and a lot of fun.”

Schoch said the idea for the event originated at an annual meeting of loon researchers at the Loon Center Moultonborough, New Hampshire. While at the center, Schoch noticed a quilt adorned with loons and found out the center raffles one off each year as a fundraiser. Schoch, a veteran quilter, decided to put together a quilt to raffle off as well, and someone suggested holding a celebration around the raffle. Thus was born the Adirondack Loon Celebration.

For this year’s quilt, Schoch enlisted the aid of seven other artists to produce a nine-block piece of art showcasing the life of a loon.

“I love creating quilts,” she said. “I love working with colors and seeing them come together.

“I wanted to do a quilt about the life of a loon, and so I gave (the participating artists) a choice of behaviors, and they picked a behavior. I sent them a choice of photos that showed the behavior, and they designed the quilt block based on that.”

She said the celebration has steadily picked up steam since its inception in 2013.

“We’ve changed the venue every year to bring it to other parts of the park,” she said. “I’m hoping this year will continue to grow.”

The art show is new this year, Schoch said.

“Several artists and photographers are exhibiting their work in the show and hoping to sell it, and part of the proceeds will help support our work,” she said. “Some of the artwork and the photography is just fantastic, and I’m really excited by that.”

She said the children’s activities are loon-based.

“For kids that want to color, we have coloring sheets with loons on them,” she said. “We have gourds that kids have hilariously decorated to look like loons in the past, with little loon-y-type feathers and eyes and so on. We’ve got some eggs that they can paint.”

Schoch said the event’s reception has traditionally been a highlight.

“A lot of the area restaurants are generously donating food, creative appetizers or desserts,” she said. “That was very well-received last year.”

She said Fletcher’s ventriloquist act delighted last year’s audience s as well.

“She’s excellent,” she said. “She’s so much fun.”

Schoch said special prizes will be given to anyone who wears a loon costume or who is willing to participate in the loon calling demonstration led by Naturalist Ellie George.

Prior to the festival from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the center will provide a field trip to one of its study lakes for 20 participants. Although the celebration is free, the field trip will feature a $10 fee which will pay for the trip’s guide, provided by Adirondack Lakes and Trial Outfitters. Schoch said a kayak or canoe is necessary to attend the trip, and rentals should be made in advance, if necessary, through ALTO or one of the other canoe or kayak rental services in the area. Pre-registration is required for the trip, and all participants must register by Saturday.

Schoch said the center researches several aspects of loon life, including mercury pollution and its affect on the loon population and migration. She said loons are an important part of the Adirondack Park’s ecosystem.

“Loons are top predators of the aquatic food web, and so by protecting the environment and the habitat of the loon, you’re also protecting other species lower down on the food web,” she said. “They’re a great species. People really are intrigued by loons, the calls and the beauty of them, and so they’re an excellent way to inform people about the environment and conservation and get them involved in helping loons and other species and habitats.”

For more information on loons, visit www.briloon.org.