Swifts Night Out — Pilchuck Audubon Society

Photo by Olivia Vanni/The Daily Herald

Swifts Night Out in Monroe Returns September 12, 2026

Celebrate the magnificent migration of Monroe’s official bird, the Vaux’s Swift

Another year, another migration, and another Swifts Night Out!

We’re excited to be hosting the annual Swifts Night Out event in Monroe again on September 12th.

From 4:30pm until dusk, nature lovers, community groups, families, and anyone with an interest in the spectacular can enjoy an evening on the lawn to watch the Vaux’s Swifts descend into their evening chimney roost at the school.

The swifts typically spiral into the chimney around sunset, which will be at 7:28pm, so plan to stick around through dusk for the main event.

Parking

Free parking is available:

In the Wagner Performing Arts Center parking lot (636 W Main St)
Along Dickinson Road (west of Wagner Performing Arts Center)
At Monroe City Hall (806 W Main St)
Along W Columbia Street (north side of Wagner Performing Arts Center)

Arrive early for the best spots and to grab a good viewing spot on the lawn.

Home to one of the largest Vaux's Swift roosts on the West Coast

Each spring and fall, thousands of Vaux's Swifts funnel into the historic chimney at Frank Wagner Elementary School — on the busiest nights, more than 20,000 birds pack in at once. The chimney is such a critical stopover that it's been designated a globally Important Bird Area.

Read the full story of how the community saved it →

Presentation at 6pm in the auditorium

Larry Schwitters coordinates the monitoring of Vaux’s Swift roosts across the Pacific Flyway, an effort known as Vaux’s Happening. He is the preeminent expert on Vaux’s Swifts, and won the William Dutcher Award from the National Audubon Society in 2023. In his updated presentation, you’ll hear about the history of the Monroe chimney, how the community rallied to save it, and where swift conservation is heading next.

Additionally, while waiting for the swifts to appear around sunset, there will be children’s activities, information tables about swifts, and vendor booths to browse.

Make an evening of it by having dinner at the event!

The 911 Grub food truck will be serving hot dogs, cheeseburgers, loaded nachos, and street tacos during the event.

Weather Policy

This is a rain-or-shine outdoor event — dress for the weather and bring a blanket or lawn chair. In the rare case of severe weather, updates will be posted on our Facebook page and emailed to attendees who've subscribed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! There is no cost to attend.
No, there is no registration required. However, if you’d like to ensure you don’t miss any event updates you can subscribe to our email list here.
Yes! This event is geared towards families and we encourage families to bring kids of all ages.
We ask that you leave dogs at home for this event. With lots of young children in the crowd and everyone sitting together on the grass, it's not the easiest setting for pets — and it helps keep the lawn clean and safe for kids playing and sitting nearby.
No seating is provided. We recommend bringing a blanket or folding chairs.
Yes. The event location will feature:
- Handicap parking spaces available in the Wagner Performing Arts Center parking lot.
- An ADA Sani-can in the parking lot.
- Paved sidewalks bordering the grassy lawn that you may use to navigate and watch the chimney from.
- A paved ramp into the auditorium.
You can still enter the auditorium after the presentation begins. Larry will present for about an hour or until we start seeing swifts in the sky, at which point he will halt his presentation so everyone can watch the swifts.
It’s possible we all show up to watch a beautiful sunset with no swifts to be found. The number of swifts using the chimney varies from one night to the next, and we have no reliable way of predicting how many we will see on a given night. We choose the event date based on historical migration data — fall migration in Monroe typically runs from late August through mid-late September, but that window varies a little bit from year to year. We could see zero swifts or we could see 10,000, that’s half the fun of attending the event!
The Swifts Night Out event only occurs on September 12, but the swifts will use the chimney throughout the fall migration (mid-August through mid-late September). So if you can’t attend on the 12th, you could come another night during that time frame and watch on your own. If you do, please be cognizant and respectful of the property by staying on the sidewalks.
Binoculars can be helpful for viewing the birds more closely, but they certainly are not required to be able to see the birds flying above the chimney. If you have binoculars, we recommend bringing them so you have them in case you decide you want them. We also will have a limited number of binoculars for loan that you can use during the event and then return before leaving.

Want to help?

We need volunteers to help set up/clean up, greet visitors, staff the info table, and assist with kids' activities. It's a fun, low-commitment way to support the swifts — email director@pilchuckaudubon.org to volunteer.

Support Vaux’s Swift conservation with a donation to our Vaux’s Swift fund.

Support Vaux's Swift Conservation

Why celebrate?

Vaux’s Swifts roost in hollowed out old growth trees; however, with fewer old growth trees available, they have taken to roosting in man-made chimneys. In 2007, Pilchuck, Seattle, and Eastside Audubon chapters worked together to save the old brick chimney at Frank Wagner Elementary School from demolition. The chimney is a critical migratory stopover for the swifts, hosting more than 20,000 swifts on its busiest nights. As a result, the chimney is designated as a globally Important Bird Area and the Vaux’s Swift is the official bird of Monroe.

Join us for this community celebration of one of nature’s most breathtaking migrations!