What A Hoot! Coxsackie, NY. A cartoonish owl perched on a branch.

What a Hoot! Festival 2026

What a Hoot! 2026 is beginning, we are hoping to have about 40 Owls perched around town in Summer 2026 with the culmination of an auction in September.  If you would like to be involved in any way please feel free to contact us, we are looking for committee members or just people that want to be involved in a worthwhile cause.    

 

2026 Artist and Sponsor Packets are available in the "Downloads" section.  We will be having a full festival with gala and auction in 2026!!

 

A map of the 2026 locations will be available at a later date.

 

 

 

 

Are you ready for a fresh new What a Hoot! Festival next year? We are! Sponsors and artists will be solicited soon. The Owls will be perched around Coxsackie starting around Memorial Day weekend 2026, and will stay on their perches until a few days before our Owl auction. Keep your eyes out for news of the Owls on our Facebook and Instagram pages, and of course here on the website. We look forward to having you post photos of yourselves with your favorite Owls! Be sure to see them all!

We also have miniature owls for you to order and decorate for yourselves! A part of the proceeds from the sale of these owls goes to the What a Hoot! committee to be used toward expenses for the festival. The miniature owls are approximately 7" tall, by about 4" wide at the base. They are $39 each plus shipping. Order mini owl here!

What is What A Hoot!?

What a Hoot! is a public art installation, sponsored by the Village of Coxsackie, and organized by the Hoot of the Owl Committee. Our goal is to raise money for various local charities. After the tremendous reception to our inaugural year, which also coincided with the Village of Coxsackie's 150th anniversary in 2017, the Hoot of the Owl Committee took the owl by the horns and did it again in 2018. In 2019, the committee decided that a gap year would be a good thing, so one raffle owl was created to keep interest going for the following year's festival in 2020. Then Covid hit, and we had to postpone our 2020 auction until 2021. Another year of rest was had, and then we did a five-owl raffle in 2023 to keep interest alive. The committee is happy to bring a full festival to the village again for 2026.

Who created it?

The Hoot of the Owl Committee, chaired in 2017 by Joe Ellis, and sponsored by the Village of Coxsackie.

Who are the sponsors?

See the list of 2025 sponsors. All 2025 Sponsors have been selected.

Who are the artists?

See the list of 2025 artists. All artists for 2025 have been selected.

Why owls?

It is believed that the word Coxsackie is a Native American word that translates to "hoot of the owl," and therefore, the owl is the symbol of the Village of Coxsackie.

Timeline

2025-09-21
Artist and Sponsor Packets Available

Artist and Sponsor Packets Available

See the downloads tab.

2025-12-20
Sponsor Packet and Payment Deadline

Sponsor Packet and Payment Deadline

All individuals and businesses interested in being an Owl sponsor must return packets and payment by December 1st.

2025-12-31
Artist Sketch Deadline

Artist Sketch Deadline

The deadline for artists to submit an Owl sketch with all accompanying paperwork.

2026-01-17
Selection Reception date

Selection Reception date

Sponsors will choose their Owl/artists at this reception open to artists and sponsors only. This date is approximate.

2026-01-17
Notification of Artists Selected Date

Notification of Artists Selected Date

Artists will be notified that they have been selected by a sponsor, and will pick up their owl to begin work. This date is approximate.

2026-04-05
Completed Owls Deadline

Completed Owls Deadline

This is the firm deadline for artists to return their finished Owls. They will then be sent for clear-coating.

2026-05-27
2026 Owls Out on Perches

2026 Owls Out on Perches

We hope to get all Owls on their perches by Memorial Day Weekend.

2026-09-07
Gala and Auction 1-4pm

Gala and Auction 1-4pm

Our auction will take place at a venue and date to be determined.

Artists

Our artists hail from right here in Coxsackie, to neighboring towns in the Capital Region. The 2026 Artist Packets are fresh off the press and available now!

Download 2026 Artist Packet

Sponsors

Our sponsors donate $500 each for the honor of sponsoring one of our beautiful owls. With that tax-deductible donation comes credit on the owl's name plaque. The money covers the cost of a primed owl, its mounting brackets, shipping, weather protection, artists supply fee, and promotion of the festival. Our owls wouldn't be possible without our very generous sponsors!

Download 2026 Sponsor Packet

Supporters

The Hoot of the Owl Committee is inviting you to be part of the celebration, too. Won’t you please become a What a Hoot! Supporter? Your donation will help Coxsackie’s festival soar by providing much needed funding for promotion, thereby ensuring success. While promoting What a Hoot!, the committee will also give you and your business recognition through social media and extensive advertising. We do hope that you will join us.

 

What a Hoot!
PO Box 148
Coxsackie, New York 12051
(518) 731-2718

Contact us

  • Please use a REAL email address so that we can get back to you.