Volunteer Opportunities Overview
Morro Bay Bird Festival volunteers are vitally important to the overall success of this very popular five-day event. Examples of duties may include; registration, attendee check-in, sales, hospitality, speaker introduction, trip-starters, set up/take down, signage placement and much more. There may be opportunities to volunteer before the festival as well. The choice(s) will be yours.
In exchange, we offer you a unique opportunity to be part of the bird festival. As an incentive, 6+ hour volunteers will be offered:
- free registration* starting November 3, 2024, 8:00 AM PST (24 hours after registration opens to the public).
- post-festival "volunteers only" birding adventures
*Discounts refer to registration only.
On behalf of the Morro Bay Bird Festival Planning Committee and Board of Directors, thank you!!
How to sign up for a shift
- Select one of the many job categories from the left-hand list to view a brief description of the job.
- Once you’ve read the job description and want to volunteer for that position, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “SIGN UP HERE” hyperlink to view the available dates and times for that position.
- Click on the orange “Sign up” link on the right.
- Fill out the form with your name and email.
- Be sure to click “Sign me up!” at the bottom to save your request.
- A confirmation email will be sent to the email you used in the sign up form.
Bazaar
Volunteers may be asked to help set up and break down furniture, carry supplies, and put up decorations at the Bazaar. In addition, volunteers may be asked to provide relief for vendors around the lunch hour.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Boat Trip Facilitator
Volunteers will check in participants with Bobolink as they arrive at the dock, answer any questions or facilitate boarding as requested by attendees. All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Bus Monitor
Volunteers will ensure that the bus for each field trip arrives at the right place and time, transports the right passengers, leaves on time, and attendees have everything they need (e.g., pre-purchased lunches). You are essentially a liaison between the bus driver, the leader, participants, and the Trip Starter to ensure everyone gets where they’re going on time.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Check-in
Volunteers will greet attendees, leaders, and other volunteers as they arrive at the Morro Bay Community Center. You will hand out their registration packets, lanyards, and any books or T-shirts they have pre-ordered. Packets will be organized by last name for your convenience.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Family Day
Volunteers will assist in setting up and supervising children’s arts and crafts tables at the Morro Bay Community Center. Projects may include hummingbirds, quails, and owls; nature journaling; snowy plover chicks; bird banding, among others. Once assigned, volunteers will receive a description of and instructions for their particular craft table. Volunteers will also be asked to clean up at the end of Family Day.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Hospitality and Lunches
Volunteers will staff the hospitality table at the Morro Bay Community Center, greeting attendees, ensuring coffee and snacks are available, and making additional coffee as needed. Additional volunteers are needed to precisely organize and hand out pre-ordered lunches to those attendees, trip leaders, and van drivers whose names are on the pre-ordered lunch list.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Volunteers will check in participants using Boblink, distribute journaling/sketching materials, direct participants to restrooms, and possibly introduce the instructor.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Keynote Facilitator
Volunteers will be responsible for taking tickets from each registered guest, following any directions given by Cuesta College Performing Arts Center staff, and assisting in the book signing following the Keynote presentation.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Master Class Facilitator
Volunteers will help the instructor set up, check-in attendees, and introduce the speaker (if they request it) with the bio provided on Bobolink. Please check times carefully as some master classes may require all day assistance. Note: A smart phone is required for this position in order to access the list of attendees on Bobolink.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Presentation Facilitator
Volunteers will check in attendees as they arrive at the event and have the option to introduce the presenter (bio on Bobolink), or ask the presenter to introduce themself. You can access the list of attendees on Bobolink. You are welcome to stay for the entire presentation if there is space available at any of the free events. Note: A smart phone is required for this position in order to access the list of attendees on Bobolink.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
Reception
Volunteers will assist kitchen staff at the Friday and Saturday Receptions at the Morro Bay Community Center by prepping food, setting up food stations, serving and replacing food and wine (must be 21 years of age), and helping with clean up after the reception.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Registration
Volunteers will interface with attendees who wish to make changes to their registration status. You will assist registrants in filling out Event Change forms, directing them to the Available Trips Monitor and answering questions.
Upon arrival to your shift, you will be trained by the Registrar on how to process payments using our payment system, Zettle (paypal). Must be comfortable using simple technology. We will have a FAQ sheet for you to use.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.
SALES TABLE
Volunteers will staff the MBBF sales table at the MBCC Bazaar, at which current and past years’ Festival merchandise will be sold. Volunteer staff will handle all sales, and keep inventory of items sold, using a Point of Sale technology called Zettle.
Important Note:
Volunteers in this position should be comfortable handling money and using technology, as sales will be entered and processed on Zettle and will involve cash and credit card sales. One short training session will be required for all Sales Table volunteers the week before the Festival is held.
Signage
Volunteers will transport and put up/take down venue and parking signs at the various venues up and down the coast. It would be extremely helpful if those volunteers who put up the signs also return to the same locations to take them down at the end of the festival. For this reason, please choose a set up shift and a take down shift with matching routes when signing up.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Volunteers will help out with sorting, folding, labeling, and packaging pre-ordered festival merchandise such as T-shirts, hats, books, etc.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Set Up & Strike Down
Volunteers will help to set up tables and chairs and hang signs at the Morro Bay Community Center in preparation for opening day and/or strike down furniture in some of the rooms once the festival is over. There will also be opportunities for this task in other venues around Morro Bay. You might also be asked to run short, local errands if you have a vehicle.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Transport
Volunteers will help transport supplies to and/or from the MBBF storage unit at 369 Quintana Rd to the Morro Bay Community Center. The supplies are on the second floor of the storage unit and need to be carried down several steps to the ground floor. Expect to carry boxes up to 25 lbs. Volunteers with pickups, SUVs, or station wagons that can carry several large boxes are needed for this task. Volunteers will then help set up/strike down at the Morro Bay Community Center.
More specific instructions will be provided at training sessions. Dates for training will be announced in December.
Trip Starter
Volunteers will assist trip leaders in gathering attendees prior to leaving for their event from the Morro Bay Community Center. Some leaders will check in their own guests using Bobolink; others might ask the volunteer to do this. You will be provided with a sign to hold up indicating the name and number for each event so attendees can find the gathering place. Note: Ability to use a smart phone or tablet is required.
All volunteers signing up for this position must attend Bobolink training before the festival. Training dates will be announced in December. Watch your email for further information.