The Forest Preserve District of Will County is throwing a party for the pelicans that stop by the McKinley Woods preserve as they migrate south this fall.

The Pelican Party will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

The event is free and for all ages. Visitors will have a chance to see the giant birds up close and in the wild, according to the forest preserve district.

Beyond birdwatching, guests can explore interactive trails with games such as wetland hopscotch, get their faces painted, roast s’mores at a trailside campfire and purchase lunch from a food truck.

“This is a great, family-friendly event with live pelican presentations, pelican crafts, inflatable jousting and s’mores,” Jerome Gabriel, facility supervisor at Four Rivers, said in a news release. “We’ll also have opportunities for hikes around the preserve to see the migrating pelicans, as well as the Smokin’ Goodness BBQ food truck available for lunch.”

Two live bird presentations are scheduled at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., offering the rare chance to get an up-close look at a pelican. Naturalists also will be stationed at pelican “hot spots” throughout the preserve to help visitors spot the soaring flocks, the forest preserve district said.

The American white pelican is the largest migratory bird in the U.S., second only in wingspan to the California condor, with wing spans that can reach 9 feet across, the forest preserve district said.

“They visit Four Rivers twice a year during their migrations, and right now they’re headed south to the Gulf Coast for their winter feeding grounds,” Gabriel said.

Visitors can purchase merchandise from the forest preserve district’s online store, OutsiderThreads.com.

All proceeds benefit the Nature Foundation of Will County.

For more information on the Pelican Party and other forest preserve district programs and events, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.