Spring 2018 Calendar of Events

Transcription

1 Commissioners Jeff Haste Mike Pries George P. Hartwick, III Spring 2018 Calendar of Events Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department is looking forward to welcoming spring with many activities that allow residents to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Beat cabin fever on Sunday, March 4th, with the Maple Sugar Festival. Walk the beautiful trails at this spring while enjoying Art In The Wild. Sit and read on the swings at the beautiful Fort Hunter Mansion and enjoy a gorgeous view of the Susquehanna River. The Wetlands Festival promises to be another county favorite! Join us at the beginning of May as you get ready for the gardening season with Garden Faire at. We hope that you make our parks a regular stop this Spring as we have some of the best nature trails and programming in the region! Maple Sugar Festival Sunday, March 4 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm How sweet it is a free family festival! Have a sample of real maple syrup on ice cream and shop for delicious PA maple products. Kids and adults can have the handson fun of tapping a tree and seeing spile making. Other kids activities abound. Learn the mysteries of maple syrup making and its Indian origins. Everyone likes the real maple syrup on ice cream, the taste tests, and the great DVD on maple sugar activities. How We Are Improving Paxton Creek and Wildwood Lake by Matt Bonanno Unless Otherwise Noted: *Wildwood program registration is online at *Wildwood programs begin at the Olewine Nature Center unless otherwise posted. Tuesday, March 6 7:00 pm 8:00 pm Why is Wildwood Lake so shallow? Matt Bonanno will lead us through possibilities for the future of Wildwood Lake in terms of dredging. He will also explain improvements upstream from the lake with the Paxton Creek Joint Pollutant Reduction Plan. Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association will give away 2 free rain barrels!

2 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 2 Community Gardens Program Registration Thursday, March 8 9:00 am 5:00 pm Fort Hunter Tavern House $15/plot $5/children s plot Garden plots, 30 x 30, tilled and ready for planting, are available for rent at the community gardens off Elmerton Avenue. Each gardener will receive assorted vegetable seeds. A limited number of special 10 x 10 plots have been set aside for children ages 12 & under. Pre-registration is required in person at the Fort Hunter Tavern. Taking your Photography to the Next Level Saturdays, March 10, April 14, May 12, & June 9 9:00 am 12:00 pm $250 (4 classes) Discover how to use your camera to create the best images possible. During this series of four workshops, Charlie Smith of Canon Professional Service will guide beginners in how to use and apply camera settings such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to produce consistent, wellexposed photographs. You will get ideas and inspiration to take creative, beautifully composed images, whether you re in an exotic, foreign location or in your own backyard. Register at Volunteer Work Day Saturday, March 10 10:00 am 1:00 pm Take this opportunity to work outside and help Wildwood s continued park and habitat enhancement projects. Tools and work gloves provided. Registration is required for groups of 6 or more. Go to Assume the work day is cancelled if it is raining. Boy and Girl Scout Workshop for Webelos, Juniors, and Higher: Leave No Trace Saturday, March 10 10:30 am 2:00 pm Leave No Trace is a program designed for students to learn important outdoor skills and wilderness etiquette. Scouts will be able to properly identify trail markers, discuss several ways to minimize their impact on the environment, and learn what kind of gear to bring with them on a trip. Scouts will also examine the 7 principles of Leave No Trace. Please dress for the weather as this program will be indoors and outdoors. Register at Webelo Boy Scout Workshop: Into the Wild Saturday, March 17 10:00 am 1:00 pm Explore the wild and discover the importance of wetland ecosystems. Fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals, and insects can all be found at Wildwood. Are they predators or prey? Scouts will improve their wildlife watching, classification, and identification skills, then use these skills on a hike. Bring lunch, water and a snack. Register at Flower Walk: Cold Tolerant Plants Sunday, March 18 1:30 pm 3:00 pm Join volunteer Cara Martinez-Williams to seek out Skunk Cabbage. On the way to the North Boardwalk, we may see other cold tolerant plants and anything left over from winter. A few trees should be flowering. Bird Walk: Waterfowl and Early Migrants Wednesday, March 21 8:00 am 10:00 am Meet at the South Parking Lot at the entrance to the Towpath Trail for this early migration bird walk with volunteers Rick and Peg Price. Expect good diversity of waterfowl and some early songbird migrants. Preschool Storytime: Spring at Wildwood! Wednesday, March 21 10:00 am 10:45 am Join a Dauphin County Library System Librarian and Wildwood Environmental Educator for a fun story session for children ages 2-5. Stories, songs, rhymes, play, and a take-home craft will introduce Wildwood critters and the joy of books and language to youngsters. Space is limited. Register at Junior Girl Scout Workshop: Geocache Saturday, March 24 10:00 am 1:30 pm Discover the excitement of geocaching. During this program, scouts will learn how to use a GPS and explore the basics and etiquette of geocaching. Scouts will then take a geocache adventure through Wildwood. To complete the day, each scout will make a make to swap craft. Please dress for the weather. Bring lunch, water, and a snack. Register at Dauphin County Egg Hunt Sunday, March 25 2:00 pm 5:00 pm Thousands of plastic eggs filled with candy are scattered on the east lawn. Hunts are scheduled for ages 2 3 at 2:30, ages 4 5 at 2:45, ages 6 7 at 3:00 and ages 8 9 at 3:15. A special egg hunt for children who are visually impaired will be held at 3:30. Face painting, pony rides

3 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 3 and children s activities provided. Art In The Wild: Meet The Artists Saturday, March 31 1:00 pm 3:00 pm Art In The Wild artists are busy finishing up final touches to trailside art installations. Take a self-guided three-mile trail walk to meet the artists and observe the inner workings to creating outdoor art. Blue Moon Hike Saturday, March 31 7:00 pm 9:00 pm Detweiler Park Have you ever heard of or seen a Blue Moon? Join a park naturalist at Dauphin County s newest park - Detweiler Park - to hike and look at the night sky! Learn about moon folklore and take a look at constellations, stars, planets and possibly shooting stars that may be visible while we watch the Blue Moon rise. The walk will be a total of 1.5 miles. Dress for the weather; Bring a blanket to sit on and a flashlight. Register at Art In The Wild Lecture by Roy Staab Thursday, April 5 7:00 pm 8:00 pm welcomes professional sculptor/artist Roy Staab of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as judge and lecturer for Art In The Wild Roy has installed works around the globe and we are thrilled to bring him to Dauphin County! He has been recognized numerous times for his work and most recently received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Museum of Wisconsin Art and the 2012 Artist of the Year from the Milwaukee Arts Board. Join us for Roy s interesting lecture! Art In The Wild 2018: Exhibit Opens Saturday, April 7 Dawn until Dusk Visit naturally inspired trailside creations along Wildwood Park s wandering trails and wetlands. Using mostly natural materials, artists have constructed large and small installations. A map-brochure about the exhibit is available. Saturday Morning Bird Walk Saturday, April 7 9:00 am 11:00 am Come on a Saturday morning walk with volunteer Audrey Zajac to learn about the birds that can be found at Wildwood. The walk will be along the North Boardwalk. Meet at the nature center. Beginners are welcome and binoculars will be available for use. Flower Walk: Dutchman s Breeches and Trout Lilies Sunday, April 8 1:30 pm 3:00 pm Join volunteer Cara Martinez-Williams to look for early spring flowers such as Dutchman s breeches, trout lilies, spring beauties and flowering trees. Learn interesting facts about these early spring bloomers. Stress Relief Walk Wednesday, April 11 6:00 pm 7:30 pm Walk off the stress of the work day with a self-guided hike at. The 3-mile walk on easy trails with short climbs will be at your own pace. Meet at the Olewine Nature Center. Be sure to sign in when you arrive to receive 15 Wellness Rewards points. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. Check for cancellation information in case of inclement weather. Clean Up Your Earth Day Saturday, April 14 10:00 am 1:00 pm In honor of the upcoming Earth Day, you are invited to help clean up s lake, streams and trails. Volunteers will spearhead litter pick up and invasive plant pulling throughout the park. This is a great opportunity to help keep the park clean and beautiful. Bring a water bottle. Snacks, tools, and work gloves provided. Register at Homeschoolers Day Tuesday, April 17 Thursday, April 19 10:00 am 2:00 pm $5 students, $3 adults For students and their parents in grades 2 6, explore how Indians once lived in the Fort Hunter/Harrisburg area. Students will furnish a wigwam, practice with a throwing stick, participate in other hands on activities and games. Guided tours of Fort Hunter Mansion invite students to learn about Mansion life in the 1800s, comparing the owner s life to the lives of the Native Americans. Call or mtrost@dauphinc.org to schedule a workshop. Get in Shape Walk Thursday, April 19 6:00 pm 7:30 pm Walking is a great way to get in shape. Enjoy a selfguided 3-mile walk at on level trails.

4 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 4 This walk starts at the nature center, heads up the Towpath Trail, continues to the halfway point by the spillway, and returns by the same route, avoiding the hills on the east side of the park. Meet at the Olewine Nature Center. Dauphin County Employees should sign in to receive 15 Wellness Rewards points. Bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes. Check org for cancellation information in case of inclement weather. Bear Scout Workshop: Fur, Feathers, & Ferns Saturday, April 21 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Why are some animals endangered or extinct? In this adventure scouts will examine the fascinating world of plants and animals and take a hike to search for signs of the fur, feathers, and ferns at! Ideas for a vegetable or herb garden will be included. Bring lunch, water, and a snack. Register at Wetlands Festival Saturday, April 28 10:00 am 4:00 pm Celebrate s treasured wetlands with a day of free, fun, and educational activities. Special guests include musicians Mark DeRose and Randy Heisley-Cato. Throughout the day enjoy wildlife exhibits, displays, walks, talks, as well as a great representation of local and regional environmental organizations. There is something for everyone. Detweiler Park Hike Saturday, April 28 10:00 am 11:00 am Detweiler Park Check out Dauphin County s newest and largest Nature Park! Dauphin County s Parks and Recreation Director will lead the hike on the woodsy dirt trails. Meet at the park trailhead located at the Dauphin County Conservation District parking lot at 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin, PA Earn 15 points towards your Wellness Rewards Program. Twilight Frog Walk Saturday, May 5 7:00 pm 8:30 pm $5 per person It s a magical time in the marsh. Begin in the Olewine Pavilion where we will learn a little background about frogs of Wildwood. Then we ll take a walk in the twilight on Wildwood s boardwalks! As the sun goes down, participants will listen for night sounds and look for frogs and wildlife. All ages are welcome to attend. Bring a flashlight and dress for the weather. Register at www. wildwoodlake.org. Garden Faire Sunday, May 6 10:00 am 4:00 pm Celebrate spring! Visitors can browse through plant sales and craft tents, choosing among over forty vendors. Enjoy the Needle Arts Exhibit at the Mansion admission charged. For the public s pleasure, tasty food is available at the Café; an art show and sale are also offered. Mid-1800s dancing, exhibits on Victorian daily life, garden chats, children s activities, as well as cakewalks to live music roundout the day. Second Annual Needle Arts Exhibit May 6 June 17 during Mansion hours Fort Hunter Mansion Adults - $7, Senior Citizens - $6, Children - $4 View the handiwork of local needle art designers exhibited in the rooms of Fort Hunter Mansion. Participating guilds include Apple Needlepoint Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild, Molly Pitcher Stitchers, Susquehanna Chapter, York White Rose and Lancaster Red Rose chapters of the Embroiderers Guild of America. Group discounts are available and can be arranged by calling Bird Walk: Peak Migration Wednesday, May 9 7:30 am 9:30 am Search for warblers, phoebes, wrens, orioles, and other songbirds on the North Boardwalk with volunteers Rick and Peg Price. Early May is a great time to see both migrating and breeding warblers and vireos. You never can tell what you might see at this time of year. Meet at the nature center parking lot. Stress Relief Walk Saturday, May 12 10:00 am 11:30 am Walk off the stress of the work week with a self-guided

5 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 5 hike at. The 3-mile walk on easy trails with short climbs will be at your own pace. Meet at the Olewine Nature Center. Dauphin County Employees should sign in to receive 15 Wellness Rewards points. Bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes. Check for cancellation information in case of rain. Volunteer Work Day Saturday, May 12 10:00 am 1:00 pm Take this opportunity to work outside and help Wildwood s continued park and habitat enhancement projects. Tools and work gloves provided. Registration is required for groups of 6 or more. Go to Assume the work day is cancelled if it is raining. Detweiler Park BioBlitz Saturday, May 12 8:00 am 3:00 pm Detweiler Park Help discover the flora (plants) and fauna (animals) at Detweiler Park! A BioBlitz is an event where people work together to find and identify as many species as possible. Detweiler offers a variety of habitats including fields, meadows, forests, and streams. inaturalist, a free app that allows you to document what you see and where, and other methods will be used to help collect data during this Bioblitz. Join naturalists and field specialists for a fun day of identifying plants and animals that call Detweiler Park home. Check for details in April. Flower Walk: Jack in the Pulpits and Other Spring Flowers Sunday, May 13 1:30 pm 3:00 pm Join volunteer Cara Martinez-Williams to search for Jack in the Pulpits. Learn the interesting facts about the Jack in the Pulpit. Get in Shape Walk Thursday, May 17 6:00 pm 7:30 pm Walking is a great way to get in shape. Enjoy a self-guided 3-mile walk at on level trails. This walk starts at the nature center, heads up the Towpath Trail, continues on to the halfway point by the spillway, and returns by the same route, avoiding the hills on the east side of the park. Meet at the Olewine Nature Center. Be sure to sign in when you arrive to receive 15 Wellness Rewards points. Bring water and wear comfortable shoes. Check for cancellation information in case of inclement weather. Educator Workshop: Advanced PA Songbirds Friday, May 18 8:30 am 3:00 pm $25 per person Discover the many ways birds can be used to engage students in learning about environmental concepts. The workshop begins with a special presentation by Bob Mulvihill of the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, who will discuss how researchers learned that the Louisiana Waterthrush can be used to monitor water quality of streams. Licensed bird bander Sandy Lockerman will demonstrate and discuss banding as a research tool. In addition, there will be a sneak peek of activities from the ongoing revision of the PA Songbirds guide and a bird walk where educators can improve birding skills while exploring methods to instruct students in the field. Act 48 hours available. Space is limited. Register at Detweiler Park Hike Saturday, May 19 10:00 am 11:00 am Detweiler Park Check out Dauphin County s newest and largest Nature Park! Dauphin County s Parks and Recreation Director will lead the hike on the woodsy dirt trails. Meet at the park trailhead located at the Dauphin County Conservation District parking lot at 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin, PA Earn 15 points towards your Wellness Rewards Program. Tiger Boy Scout Workshop: Tigers in the Wild Saturday, May 19 10:00 am 1:00 pm Venture out into the wild to discover the plants and animals that inhabit Wildwood. Learn how to prepare for a hike and examine the principles of Leave No Trace. Tigers will learn how to search for signs of animals and identify trees and plants. The program will include a hike to explore the diverse plants and animals in the park. Bring lunch, water, and a snack. Register at the Park Sunday, May 20 Youth: Ages 7-12, 10:30 am 12:00 pm $20 Adult: Ages 12-Adult, 1:30 pm 3:30 pm $25 Bring your paintbrush and your friends and join the

6 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 6 Friends of Wildwood for our 2nd Annual Painting at the Park. All experience levels are welcome as Jenn Brown from Jenn s Craft Parties will guide the group in creating a scene you might find at. This year we are expanding to include youth. All materials as well as refreshments and drinks will be provided. Proceeds benefit the Friends of Wildwood. Register by May 15th by visiting Classics at the Mansion Sunday, May 20 Fort Hunter Mansion 12:00 pm 4:30 pm (admission to tour Mansion) View classic Rolls Royce automobiles of the Rolls Royce Foundation as you tour Fort Hunter Mansion or stroll the grounds. Admission is charged to tour Fort Hunter Mansion. Needle Arts Tea Sunday, May 20 1:00 pm Fort Hunter Centennial Barn $25/$20 members Enjoy an afternoon dessert tea consisting of homemade fancy cakes, homemade scones, fresh fruit and sweets and unending cups of tea, a talk with the creators of the needle works on display and a tour of the needle art exhibit. Handiwork of local needle artists represent Apple Needlepoint Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild, Molly Pitcher Stitchers, Susquehanna Chapter, York White Rose and Lancaster Red Rose chapters of the Embroiderers Guild of America. To register online or to join the Friends of Fort Hunter, visit Tree Identification Walk Sunday, May 27 10:30 am 11:30 am Identifying trees by the bark is a possibility but sometimes difficult. On this walk we will also be aided in the identification by flowers and leaves. UPCOMING EVENTS: Summer Camp Program - Native Americans Along the Susquehanna June August 10:00 am 2:00 pm $5 per student For summer camp students in grades 2 6 explore how Indians once lived in the Fort Hunter/Harrisburg area. Students will furnish a wigwam, practice with a throwing stick, participate in other hands on activities and games. Guided tours of Fort Hunter Mansion invite students to learn about Mansion life in the 1800s, comparing the owner s life to the lives of the Native Americans. Groups must be 15 or more students and pre-registration is required. Call or mtrost@dauphinc.org to schedule a workshop. Brownie Scout Workshop: Wonderful Water Saturdays, June 2 and June 9 10:00 am 1:30 pm Imagine being a drop of water travelling from clouds to creek to animals to stream and to ocean! During this oneday program scouts will explore the water-cycle through hands-on activities and take a short hike to follow a stream as it flows into Wildwood s wetland. Scouts will become biologists as they collect and examine stream life. After discussing the importance of water and conservation, scouts will choose specific ways they can help conserve water. Scouts will get wet, so please wear water shoes or old sneakers and pack a towel and change of clothes. Bring lunch, water, and a snack. Register at org Summer Day Camps at Space is limited; Register at Wildwood Way Day Camp (ages 6-8) Monday, June 25 to Friday, June 29 9:00 am 3:00 pm $135 per person Children ages 6 to 8 are invited to come and explore the nature and wildlife at. They will learn about animal adaptations from how snakes hear to why birds have gizzards. Campers will use binoculars on nature walks, explore wetland, forest and meadow habitats, learn how we can all reduce, reuse and recycle, and enjoy live animal demonstrations. Register at Junior Naturalist Day Camp (ages 9-11) Monday, July 9 to Friday, July 13 9:00 am 3:00 pm $135 per person Campers ages 9 to 11 will learn a variety of naturalist and outdoor skills. They will discover what it means to be a naturalist and create a watercolor journal to use throughout the week. Day campers will canoe on Wildwood Lake

7 Dauphin County Parks & Recreation 2018 Spring, Page 7 and explore a stream to look for aquatic insects. They will also investigate different habitats while hiking around the park, dissect owl pellets, use binoculars, and spend a morning fishing. Register at org. Outdoor Week (ages 12-14) Monday, July 16 to Friday, July 20 9:00 am 3:00 pm $135 per person Get into the wild! Outdoor enthusiasts ages 12 to 14 will uncover the natural world while learning skills important to survival in the outdoors. They will build debris huts, complete an orienteering course, and practice the skill of knot tying. Campers will dive into water by learning about water pollution and prevention, fishing, and canoeing down the Susquehanna River! Register at www. wildwoodlake.org. JumpStart Photography for Younger Kids (ages 7-12) Monday, July 23 to Friday July 27 9:00 am 11:30 am Info and registration at Does your child have an interest in photography? In this newly designed camp, students will be loaned a digital camera and explore the operation and functions of the camera, lighting, and composition. Each lesson contains an introduction to a project with photography tips tailored to the assignment. The student will learn a single concept and photograph the subject in-the-field or in a classroom setting. This will give your child a great base for jumping into projects where they will actually be practicing their photography and to reinforce the concepts and encourage creativity. Space is limited, so apply today at More information at JumpStart Photography for Younger Kids (ages 7-12) Monday, July 23 to Friday, July 27 1:00 pm 3:30 pm Info and registration at Does your child have an interest in photography? In this newly designed camp, students will be loaned a digital camera and explore the operation and functions of the camera, lighting, and composition. Each lesson contains an introduction to the project with photography tips tailored to the assignment. The student will learn a single concept and photograph the subject in-the-field or in a classroom setting. This will give your child a great base for jumping into projects where they will actually be practicing their photography and to reinforce the concepts and encourage creativity. Space is limited, so apply today at More information at Photo Boot Camp Level 1: Nature and Wildlife (ages 13-17) Monday, July 30 to Friday, August 3 9:00 am 3:00 pm Info and registration at If your teen is interested in learning the basics of photography and is between the ages of 13-17, this camp may be for them! Teens will have an opportunity to gain knowledge in nature and wildlife photography, beginning with the basics of picture-taking using digital SLR cameras. Each student will be loaned a digital SLR camera and explore lens choices, lighting, and composition of photography. The student will learn about photography in a fun and fact-filled environment. Space is limited, so apply today at More information at www. photo4kids.org. Join the Friends of Fort Hunter The Friends of Fort Hunter generously support improvements to Fort Hunter Mansion and Park for everyone s enjoyment. Through financial donations, volunteer work and loyal patronage, the Friends of Fort Hunter help make the Park s preservation possible. Friends enjoy free admission to Mansion tours, a 10% discount in the museum shop, a $5 discount to Dauphin County Music & Wine concerts, free admission to the John Harris Mansion, the quarterly Chronicler newsletter, advance notice of upcoming events and an invitation to the Under the Hunter s Moon annual fundraising dinner. Visit to become a part of this vibrant organization. Keep the Wild in Wildwood Join the Friends of Wildwood The Friends of Wildwood is a non-profit organization promoting the preservation, awareness, support and sensitive enhancement of and the Olewine Nature Center. Through financial donations and memberships the volunteer board spearheads critical conservation and education projects. Help by donating or joining at www. wildwoodlake.org.

8 100 Fort Hunter Rd. Harrisburg, PA DETWEILER PARK Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin, PA FORT HUNTER PARK Fort Hunter Rd., Harrisburg, PA WILDWOOD PARK Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, PA Commissioners George P. Hartwick, III, Jeff Haste, Mike Pries To reserve a pavilion or ball field at Fort Hunter, Lykens Glen, Wildwood or Wiconisco Park call x2114. facebook.com/dauphincountyparksrecreation twitter.com/dauphinparksrec