JULY 1 The Story of Maude Essig This program will chronicle the career of Maude Essig. Born on a farm west of Elkhart in 1884, Essig was inspired by a Red Cross poster to become a nurse during World War I. She worked at hospitals in Indianapolis, New York, and later went to France to help soldiers on the front line. After the program, visitors are encouraged to visit the traveling exhibit, The Great War: From Ration Lines to Front Lines from the Indiana Historical Society. Date: Friday, July 1 Time: 1 p.m 5 Nature Nuts: Turtles Learn about turtles of all shapes and sizes, what they eat and where they live. There will be LIVE turtles to see and touch. Date: Tuesday, July 5 Time: 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. Age: 3 5 Cost: $4/child $3/additional sibling Preregister by: Tuesday, June 28 Location: Ox Bow Haus Shelter 7 Give Me Millstones for $50: Jeopardy Night at the Mill Join us for a rousing game of Jeopardy. Test your knowledge of various topics related to historical milling, grains and water power and win some great prizes. Topics and questions are for older teens and adults. Date: Thursday, July 7 Time: 6 8 p.m. Age: Older Teen Adult Preregister by: Friday, July 1, by 4 p.m. Location: Bonneyville Mill County Park 9 Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Join us for a walking tour of Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Kalamazoo. This beautiful sanctuary features hundreds of waterfowl, raptors and game birds, including an up close view of owls and bald eagles undergoing rehabilitation. Limited space is available in the park van or participants can car pool. Please bring binoculars, camera, and money for lunch. 16 PLEIN AIR IN THE PARKS The Elkhart County Parks is partnering with the Goshen Painters Guild to offer a special program that features the artistic talents of local painters. This event is a six-week-long opportunity for artists to open air paint in throughout the Elkhart County Park system. To participate, artwork must be painted in the locations listed between June 13 July 23. In addition, a one-day Quick Paint Competition will be held at DeFries Gardens on Saturday, July 16. The paintings will be entered into a juried show and featured at a reception and silent auction during the August First Friday at the Goshen Painters Guild. For more information on competition, rule s, and registration, visit: goshenpaintersguild.org Date: Saturday, July 9 Time: 9 a.m. Cost: $10/person (Limit 11) Preregister by: Thursday, July 7 [ 4 ] www.elkhartcountyparks.org
17 18 19 2 0 21 2 2 23 24 2 5 26 2 7 2 8 2 9 3 0 31 Agenda: PLEIN AIR IN THE PARKS Date: June 13 July 23 Park Hours: 9 a.m. 9 p.m. Location: Bonneyville Mill, Cobus Creek Park,, Treasure Island Park, and River Preserve Park (DeFries Garden, Baintertown Dam, Benton Spillway) Registration Cost: $20 (Includes up to 2 paintings, $10 for each additional painting up to four total) QUICK PAINT COMPETITION Date: Saturday, July 16 Registration: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Time: 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Location: DeFries Gardens Registration Cost: (See above) JURIED ART SHOW & SILENT AUCTION Date: Friday, August 5 Time: 5 9 p.m. Location: Goshen Painter s Guild 12 15 Adventure Day Camp Attention, young adventurers! Adventure Day Camp offers swimming, canoeing, crafts, games, petting zoo and water park field trip, and an overnight campout. Date: Saturday, July 12 15 Time: 9 a.m. Age: 10 13 Cost: $65/person (Limit 13) Preregister by: Thursday, July 7 18 Science Sleuths: Monarchs Discover the amazing monarch lifecycle, their migration journey and tips for helping them from local monarch expert, Audrey McGuire. Date: Thursday, July 18 Time: 1:30 p.m. 3 p.m. Age: 6 9 Cost: $4/child $3/additional sibling Preregister by: Monday, July 11 27 Weekday Warriors: Museum Deep Clean work on cleaning the museum, with special focus on sensitive areas within exhibit galleries. Date: Wednesday, July 27 Age: Adults July 20 Historical Museum 28 Hiking Club The July meeting of the Hiking Club will be at Cobus Creek County Park. Participants will hike the loop trail that is about 1.3 miles long. Date: Thursday, July 28 (Participants 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult) July 27 by 4 p.m. Location: Cobus Creek County Park 29 Reptiles and Amphibians at the 4-H Fair Join us at the Fair for an informative program featuring live reptiles and amphibians of Elkhart County. This fun, hands on program is part of Green Earth Education Day. Date: Friday, July 29 Time: 1:30 p.m. Cost: Fair Gate Fee Location: Park Stage in the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Grounds. Also visit our fair booth next to Young McDonalds Farm July 22-30 30 The Old General Store During the 1800 s and early 1900 s, the general store was an important part to community s success. It served as a place where people could buy needed items, but also was used in many other ways. In this museum guided tour, learn about the importance of the general store to a community, and the roles it would serve for a town. Date: Saturday, July 30 Time: 1 p.m. Preservation Recreation Education [ 5 ]
AUGUST 2 Nature Nuts: Bubbles Join us as we have fun with bubbles! Discover how to make them, a few games to play with them and just have a blast blowing and popping them. Date: Tuesday, August 2 Time: 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. Age: 3 5 Preregister by: Tuesday, July 26 4 Museum After Dark: Scavenger Hunt If you can t come to the museum during the day, here s your opportunity to bring your family and enjoy our great exhibits, and research library at night! As part of the event, you can search for clues and see if you can reach the end in a new scavenger hunt that takes you through the museum! Date: Thursday, August 4 Time: 6 p.m 8 p.m. 12 Bug Night They re creepy, they re crawly and they re back at this insect-enthusiasts event! Look at a grasshopper through a lens, tromp through the grass in search of a firefly or taste a chocolatecovered cricket! There will be crafts and activities for all ages. Bring the entire family for an evening of buggy fun! Snacks, balloons and caricatures will be for sale. Date: Friday, August 12 Time: 6:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m Cost: $2/adult, $1/child (12 & under) Location: Cobus Creek County Park MUSIC LINEUP TOWER TUNE TUESDAYS The Elkhart County Parks will be hosting a casual summer music series on the first level of the Tower this summer. Visitors are welcome to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and a picnic to the lower field and listen to the melodies of summer in the park. Each concert will begin at 6 pm and last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. Admission is $2.00 per vehicle, so bring your family and friends! 18 The Lowly Flour Sack Do you have a favorite memory about flour sack clothes? Come share it with others at Bonneyville Mill! Delve into the history and reuse of the Lowly Flour Sack. If you have a household item or clothing made from flour sacks, bring it along for show and tell. Date: Thursday, August 18 Time: 6:30 p.m 8 p.m. Preregister by: Friday, August 12 by 4:00 p.m. Location: Bonneyville Mill August 16 August 30 September 27 Anna Hagen, Harpist Anna will delight visitors young and old with her blend of stories and music. rampgascandypop Band This band features the guitar, banjo, and drums and a wide variety of 60 s/70 s pop and rock. Suite Strings Come listen to the sweet sound of the dulcimer and other wood and string instruments. Listen to the sounds of yesteryear! [ 6 ] www.elkhartcountyparks.org
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 18 Hiking Club Hiking Club will explore the Ox Bow Park in August. This trail will follow the outer boundaries of and is 2.1 miles long. Date: Thursday, August 18 (Participants 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult) August 17 by 4 p.m. Location: Fisherman s Camp Shelter, 20 Back to School As students get ready to return to school, they begin the schoolyear like many generations have done in the past. This guided tour will take a look at how one room schoolhouses are similar and different from our schools today. Also, learn how men and women became teachers and the types of rules and regulations they had to follow. Date: Saturday, August 20 Time: 1 p.m. 22 Science Sleuths: Properties of Water Learn about the properties of water in fun, Olympic events such as the pole vault, backstroke and the balance beam. Date: Monday, August 22 Time: 1:30 3 p.m. Age: 6-9 years Preregister by: Monday, August 15 26 Summer Constellations Summer Constellations are spectacular and easy to identify if you know what to look for. Learn about Roman and Greek mythology. Make a map to the night skies! This star chart will help you know where constellations are at any time of the year. Learn the constellations for fun or for education Find the North Star while eating a hot dog or roasting a marshmallow with cool drink. Bring your binoculars or your telescope! Date: Friday, August 26 Time: 9 p.m. Cost: $3/person (Limit 20) Preregister by: Thursday, August 25 27 Cast Iron Cooking Tips Program and Dutch Oven Gathering (D.O.G.) All Dutch Oven enthusiasts and spectators are invited to attend the annual DOG. A DOG is a come and cook Dutch Oven pitch in meal. This is a non-competitive friendly gathering of Dutch oven cooks. There will be a 45-minute cast iron cooking tips and technique program followed by the DOG. Date: Saturday, August 27 Cost: $3/person per observing attendee (kettle corn and cinnamon rolls provided) Preregister by: Friday, August 26 by 4 pm 31 Weekday Warriors Gathering at Five Medals Event Prep work at clearing brush from areas in preparation for Gathering at Five Medals event. Date: Wednesday, August 31 Age: Adults August 24 Location: Benton Dam Parking Lot (just south of Benton Elementary on C.R. 31), River Preserve Park Preservation Recreation Education [ 7 ]
SEPTEMBER 17 18 19 2 0 21 2 2 23 24 2 5 2 6 27 2 8 2 9 3 0 6 Nature Nuts: Snakes Find out what snakes live in Elkhart County, what they eat and what they do. A snack, craft and hike will be a part of the program. Space is limited. Date: Tuesday, September 6 Time: 9:30 11 a.m. Age: 3-5 Cost: $4/child, $3/additional sibling Preregister by: Tuesday, August 30 10 Megafauna of Elkhart County For thousands of years massive animals inhabited the area that we now live in. This guided tour documents animals that were here like Mammoths, Mastodons, and Musk Ox. Learn about the characteristics of these animals, what they tell us about the environment of the time period, and the reasons why we think they went extinct. Date: Saturday, September 10 Time: 1 p.m 15 Hiking Club Hikers will walk a section of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail this month. This trail is 1.8 miles one way and 3.6 miles total length. The park van will be available to those who wish to hike only the 1.8 one way trail section. Date: Thursday, September 15 (Participants 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult) Septemeber 14 Location: Dairy Queen (Middlebury location), 416 N Main St. 17 Fall Nature Walk Discover the beauty of the season as we look at leaves, seeds and fruits along the trail. Dress for the weather, as we will be outdoors the entire time. Date: Thursday, September 17 Time: 10 a.m. Location: Benton Hydro Parking Lot (C.R. 127), River Preserve Park 20 Ox Bow Atlatl Night Learn about the megafauna that roamed Elkhart County 12,000 years ago, and experience the tool that Paleoindians used to hunt. The atlatl was used to throw spears which allowed for more effective hunting at a safer distance from the large animals of the time. Discover if you would have been a good hunter thousands of years ago by testing your skills at hitting targets and throwing for distance. Date: Tuesday, September 20 26 Science Sleuths: Habitats Explore different habitats that can be found in the park and what plants and animals need to survive. Date: Monday, September 26 Time: 1:30 3 p.m. Age: 6-9 Preregister by: Monday, Septemeber 19 28 Weekday Warriors: Cobus Stream Restoration & Invasive Removal work on stream restoration projects and invasive plant removal. Projects might include bank stabilization, creating fish and wildlife habitat or oriental bittersweet removal. Date: Wednesday, September 28 Age: Adults September 21 Location: Cobus Creek Park 30 Panning for Gold Join us as we pan the St. Joseph River and learn about the history of panning. Learn how to pan for gold and other treasures. All materials are included. Date: Friday, Septemeber 30 Cost: $2/person (Limit 15) Preregister by: Thursday, Septemeber 29 Location: Treasure Island Park just off Indiana Avenue, 56225 Armour Ave, Elkhart, IN [ 8 ] www.elkhartcountyparks.org
OCTOBER 1 From France to Statehood Learn about our region s past, starting with the arrival of the French and ending in 1816 with the state of Indiana entering the union. As staff chronicle this time period, learn about the importance of trading as a business and cultural tool as well as Potawatomi Chief Five Medals and other prominent historical figures whose presence impacted what would become Elkhart County. Date: Saturday, October 1 Time: 1 p.m. 4 Nature Nuts: Grasshoppers Discover the fun of jumping like a grasshopper, looking at them closely and exploring where they live. Each child will get a bug jar and net to take home. Space is limited. Date: Tuesday, October 4 Time: 9:30 11 a.m. Age: 3-5 Preregister by: Tuesday, September 27 15 16 Gathering at Five Medals Selected as an Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project, join us for the 10th annual Gathering at Five Medals. This living history event explores life in the Great Lakes region from 1670 to Indiana becoming a state in 1816. You ll experience a fur trade reenactment, learn about the life of Daniel Boone, and hear music from the time period. New this year, you will witness an encounter between Chief Five Medals, Tecumseh, and William Henry Harrison, and see reenactors participate in a live fire musket competition. Date: Saturday, October 15 16 Time: Saturday 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for children (12 & under) Location: Benton Spillway, River Preserve Park 20 Hiking Club Hiking club will meet at Elkhart County in Bristol this month. The actual hike will be at Lieber Nature Preserve but due to parking limitations we will carpool from the Museum parking lot. It will be a short hike this time with the distance of about 1 mile even. Date: Thursday, October 20 (Participants 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult) October 19 by 4:00 p.m. programs & events 17 18 19 2 0 21 2 2 23 2 4 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 3 0 31 24 Science Sleuths: Corn Husk Dolls Fashion your very own doll from dried corn husks the way it was done in years past. A story and snack will also be presented. Date: Thursday, October 24 Time: 1:30 3 p.m. Age: 6-9 Preregister by: Monday, October 17 26 Weekday Warriors: Pumpkinvine Trail Work work on invasive plant and brush removal along the trail. Date: Wednesday, October 26 Age: Adult October 19 Location: Meet at parking area on C.R. 35, Pumpkinvine Nature Trail 27 Halloween Campfire and Hayride Join us for this annual popular Halloween event. Thursday will be the traditional fun filled non-scary night that is perfect for families with young children. Friday evening will add some scary elements along the hayride trail. Snacks will be served both evenings. Date: Thursday, October 27 28 Time: 6 p.m, 6:30 p.m, 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. Cost: $3/person (Limit 30 per wagon) Preregister by: Tickets go on sale the day of the rides after 11:00 a.m. Stop by the gatehouse for tickets. Preservation Recreation Education [ 9 ]