PENFIELD – Officials at Parker Dam State Park have announced programs for July 30 – Aug. 2.
Thursday, July 30
Throwback Thursdays – Making Fire
6:30 p.m. – Environmental Education Classroom
A series of Thursday evening programs – each week a different topic following the theme of “primitive skills” will be covered. For this edition of Throwback Thursday, we will learn about making fire. Creating fire without a match or lighter may seem difficult, but with a little insight into the materials and methods required, you may save your life.
Friday, July 31
Nature Nut – Bird Abodes
7 p.m. – Campground Amphitheater
Fridays are nutty this year. Watch John Acorn, the Nature Nut, in a series of video programs that are as entertaining as they are educational. This week’s episode – bird boxes.
Blue Moon Rising?
9 p.m. – Spillway, near CCC Museum
It’s the second full moon in July, but is it really a Blue Moon? Come learn what a blue moon is (and no, it’s not the color blue) and other facts about the moon. If the weather is clear, we’ll have the telescopes out and trained on the moon.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Saturday Morning Bike Along
10:30 a.m. – Environmental Education Classroom
Cruise down the CCC Trail and ride back on Mud Run Road while discussing some of the park’s history. The terrain is easy and suited for mountain bikes. Please wear proper shoes; children under 12 must wear a helmet.
Log Drive
2 p.m. – Beach
Bring your beach bucket and learn about the splash dam on the beach. Before logging trucks, folks used full-scale versions of these dams to move logs. Come help drive our logs to the “boom” at the lake shore.
Beaver at Long Pond
3:30 p.m. – Beach House
Meet for story time as we head to the wooded area near the Beach House. This week’s story looks into the life of a beaver. The story is best for children between 4 and 10. Bring questions for the following discussion.
Camp Forgotten
6 p.m. – Environmental Education Classroom
The Civilian Conservation Corps played a huge role in PA state parks. Take a step out of Penn’s Woods and watch what the CCC did in another state- Michigan. They were amazing.
Dynastic Ducks
8:30 p.m. – Campground Amphitheater
This duck-umentary will take you into the lives of some of the more than 120 species of ducks. Ducks have a talent for survival and are a fantastic family of birds, each a true original.
Sunday, Aug. 2
All About Elk
1 p.m. – Beach House steps
Discover the history of this animal, often found in portions of the PA Wilds. Where did Pennsylvania elk come from? Is the herd in danger? Can you hunt elk found in PA? These questions and more will be answered.
Log Drive II
2 p.m. – Beach
If you missed it yesterday, or want to drive the logs again, here’s another chance to learn what a splash dam is and how it works.
Environmental Insight
5 p.m. – Environmental Education Classroom
Calvin & Hobbes cartoons are often about our natural environment and can be pretty deep. We will explore these insights and decide whether we should laugh or learn – or both.
Tea and Talk
7 p.m. – Beach House
Bring your own cup or mug (for hot beverages) and try some sweet fern/mountain mint tea grown right here in the park. Talk subjects are always open for discussion…come with some idea of what you’d like to know more about, learn, or share.