A free outdoor family festival is returning to the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack during spring break.
The annual Family Nature Festival takes place March 22 and 23 with activities from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on both days.
Organizers are calling it an “engaging experience” for families of all ages where they can connect with nature and the community. Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy drop-in activities all day long, plus attend scheduled events.
Drop-in activities on Friday include:
- Nature touch table: A hands-on exploration of feathers, rocks, bones, and more, inviting everyone to interact and learn about nature in a tangible way
- Craft table: Younger visitors can get creative at the craft table, crafting butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and frogs
- Art: Drop-in wildlife art classes with John Le Flock will offer artistic expression throughout the day
- Fraser Valley Conservancy: For those interested in learning about more conservation work in the region, Fraser Valley Conservancy will be on site with an info table and activities. This will include a chance to plant sunflower seeds to take home and nurture
Scheduled activities on Friday include:
- Heron colony viewing and interpretation with an expert, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Learn all about the reserve’s wetlands and the animals that call them home on a one-hour nature walk led by a knowledgeable biologist. There will be two nature walks on Friday: the first one is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (with a GBHNR environmental educator); and the second is from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (hosted by science communicator Carin Bondar).
- Wildlife Presentation Canada will have a biologist onsite to host an exciting presentation with baby turtles at 1 p.m.
- GBHNR educators will be hosting a pond life display table, including opportunities to check out tiny organisms that live in the ponds up-close with a microscope, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday’s lineup includes many of the same drop-in activities as Friday, including: the touch table, craft table, and the Fraser Valley Conservancy outreach table.
Additionally, Elizabeth’s Wildlife Centre and Chilliwack Search and Rescue (CSAR) will be onsite all day. CSAR will have their rescue truck onsite and will be offering tours of the vehicle. Elizabeth’s will have an outreach table about their important wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work.
Scheduled activities on Saturday include:
- ‘Hug-a-tree’ with AdventureSmart will provide important safety information about what to do if you get lost in nature. This is for children aged 10 and younger and is at 10:30 a.m.
- Heron colony viewing and interpretation with an expert from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Elizabeth’s Wildlife will host their ‘Wonderful Wildlife’ presentation at 12 p.m.
- A GBHNR pollinator expert will be hosting an ‘all about plants and pollinators’ seminar (plus a pollinator garden tour) at 1 p.m.
- AdventureSmart will host a presentation at 2 p.m.
- GBHNR educators will be hosting a pond life display table, including opportunities to check out tiny organisms that live in the ponds up-close with a microscope, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- Learning all about the reserve’s wetlands and the animals that call them home on a nature walk from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve is located at 5200 Sumas Prairie Rd. in Chilliwack. For more, go to chilliwackblueheron.com.
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Looking for more events taking place in and around Chilliwack? Check out What’s happening Chilliwack in our community section.
