Down on the Farm Biscayne National Park Family Fun Fest Explores Park Agricultural Heritage

Date: March 4, 2014
Contact: Gary Bremen, 305-230-1144, x007

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – Twenty years before homesteaders were farming in Homestead, the islands now included in Biscayne National Park were homesteaded as well, with farmers growing pineapples, key limes and tomatoes. Biscayne National Park's Family Fun Fest will expand on some of those agricultural themes on Sunday, March 9 from 1-4 p.m. The free event takes place at the park's Dante Fascell Visitor Center, 9 miles east of Homestead. Visitors are also encouraged to ride the free Homestead National Parks Trolley to and from the event. Visit www.CityofHomestead.com/Gateway for trolley details.

"Down on the Farm" will feature five hands-on and engaging activity stations located around the visitor center. An additional Family Fun Fest Junior station offers an opportunity for creative educational play for toddlers. The 6 stations are:

• Sea Cow Roundup – Six sea cows are missing! Round them up to learn fun manatee facts.
• Sea Horse Races – Take part in a zany game show testing your (sea) horse knowledge!
• Planting Pineapples – Discover how Elliott Key farmers knew where to plant their pineapples.
• Harvesting Sponges – Ralph Monroe experimented with farming sponges off Elliott Key…but then what?
• BARN-acles! – Help us create a giant sculpture to learn about these weird little crustaceans!
• Junior Farmers – A special station for parents with toddlers!

Participants receive a passport to get stamped at each activity station, and those who complete all five activities (or two activities for Family Fun Fest Junior participants) will earn a specially-designed button to remember the day. Earning all five buttons in a season earns a Family Fun Fest Fanatic award in April.

Family Fun Fest is a five month series that concludes in April. The final even of the 2013-2014 season will be "A Sesame Street Salute" – April 13, 2014 – with the fuzzy monsters, giant birds and math-loving vampires from the kids TV classic!

Family Fun Fest is made possible through the donations of generous visitors and the Bobby Duryea Fund at the South Florida National Parks Trust, with additional support from the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves, Coca Cola and a host of dedicated volunteers.

The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is located at 9700 SW 328 Street, nine miles east of Homestead, Florida. Call 305-230-7275, extension 0 or visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/bisc for more information. For regular updates from the park, "like" us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BiscayneNPS and "follow" us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BiscayneNPS.

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About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.