Month-long Summer Solstice Celebration at National Lakeshore

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Date: May 30, 2012
Contact: Bruce Rowe, 219-395-1609

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE: A new, nearly month-long celebration of the longest days of the year will debut this June at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. A series of five programs, culminating in a Solstice Traditions special event at the national lakeshore's Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm on June 23, will explore how Duneland residents have celebrated the peak of the summer throughout the last several thousand years.

Kick off the celebration with Planting Under the Honey Moon on Sunday, June 3. Join a ranger to learn how early farmers used the solar calendar to plan their farming activities while you help plant the garden at the historic Chellberg Farm and learn about beekeeping. This program will be held from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; meet at Chellberg Farm.

Enjoy an evening hike with a ranger and learn about the full moon that occurs near the summer solstice. Hike Under the Honey Moon takes place on Sunday, June 3, from 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Meet at the Bailly/Chellberg parking lot and bring a flashlight and insect repellant.

Learn about studies being conducted at the national lakeshore by archeologists from both the National Park Service and the University of Notre Dame. Observe a demonstration archeological dig and learn about some of the 10,000 years of human habitation in the dunes. Children can earn a Junior Archeology Badge by participating in some fun learning activities during the programs. These Archeology Demonstration Open Houses will be held on June 14, 16, 19, and 21 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Bailly Homestead. 

Archeologists have made some amazing discoveries about early peoples in the dunes, from hunting camps that are over 5,000 years old to shoreline shipwrecks. Join us on Thursday, June 14 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center for Looking Back 10,000 Years: Archeology at Indiana Dunes.

The month-long celebration culminates on Saturday, June 23 with the Solstice Celebration from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the historic Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Join park rangers and volunteers to learn how the summer solstice was celebrated by Swedes at the Chellberg Farm, and French and Native Americans at the Bailly Homestead. Enjoy music, dance, food, kid's activities, and other traditions related to this much anticipated time of the year. There will be a free shuttle available to take visitors between the Chellberg Farm and Bailly Homestead.

This new month-long celebration reflects a shift of emphasis in interpretive programs resulting from the goals identified in the park's Long Range Interpretive Plan, published in 2011. While the park will continue to offer some of the more familiar programs from years past, other activities such as the Duneland Heritage Days will not occur this year. This and several other discontinued events have had declining attendance for several years, in part due to competition from an increase in regional and community events.

For more information about programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park's information desk at 219-395-1882. 

www.nps.gov/indu

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is part of the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 397 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.



Last updated: April 10, 2015

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1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46304

Phone:

219 395-1882
Indiana Dunes Visitor Center phone number.

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