Date: September 15, 2009
Contact: Kathleen Przybylski, (218) 283-6612
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK HOSTS A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS: the premiere of Minnesota’s National Park Legacy; a sneak peek of Ken Burns’ film, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; the Dedication of the new Voyageur Tour Boat; a Volunteer-in-Parks Recognition Day; and free rides aboard the Voyageur
On Friday, September 25, 2009 starting at 7:00pm, Voyageurs National Park Association, Backus Community Center and Voyageurs National Park will host the premiere of two national park films at the Backus Community Center auditorium. The evening will begin with a sneak peek of the new Ken Burns’ film- The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. The main event of the evening is the premiere of the film Minnesota’s National Park Legacy, produced by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) and Minnesota’s National Park sites. This event is free and open to the public. The program begins at 7:00 p.m.
On Saturday, September 26, 2009 the park will host a dedication ceremony for the park’s newest tour boat – the Voyageur. The ceremony begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Rainy Lake Visitor Center dock area. A VIP voyage aboard the boat will follow the ceremony.
Following the dedication ceremony of the Voyageur, the City of International Falls will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Voyageurs National Park Headquarters at 11:30am at the Pat Roche boat landing in International Falls. For more information about this ceremony please contact the City of International Falls.
Saturday, September 26, 2009 is also Public Lands Day. In 2009, Voyageurs National Park benefited from the work of over 80 volunteers who gave more than 9,000 hours towards visitor services and park projects. Volunteers staffed the visitor centers, led interpretive programs, maintained many miles of park trails, helped conduct research, maintained cultural sites, and helped in the park museum. Voyageurs National Park will recognize these volunteers and their families with a special boat trip aboard the Voyageur.
Starting on Saturday, September 26 and continuing through Tuesday, September 29, the park will offer free public tours aboard the Voyageur by reservation only. The park will offer tours on Sunday, September 26 from 1:00-6:00pm and on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, September 27-29 from 9:00am-6:00pm. Due to the high number of reservations expected, the park will offer ½ hour tours aboard the Voyageur. All tours will depart from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center dock.
Reservations for the free tours aboard the Voyageur must be made by calling the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau office at (218) 283-94oo, Monday through Friday. Space is limited to the first 1,600 people who call and make a reservation.
While visitors are waiting to ride the boat or if they are just in the park for the day, they can view the new film, Minnesota’s National Park Legacy at each visitor center. The park will show Minnesota’s National Park Legacy throughout the day at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center, and Ash River Visitor Center from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
The park recognizes the following organizations and businesses for helping to coordinate and sponsor the film and tour boat events: Voyageurs National Park Association, Backus Community Center, Fredrikson and Byron, P.A., the Chamber of Commerce and the International Falls, Ranier, and Rainy Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau.
