In Cold Blood: Family Fun Fest Explores Biscayne National Park’s Reptiles

Date: January 3, 2017
Contact: Gary Bremen, 305-230-1144 x007

HOMESTEAD, Fla. --- Sea Turtles, crocodiles, snakes and other reptiles (welcome and not!) call Biscayne National Park home, and the January edition of Family Fun Fest will take an up-close look at a few of the park’s reptiles on Sunday, January 8, 2017 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. The free event is part of the 17th season of the park’s multi-award winning Family Fun Fest, which this year is exploring Biscayne’s fantastic beasts, from tiny plankton to manatees and crocodiles. Family Fun Fest Junior includes specially-designed activities for toddlers (ages 5 and under) to ensure that the entire family gets to participate, and free transportation from downtown Homestead (and by extension, anywhere served by public transportation) is available aboard the Homestead National Parks Trolley, courtesy of the City of Homestead.
 
“In Cold Blood” is the second event in the 2016-2017 season. Participants receive a passport which they get punched as they complete each of five activities. After collecting all five punches, kids earn a specially designed button to help them remember the lessons learned. This month’s activities include:
 

• The Croc Doc – Wildlife expert Joe Wasilewski brings a real, live crocodile!
• Who’s That? – Identify sea turtles the way real scientists do!
• Good Noose! – It’s the great Iguana Roundup!
• 1000 Turtles – Our take on a Japanese tradition.
• Snake Tricks – Snakes have some pretty cool adaptations for survival.

Participants who earn all five buttons in a season are declared "Family Fun Fest Fanatics" and earn a special award in April.
 
In addition to 5 activity stations at each event, there will also be one activity station focusing on theme-related creative play for parents with toddlers. "The little guys will earn a button just like their older brothers and sisters, but with activities geared to their skill level," said the program's creator Yelitza Sepulveda. "Family Fun Fest Junior fills an important niche for parents looking for innovative educational opportunities for their children."
 
Upcoming Family Fun Fest themes are:
 

• Mighty Mammals - February 12, 2017— 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Warm & fuzzy with a sip of milk, please!
• Who You Calling Spineless? - March 12, 2017 — 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Just because an animal has no backbone doesn’t mean it’s wimpy!
• Something’s Fishy - April 9, 2017— 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Shiny scales & flapping tails...fish are fintastic!

Family Fun Fest is made possible through visitor donations and the Bobby Duryea Fund at the South Florida National Parks Trust, with additional support from the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves, Natural Selections. Bremen Sails, and a host of dedicated volunteers.
 
The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is located at 9700 SW 328 Street, nine miles east of Homestead, Florida. For more information about Biscayne National Park visit nps.gov/bisc or follow the park on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at “biscaynenps.”

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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 413 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.