Cape Lookout National Seashore Invites Everyone to #FindYourPark

Date: August 16, 2016
Contact: B.G. Horvat, 252-728-2250, ext. 3014

Special Events Across the U.S. Will Celebrate the National Park Service 100th Anniversary in August

Harkers Island, NC–The National Park Service invites visitors of all ages to join in the celebration of its 100th birthday throughout the month of August. With special events across the country, and free admission to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, the NPS is encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark/ #EncuentraTuParque for the centennial.

"August–our birthday month –will be a nationwide celebration of national parks, and we're inviting everyone to the party," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We like to think that we look pretty good for 100, and with so many events and activities to commemorate this milestone, we hope all Americans will join us to celebrate the breathtaking landscapes and inspiring history in our nation's parks and public lands. Whether it is in a distant state or in your own community, there are hundreds of ways and places to find your park!"

Events Across theCountry

Cape Lookout National Seashore hosts several opportunities for visitors to #FindYourPark in celebration of the 100th Birthday of the National Park Service to round out August and even into September: 

• The Sand Beneath Our Feet–(Tuesday–Saturday through September 17;10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., Meets at Light Station Visitor Center, South Core Banks) Take a 20-minute break from the sun on your trip to the beach and spend it with a Park Ranger. From the ocean to the sound and from the sea to the sky, discover stories from all realms of life among the constantly shifting sands of Cape Lookout National Seashore, Free for all ages.
• Evening at the Cape–(August 18, 19, and 20; 7:15 p.m., and September 16, 17; 6:45 p.m.; Meets at Harkers Island Visitor Center) Hear stories of the light keepers, watch the sunset, and the moon and stars come out onto unlit beaches of the National Seashore. Reservations are required at www.recreation.gov. Each tour night can accommodate 40 participants. The cost of the program is $28 (price includes ferry fee) and is non-refundable (weather dependent). Children joining the climb must be at least 44-inches tall and able to climb the steps on their own. Children 12 years of age and younger must be accompanied by an adult (16 or older). For more information, go to:https://go.nps.gov/eveningatcape.htm.
• *Naturalist Exploration of Shackleford Banks–Fridays, August 26, September 2 & 16, 9:30 a.m. –Noon (2.5 hours; Meets at Grayden Paul Park on Front Street) Join a ranger for an exploration of dunes, marshes, mud flats, and the ocean on Shackleford Banks!
• *Beach Birding with a Side of Horses–Sundays, August 28, September 4 & 18, at 9:30 a.m. –Noon (2.5 hours;Meets at Grayden Paul Park on Front Street), Come for a walk on the wild-side with a Ranger to discover what birds are flying and where the horses are hiding on Shackleford Banks.

* For Shackleford Banks Ranger- guided programs: Reservations required by calling Cape Lookout National Seashore at [phone] ext. 0. You must also reserve ferry tickets (from Beaufort to Shackleford Banks) by visitingwww.islandexpressferryservices.comor calling the ferry office at [phone].
Come prepared! Cape Lookout recommends packing in water (at least 2 liters), snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, hiking hat, closed-toed shoes and your binoculars and/or camera.

For more details on all Cape Lookout National Seashore programs and information, call Cape Lookout National Seashore at [phone] ext. 0, or go to:www.nps.gov/calo.

From a solar car relay through nine national parks, to major and minor league baseball games, to cultural and musical festivals; events and programs throughout the U.S. will provide countless ways for families, students, and park-lovers of all ages to discover special park experiences for the centennial.

Among the hundreds of special events that will celebrate the National Park Service's Centennial:

• The National Park Service and tribal partners will celebrate the grand opening of the Huna Tribal House at Glacier Bay National Park.
• "Music in the American Wild" concerts will bring special compositions to several western parks, funded in part through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts "Imagine Your Parks" program for the NPS Centennial.
• Thomas Edison National Historical Park will bring Edison's innovative spirit to the New York City skyline in the third in a series of Park Exchange events.
• In a unique partnership with NASA, a group of fourth-grade students at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park will speak with an astronaut live from the International Space Station.

A sampling of additional events is available on the National Park Service website, and many more can be found at FindYourPark.com and EncuentraTuParque.com.

Entrance Fees Waived for the NPS Birthday through the Weekend

Park entrance fees will be waived nationwide from August 25 through August 28 to encourage everyone to celebrate the NPS 100th birthday. Usually, 127 of the 412 national parks charge entrance fees that range from $3 to $30. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

To continue the national park adventure beyond these entrance fee free days, the $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 sites, including all national parks, throughout the year. There are also avariety of free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current military members, fourth grade students, and disabled citizens. Find Your Park to Celebrate the Centennial!

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations."

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of that moment and to look ahead to the next 100 years, in early 2015 the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation launched the Find Your Park / Encuentra Tu Parque movement. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to celebrate and support America's national parks and community-based programs, #FindYourPark
/ #EncuentraTuParque invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.