Date: June 7, 2017
Contact: Katherine Belcher, (907) 683-9583
Denali National Park and Preserve continues its year-long celebration of its 100th birthday, kicking off the busy summer season with a day of fun, family-oriented activities at SummerFest on June 10. SummerFest is held at the Denali Visitor Center campus and will include live local music, hands-on activities for all ages, special ranger programs, birthday cake and more!
Those looking to celebrate Denali’s milestone birthday and help to preserve the park’s natural beauty can come early on Saturday to join the Second Annual Dandelion Demolition. Learn the difference between native dandelions and invasive dandelions in the park, and spend the morning demolishing the invaders! Sign-ups and a safety briefing begin at 8 a.m. in the upper parking lot of the DVC. All Dandelion Demolition participants receive a thank you gift from the park’s volunteer office.
Denali also is celebrating Great Outdoors Month and visitors interested in learning more about hiking in the park can join a ranger-led “Denali 101 Hike” to the Savage River area. Participants are advised to ride the free Savage River shuttle that leaves the DVC at 10:40 a.m. and then disembark at the Mountain Vista Rest Area where the hike will begin at 11:30 a.m.
History buffs will enjoy a vintage slideshow will be given inside the DVC’s Karstens Theater at 11 a.m. that will cover a century of preservation and protection in Denali National Park. Additionally, there will be a wide array of interactive activities and special programs for all ages and interests will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. including:
- Demonstrations of traditional atlatls and darts;
- Hands-on displays of Denali’s pollinators
- Information stations highlighting rangers and the work they do in Denali
- The Augmented Reality Sandbox, hosted by Alaska EPSCoR
- Representatives from Denali’s Zero Landfill Project, including Denali Education Center’s Zero Landfill Ambassadors and Subaru of America, will host an activity table with games, information, and eco-prize giveaways every hour on the half-hour from 11:30 am - 3:30 p.m.
- Live music until 5:00 p.m. Musicians interested in performing can sign up for 20 minute time slots through June 9 by e-mailing the Denali Centennial Team.
And finally, no birthday celebration is complete without cake! Join us at
2 p.m. at the Denali Visitor Center to sing Happy Birthday and enjoy a sweet treat in celebration of this historic milestone marking 100 years of wild and wonderful Denali!
