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Contact: Nicole Koehlinger, 928-638-7775 Contact: Emily Davis, 928-638-7609
Grand Canyon, Ariz. - The National Park Service (NPS) is turning 100 years old on August 25, 2016 and to celebrate the anniversary, Grand Canyon National Park will waive entrance fees August 25-28. To join in on the centennial celebration, visitors can explore Centennial Central, visit the Amtrak Trails and Rails Exhibit, and attend free ranger programs.Grand Canyon will also host a naturalization ceremony for new United States citizens on August 25. All centennial events are free and open to the public. At the South Rim Train Depot, visitors can stop by Centennial Central from 9 am to 5 pm August 25 to 27 and Amtrak Trails and Rails Exhibit August 25-28 from 9 am to 6 pm. Centennial Central will feature fun and interactive booths from local organizations and park partners. There will be free birthday cake at 1:30 pm on the 25th at Centennial Central. Other food and beverage will be available for purchase. Step aboard for a free self-guided tour of Amtrak's past, present, and future and explore the Amtrak Trail and Rails exhibit to learn about the importance of railroads in the National Park Service's 100 year history. For the youngest rail fans, stop off at Chuggington Depot, featuring toy train and coloring tables. To read more about the Amtrak Trails and Rails visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/amtraktrailsandrails/index.htm. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will team with the NPS to welcome 15 new United States citizens representing 12 countries.The ceremony is scheduled to take place August 25th at 10 am at Mather Point Amphitheater. In honor of the NPS Centennial, USCIS has partnered with the NPS to hold more than 100 naturalization ceremonies on national park sites during 2016.For information about the naturalization ceremony, please contact Maria Elena Upson, USCIS Public Affairs Officer at 602-462-2503 or e-mail us Park ranger programs will be available during the centennial celebration, including history and geology programs, fossil walks, and condor talks. For more information about ranger-led walks and talks visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/ranger-program.htm.At Desert View, cultural demonstrators will be showcasing their pieces of hand crafted artwork from 9 am to 4 pm.The North Rim Visitor Center will be hosting a birthday party in celebration of the Centennial.For more information of scheduled events, please check at visitor centers. The fee-free designation does not affect fees for camping, reservations, tours, or use of concessions.Park entrance stations will have Interagency Senior and Annual Passes available for those who wish to purchase them.Those who plan to spend time in the park beyond August 28 will need to pay the regular entrance fee for the remainder of their stay. The National Park Service will continue celebrating its centennial year with additional fee-free days in 2016.Those dates are September 24 for National Public Lands Day and November 11 for Veterans Day. For additional information about NPS fee-free days visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm.For more information about visiting Grand Canyon National Park visit www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit. -NPS- |
Last updated: August 12, 2016