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Ranger Program Schedule | 2016 Schedule of Events | Junior Ranger Day
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NPS Centennial Jazz Band in Alamosa Concert Sep. 9 In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the New Orleans Jazz NHP Centennial Band is touring the nation! Friends of the Dunes. Alamosa Live Music Association, and Society Hall have teamed up to bring this incredible opportunity to Alamosa on September 9. Doors open at 6:30 and you will want to be there by 7:00 to learn a bit about this National Historic Park before experiencing a fantastic jazz concert. Tickets: Early Bird - $15 Proceeds benefit Friends of the Dunes, supporting education and research programs at the park! Purchase Early Bird tickets at: 
Free Historic Tintype Photography Demonstrations and Workshop October 15-16 As we continue our year-long celebration of the National Park Service's centennial, we not only look forward to cutting edge art, but we also look back to historic photographic techniques in use as the first national parks were being established. Tintype photography is a 19th century photographic method that has been rekindled by professional photographer and teacher Mark Dawson. On Saturday from 10-2, Mark will do informal public demonstrations at the visitor center of tintype photography and image processing. On Sunday, Mark will lead a free workshop for up to 7 participants in making their own images. Call 719-378-6343 to reserve a spot for the workshop. (Only 3 spots left as of September 7!) View Mark Dawson's website to learn more about his work. 
Cana Myers Your visit can be more enjoyable when you better understand the environment around you. Ranger programs are offered most days from late May through September. View the current schedule of programs! You may request a special program for a group by calling the Visitor Center at 719-378-6395, or send an email. Other Programs and Annual Events 
NPS Photo Junior Ranger Day Check here in spring for the 2017 date! 
Photo by Erich Schwiesow, courtesy Colorado Field Institute Colorado Field Institute Programs Colorado Field Institute is a Colorado non-profit organization whose purpose is "To expand stewardship of the natural and cultural resources of the San Luis Valley while increasing sustainable economic development in the region." CFI-sponsored programs are primarily in-depth, outdoor activities developed to complement the programs of cultural and natural resource management agencies, including Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Please click on the link above for information on CFI's current schedule of programs. 2016 Centennial Schedule of Events March March 11-13 Celebrate the annual springtime return of sandhill cranes to the San Luis Valley! Refuge tours, workshops, booths, live raptors, and more. Great Sand Dunes staffs a booth and sometimes assists with leading tours. While many cranes do roost in wetlands in Great Sand Dunes National Park, the most accessible locations for viewing are in and near the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. Learn more about the 2016 Crane Festival. April April 1 Great Sand Dunes and Friends of the Dunes are pleased to present a 45 minute pre-screening of the upcoming PBS documentary, "Heart of the World". This documentary is a 3-hour series premiering nationally on public television in April 2016. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is one of five parks profiled in "Heart of the World: Colorado's National Parks". The event will include a welcome by Park Superintendent Lisa Carrico and filmmaker Chris Wheeler of Great Divide Pictures. Stick around after the screening for a reception sponsored by Friends of the Dunes, including an informal Q &A session with the filmmaker. April 2-3 Come watch and learn as Rhode Island artist Joseph Fellows demonstrates cutting edge technology in scanning natural objects and locations in the national park, and transforms them into sculptures! Free public demonstrations, plus a more in-depth workshop where participants create their own sculpture! Workshop has a maximum of 7 participants; sign up by calling 719-378-6343. Learn more about Joseph Fellows sculpture and photography. View full press release.
April 16 through 24 April 16 A free, fun event open to the public! Watch college students compete with their own robotic sand machines, as they learn more about NASA rovers on Mars dunes. Find more information on the event. May May 27 Great Sand Dunes will offer daily ranger programs and extended visitor center hours starting May 27 through Labor Day weekend. Evening programs will be offered four times a week at the outdoor amphitheater. Daily afternoon programs and sunset programs will allow visitors to learn more about geology, hydrology, biology and history. The visitor center will be open from 8:30am to 6pm for visitors to receive more information. June June 4 Enjoy a morning full of junior ranger activities at the Visitor Center, Montville Nature Trail and Dunes Play Area. Kids of all ages can participate in a series of activities to earn fun items and t-shirts. This event is sponsored by Friends of the Dunes. Plan to reserve camping and arrive early: camping, lodging, and parking in and near the park will fill quickly! This is the second busiest weekend of the year at the park. June 17 Join professional sculptor Dana Provence, professor at Adams State University in Alamosa, for a free, enjoyable, thought-provoking environmental art workshop along Medano Creek. Participants will create temporary outdoor sculptures by designing and engaging with the natural materials found on the site. Call 719-378-6343 to sign up; maximum 10 participants. Learn more about Dana Provence's work. June 25 Join internationally-known photographer Kiyomichi Koike, who produced the book Whispers from the Sand, for an insightful journey into the dunes. Koike is a master of both color and black and white landscape images. Maximum 10 participants; sign up by calling 719-378-6343. Workshop currently full; call to get on waiting list. View some of Koike's photography. August August 27 This Fort Collins-based bluegrass band will perform at the outdoor amphitheater in honor of the NPS 100th anniversary. We encourage all ages to come out, celebrate, and find their park. This event is free and open to the public. August 25 through 28 Enjoy fee-free days to celebrate the birthday of the National Park Service. On this day in 1916, the National Park Service was established as a federal agency of the Department of the Interior, responsible for protecting national parks and monuments. September September 9 In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the New Orleans Jazz NHP Centennial Band is touring the nation! Friends of the Dunes. Alamosa Live Music Association, and Society Hall have teamed up to bring this incredible opportunity to Alamosa on September 9. Doors open at 6:30 and you will want to be there by 7:00 to learn a bit about this National Historic Park before experiencing a fantastic jazz concert. Tickets: Early Bird - $15 At the Door - $20 Proceeds benefit Friends of the Dunes, supporting education and research programs at the park! Purchase Early Bird tickets at: Green Spot - 711 State Street Narrow Gauge Newsstand - 602 Main Streetwww.societyhall.org - click on "Buy Tickets Here" September 24 Explore a new park or protected area for freeduring National Public Lands Day. Seven federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations and state regional and local governments participate in the annual day of caring for public lands. National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage. October October 15-16 As we continue our year-long celebration of the National Park Service's centennial, we not only look forward to cutting edge art, but we also look back to photographic techniques in use as the first national parks were being established. Tintype photography is a historic photographic method that has been rekindled by professional photographer and teacher Mark Dawson. On Saturday from 10-2, Mark will do informal public demonstrations at the visitor center of tintype photography and image processing. On Sunday, Mark will lead a free workshop for up to 7 participants in making their own images. Call 719-378-6343 to reserve a spot for the workshop. View Mark Dawson's website to learn more about his work. |
Event ResultsSorry, but there are no events between 09/30/2016 and 10/30/2016 |
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