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Maine Wildlife Park Events
Sponsored by the 'Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park'
All programs will run from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Maine Wildlife Park opens for the 2019 Season
Date: April 15, 2019
Time: 9:30 AM
The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray will open for the 2019 season on Monday, April 15th at 9:30am -- just in time for school vacation! We look forward to seeing new and returning visitors this year.
BACKYARD BIRDS
Date: May 4, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join us for the grand opening of our new songbird exhibit at 12 noon. There will be a variety of games & activities around the park that focus on backyard birds; learn how to ID some common migratory birds, bring your own binoculars to learn how they can help, play 'guess the wingspan' and much more.
ARCHERY & RIFLERY WITH BRYANT POND 4-H SHOOTING SPORTS
Date: May 11, 2019
Time: 10:00 AM
Certified instructors will have archery & rifle ranges set up for you to try your hand at this great family sport. Ages 9 & up will have a chance to shoot a bow, learn basic safety, & practice shooting skills from 10am to 12 noon. The pellet rifle experience will be offered from 12:30-2:30pm for ages 10 & up. Instructors will review basic gun handling & shot placement using various targets. umaine.edu/bryantpond
MAINE NORDMENN DAY
Date: May 18, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Scandinavian climate, wildlife & conservation practices are similar to Maines. View a 15' Viking ship replica. Learn about Scandinavian culture from folks in full native dress; see demonstrations of traditional activities like wood carving, rosemaling, weaving & Viking life. Sample delicious Scandinavian foods, enjoy Scandinavian music. Age appropriate activities for children; Scandinavian baked goods & crafts for sale. www.mainenordmenn.com
MAINE FOREST SERVICE
Date: May 18, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join a local District Forest Ranger with a demonstration & display of the tools of their trade. Forest Rangers protect our forests from fires, insects, disease & misuse. There will be special photo opportunities for the kids when Smokey the Bear arrives to meet his fans. Bring your cameras!
FRIENDS OF THE MAINE WILDLIFE PARK
Date: May 25, 2019 - May 27, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM
The Friends volunteer group helps out the wildlife park in so many ways; learn more about their ongoing projects & enjoy great bargains on spring plants with annual & perennial flowers, vegetables & floral baskets grown in their own greenhouse! Plants will be available Sat. & Sun. 8-3 in the parking lot, thereafter inside the park. www.wildlifeparkfriends.org
RED CROSS/RAYSUP BLOOD DRIVE
Date: May 25, 2019
Time: 10:00 AM
The American Red Cross plays a critical role in our nations health care system, processing about 40 percent of the blood supply! Reveal your inner hero & donate life-saving blood at our annual park blood drive. Donors who pre-register for this event receive free admission to the park & a discount for family members on this day. You can preregister at: www.redcrossblood.org
MAINE MASTER NATURALISTS
Date: June 1, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
a nonprofit, volunteer-driven enterprise that trains people to become naturalists. Graduates are expected to actively seek opportunities to share their knowledge of nature with people of all ages in Maine. Join several graduates in a variety of nature-based activities for young & old alike!
THE ANCIENT ONES
Date: June 8, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
This group of re-enactors, in full period dress, will set up a real Living History Camp from the late 1700s-1800s. They will put up a canvas tent & have demonstrations going on all day long, including fire starting, cooking, trading, tomahawk throwing, flint knapping, flintlock muskets, weaving & more. Come to see what day-to-day life really looked like 200 years ago! All day Saturday; Sunday morning til 12noon.
MAINE WILDLIFE AUTHORS
Date: June 15, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Children's book authors Tamra Wight ("Cooper & Packrat"), Melissa Kim (Wildlife on the Move) & Hope Rowan (Ten Days in the North Maine Woods and Ten Days in Acadia) will give presentations about wildlife, talk about their books, and lead a variety of family-friendly activities centering on wildlife writing, photography, mapmaking, and the outdoors. Make take-home turtles, go on a park-wide nature-based scavenger hunt, create your own wildlife map, follow a story walk, play animal bingo, and more!
FRIDAY OPEN HOUSE 5PM-8PM ADMISSION FREE!
Date: June 21, 2019
Time: 5:00 PM
FRIDAY June 21st - FREE ADMISSION TONIGHT ONLY! 5PM-8PM Enjoy a free evening stroll around the park!
BUTTERFLIES & BUGS
Date: June 29, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join Jim Nutting (Butterfly & Insect Museum) and Jon Wallace (retired science teacher), to explore the world of 'bugs'. See lots of examples of bugs from Maine & beyond; then compare them to live bugs/arthropods from throughout the world. Youll also get to look at fossils to see how these animals have changed over time, view shed skins (exoskeletons), & see some insectivorous plants, one of a bugs worst nightmares!
NEW ENGLAND MINERAL ASSOCIATION
Date: July 6, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Learn about minerals & gemstones found in different localities in Maine; with hands on educations stations & knowledgeable people to help answer questions. A great way to get started in this rewarding hobby.
MAINE NATURE ARTISTS
Date: July 13, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join several area artists as they demonstrate their nature-based art using unique materials & various mediums to capture the beauty of wildlife & nature. A variety of their items will be available for purchase!
CHAINSAW WILDLIFE ARTISTS
Date: July 20, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join local Maine chainsaw carvers Ron Carlson, Tim Pickett, & Dan Burns as they use chainsaws to create eagles, bears & more. Watch a block of wood become a work of art. A variety of carvings will be on exhibit & for sale. Bring your cameras & your earplugs!
ATV MAINE
Date: July 20, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
ATV Maine is a 501(c)(3) membership organization with close to 6,000 members in 83 ATV clubs statewide. Their purpose is to promote education in the safe & responsible use of ATVs, be a unified voice on ATV legislative issues, & to share information with club affiliates & the general public. ATVs for children & adults will be on site. Try them out on a short course! Safety instructors will be on hand to show you what fun ATV riding can be!
EVENING STAR PARTY
Date: August 3, 2019
Time: 7:00 PM
See the wonders of the night sky first hand with Northern Stars Planetarium & Southern Maine Astronomers! Rotate through different stations & activities to find out about the stars & planets in the skies above & their impact on wildlife. There will be telescopes to use, as well as larger scopes that party leaders will keep on whatever mysterious objects are overhead. We must have clear skies to run this program! 7:00pm 9:00pm (Call office FMI if weather is suspect)
ATTEAN FAMILY POW WOW
Date: August 10, 2019 - August 11, 2019
Time: 9:30 AM
Sat/Sun. Aug. 10 & 11 ATTEAN MEMORIAL POW WOW Tribal representatives from Maine, New England & around the country will be at the park for two full days with native dancers, drummers, craft vendors, singers & traditional food booths. This year, dont miss the NEW activities, food, music & Grand Entry presented each day. An exciting opportunity to learn more about Native American culture & heritage. (All day, rain or shine).
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS
Date: August 17, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Join these wildlife experts & professional educators with their living menagerie of exotic wildlife related to our very own Maine Wildlife Park residents! Meet & photograph a variety of exotic wildlife all while learning how they are connected to Maine's resident wildlife.
ENCHANTED FORESTS
Date: August 24, 2019 - August 25, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Fairy houses & gardens are incredibly popular with children today. Bring the kids to visit our fabulous human-sized fairy house, meet & have your photos taken with some real fairies; then work with all natural materials to create your own miniature fairy habitats to take home with you. This is a great activity for all kids, young & old!
LIFE OF THE HONEYBEE
Date: August 31, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Learn about the industrious life of the honey bee, & the role of the beekeeper. Parts of the bee hive & beekeeping equipment will be on display; & experienced bee keepers will be available to answer your questions. A variety of delicious native Maine honey & other natural products from the hive will be on sale.
RICK CHARETTE CONCERT!
Date: September 7, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
We are pleased to have Rick Charette with us once again with Roy Clark on keys & Pat Keane on guitar. Rick is a singer & songwriter, capturing the hearts & spirits of young & old alike & recording 12 CDs, 3 DVDs & writing 2 books. Rick does fewer performances than ever before, but has designated the park as one of his "favorite" concerts. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see him perform live with some of his favorite animal friends! Rick will sign autographs & sell CDs after the show. Concert Show Time is 11am-12noon; rain or shine.
NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS DAY
Date: September 8, 2019
Time: 9:30 AM
National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day, & was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. Free admission for Grandparents accompanied by their grandchildren; regular entrance fees for all other family members.
WILD WINGS TAXIDERMY
Date: September 28, 2019
Time: 11:00 AM
Its National Hunting & Fishing Day! Taxidermy is a method of reproducing a life-like, 3-dimensional rendition of a mammal, bird, or fish for permanent display. Watch local taxidermist Paul Reynolds mount a whitetail deer head using the fine art of taxidermy.
TRICK OR TREAT HARVEST FESTIVAL
Date: October 26, 2019 - October 27, 2019
Time: 9:30 AM
Bring the whole family to enjoy this unique celebration of fall-themed games, activities, & attractions! 'Old tyme' harvest games include favorites from the past like the wild squirrel roll, applesauce toss, the rodent barn maze, & many new ones as well! New this year will be area businesses loaded with candy for visitors wearing their Halloween costumes! Come ready for adventure and your trick-or-treat bag! 10am-3pm each day.
VETERAN'S DAY CLOSING DAY FOR MAINE WILDLIFE PARK
Date: November 11, 2019
Time: 9:30 AM
Free admission for U.S. Military personnel, Veterans & their immediate family members on our last day of the season.
More Information
Our picnic shelters and Outdoor Classroom may be reserved for parties, special occasions, family gatherings and more!
Special Wildlife programs and tours available.
Consider volunteering at the Wildlife Park. There are opportunities for gatehouse attendants, tour guides, gardeners and store clerks in the Snack Shack and Nature Store.
For more information, please call (207) 657-4977, ext. 0.