Join us for National Park Family Day in Seattle (or Vancouver)

This Sunday, May 2nd, Mount Rainier National Park will be one of 30 groups participating in the first annual Northwest National Parks Family Day at Seward Park in Seattle. The event, which will run from 10am to 3pm, is sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and will be packed with booths, exhibits, and activities oriented to families. The theme of the day is "Bringing the Parks to the People." Our own both, for example, will have exhibits, puppets, and a demonstration campsite with information about this summer's Camping Adventure with My Parents (CAMP) program.

Mount Rainier will also be one of several groups presenting "demonstrations" in the picnic pavillion. Ours will feature campfire songs and stories as told by rangers Jim Ross (a 40+ year veteran of telling campfire stories at Mount Rainier) and Kevin Bacher (me). Other demos include a banjo performance from San Juan Island Historical Park; nature hikes; a program called "Lost but safe and sound" by Lewis & Clark National Historical Park; a live raptor demonstration by Sarvey Wildlife Center; and a Leave No Trace camping demonstration by REI. For complete details, visit the Family Day page on NPCA's website.

If Seattle's a little far for you, but you live close to Vancouver, Washington, a similar National Park Family Day will be held at Fort Vancouver on May 15. Ranger Jim Ross will be there, too, representing Mount Rainier National Park.

Bring the kids, and we'll see you all at the park!