Turtle River State Park
2009 Special Events
June 11-13 – Artist in Residency (sponsored by the ND Council on the Arts. Join Artist Adam Kemp, Grand Forks, for a unique perspective and hands-on activities related to his art.
June 20 – Turtlefest (sponsored by Friends of Turtle River) and Visitor Appreciation Day. FREE entrance to the Park, along with a full slate of fun family events!
July 4 – Music in the Park. This years marks the 25th Anniversary of Dick King’s Classic Swing Band concert in the Park! Come join us at the CCC Shelter from 1-4pm for this anniversary celebration of big band era music!
July 18 – Tribute to the Civilian Conservation Corp. We hope to have members of the CCC available, as part of an informal panel discussion, to reminisce and provide information about life and work with the CCC; along with lots of other CCC related information and activities!
August 20 – Visitor Center Dedication. Join us for a formal dedication of our new Visitor Center and celebration Turtle River’s 75th Anniversary!
August 22 – 75th Birthday BLAST. Fun and games for the whole family in celebration of Turtle River’s 75th Birthday!
Interpretive Activities
Turtle River State Park offers interpretive activities on weekends. These activities are hands-on and fun for the whole family. For information on program details and times contact the park.Information is also posted on park bulletin boards, on flyers obtainable at the entrance station and in the local papers.
June 5-7 - FISHING FRENZY
Friday, June 5
- The Life of a fish. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn what a day in the life of a fish entails.
Saturday, June 6
- Dakota Explorers: National Trails Day Hike. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we take a guided hike through the park in honor of National Trails Day. Please wear comfortable shoes.
- Angling 101. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn helpful tips to becoming an angler. From tackle to filleting these tips will help perfect your angling techniques.
Sunday, June 7
- Fish Hike. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we take a guided hike through the park to learn more about fish.
June 12-14 – THE ART OF IT!
Friday, June 12
- Nature’s Art. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about some of nature’s naturally occurring art.
Saturday, June 13
- Dakota Explorers: Amazing Art. Join us and special guest Adam Kemp at the Agassiz Shelter for an opportunity to create amazing art from nature.
- The Art of Habitats. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we take a look at the artwork in nature of the Beaver and their habitat.
Sunday, June 14
- Art Hike. Join us as we go for a guided hike around the park to marvel at some of nature’s art around us.
June 19-21 - CELEBRATING OUR DADS
Friday, June 19
- Amazing Animal Dads I. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we take a look at amazing aquatic dads and how they contribute to their families.
Saturday, June 20 - TURTLE FEST
- Turtle Fest. Join us at the Woodland Lodge from 10:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. for an Entertaining Reptiles and Amphibians Show at 2:30 p.m., Exciting Eats, Music by “Too Old to Die Young”, Geocaching with Instruction, Art’s and Craft’s, Fishing, Lots of Activities for Kids and many other games and entertainment for the whole family.
- Amazing Animal Dads II. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we take a look at amazing dads on land and how they contribute to their families.
Sunday, June 21- FATHER’S DAY
- Amazing Animal Dads III. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we take a look at amazing animal dads with wings and how they contribute to their families.
June 26 -27 - THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Friday, June 26th
- Survival 101. Join Cabela’s and us at the Amphitheatre as we learn the basics of camping and hiking survival.
Saturday, June 27 - 5th Annual Great American Backyard Campout
- Dakota Explorers: The Art of Fire. Join us at the Amphitheater to learn the art and science of making a campfire.
- A Poppin Good Time: Join us at the Amphitheatre for campfire stories and to learn how to make campfire popcorn.
Sunday, June 28
- Our State Parks. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn more about our State Parks and how to plan a visit.
July 3-5 - PIONEER LIVING
Friday, July 3rd
- Pioneer Nightlife. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we go back in time to see what a typical night in pioneer times was like.
Saturday, July 4 - INDEPENDENCE DAY
- Dakota Explorers: Pastimes: Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we take a look at what people did to pass the time long ago.
- A Step Back in Time. Join us at the Amphitheatre and learn what life was like as a pioneer. Discover the trials and triumphs they faced.
Sunday, July 5
- CCC Boys. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corp and what life was like for the hard working men.
July 10-12 – NATURE’S SKYSCRAPERS
Friday, July 10
- Tree ID. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we learn about nature’s natural skyscrapers and how to identify them
Saturday, July 11
- Dakota Explorers: Hug a Tree. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn about trees and why they are so important.
- The Lorax. Join us at the Amphitheater to find out what a lorax is and why trees are so important.
Sunday, July 12
- Guided Hike. Join us at the Woodland lodge for a hike to practice our Tree ID skills.
July 17-19 – TRIBUTE TO THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
Friday, July 17
- Step Back in Time: Join us for a look at what it mean to be a CCC Boy and their impact on North Dakota’s State Parks.
Saturday, July 18
- Dakota Explorers: Be a CCC Boy. Join us to experience what it was like to be a CCC boy in the 1930’s.
- CCC Boy Q & A. Join us at the Visitor Center to meet and greet some of the original CCC members in North Dakota. Participate in a lively discussion of what it was like to be a CCC boy.
- CCC Tour. Join us for a tour of CCC structures in Turtle River State Park, as we pay tribute to the men who served during the 1930’s.
Sunday, July 19
- Nature Hike. Join the naturalist for a stroll through Turtle River’s diverse habitats.
July 24-26 - LET’S GO FLYING
Friday, July 24
- Things with Wings I. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we learn all about mosquitoes and flies!
Saturday, July 25
- Dakota Explorers: Butterfly Hunt. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to go on a butterfly scavenger hunt!
- Things with Wings II. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we learn about dragonflies and butterflies.
Sunday, July 26
- Things with wings III. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about the things with wings we can’t see.
July 31-August 2 FEATHERED FRIENDS
Friday, July 31
- Bird Songs. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we learn what is behind a bird call.
Saturday, August 1
- Dakota Explorers: Bird Eyes. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we go on a Bird Watching Hike.
- Beyond Feathers. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we learn about what makes a bird a so fascinating.
Sunday, August 2
- Home Tweet Home. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we learn about bird habitats and how to make our very own birdhouse.
August 7-9 – NATURE’S RECYCLERS
Friday, August 7
- Nature’s recyclers. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about some of nature’s natural recyclers and how they contribute to our environment.
Saturday, August 8
- Dakota Explorers: The Un-Nature. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we go on a hike through the park on an “Un-Nature Hike”.
- Leave no trace. Join us at the Amphitheater to learn why a park doesn’t allow you to collect firewood, and how you can enjoy nature without leaving your mark behind.
Sunday, August 9
- Enjoy our earth: Join us at the Woodland Lodge as we go on a short hike of the park and enjoy our earth.
August 14-16- THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
Friday, August 14
- Nocturnal Creatures. Join us for a look at nature’s nocturnal wonders.
Saturday, August 15
- Dakota Explorers: Let’s Go Batty. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we learn about nature’s nocturnal wonder the bat.
- Nocturnal Hike. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we go on a nocturnal hike in search of things that go bump in the night.
Sunday, August 16
- Stellaluna. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about Stellaluna the bat and how her world got turned upside down.
August 21-23 – TURTLE RIVER’S 75th BIRTHDAY
Friday, August 21
- The Beginning. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn about the establishment of Turtle River State Park.
Saturday, August 22
- Birthday Bash. Join us at Turtle Rivers CCC shelter to celebrate our 75th birthday with cake, games, and prizes. All ages are welcome.
- Growing Pains: Hope for the Future. Join us at the Amphitheater to take a journey through the History of Turtle River State Park and the plans for the future.
Sunday, August 23
- Discover Turtle River State Park. Join us at the Visitor Center for a hike through Turtle River State Parks History.
August 28-30 – YOU CAN CALL ME FLOWER IF YOU WANT TO
Friday, August 28
- More than petals. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn about flowers and what they do for our environment.
Saturday, August 29
- Dakota Explorers: Wildflower Scavenger Hunt. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we go on a wildflower scavenger hunt.
- Bzzz Bzzz. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we learn about the life of a bee.
Sunday, August 30
- Flower Power. Join us at the Amphitheatre as we learn about nature’s edible, medicinal and dangerous flowers.
September 4-6 – PALEONTOLOGY WEEKEND
Friday, September 4
- Dinosaurs I. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about the aquatic and aerial pre-historic creature’s that inhabited our earth.
Saturday, September 5
- Dakota Explorers: Dinosaur Dig. Join us at the Visitor’s Center as we go on a dinosaur dig and become paleontologists for the day!
- Dinosaurs II. Join us at the Amphitheatre to learn about pre-historic creatures that roamed our soil.
Sunday, September 6
- Extinction. Join us at the Visitor’s Center to learn about how extinction affects us and how we can prevent it.
