Celebrate Earth Week at Shangri La
What do you get when you combine boat rides through a cypress swamp, nature hikes, children’s story readings, outdoor art classes, bird watching, nature-themed lectures, a daylong nature festival, and Jungle Jack Hanna? You get the Earth Week celebration at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. This annual event will take place April 22 through 27 as a celebration of Planet Earth and all the ways we can be kind to our world.
There is something for everyone during Shangri La’s Earth Week festivities. If you’re craving a little outdoor adventure, the nature hikes and boat rides through the swamp are perfect for you. If you’re feeling a spark of creativity, the outdoor photography and painting classes will fuel your fire. If you love getting crafty, you won’t want to miss the lessons on bouquet making, basket weaving, and cooking with ingredients from the garden. Rounding out the daily activities are children’s story readings offered by the Shangri La team.
If your inquiring mind is hoping to learn something new, you’ll love the daily lectures offered in Shangri La’s Discovery Theater. Each day an expert will give a fascinating lecture on a nature-related topic including butterfly gardening, bats, epiphytes, and Shangri La’s prestigious LEED® certification. These lectures will not only offer insight into each topic but also provide tips for understanding our environment and interacting with it in a more positive manner.
Shangri La takes environmental education a step further with its Ecofestival on Saturday, April 26. This exciting event is filled with so many activities that the Shangri La team made it a daylong event that runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They’ll have a green car exhibit, a LEED scavenger hunt, tips about composting and recycling, and a lesson in making your own paper. It is a perfect day to share with the kids, for face painting, story readings, and garden planting will be available just for them.
The big finale of Earth Week is a special appearance by the popular Jungle Jack Hanna. You may have seen him on TV interacting with wildlife and telling fascinating stories about his experiences. Now, he will share these tales with you at the Lutcher Theater on Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Hanna’s visit is a unique treat for Orange, so don’t miss this world-class experience. Tickets are limited, so visit www.lutcher.org to reserve your seats.
Whether you are looking to learn about the environment, play a part in protecting it, or just have a little outdoor fun, Earth Week has something for you. Don’t miss the chance to take part in this wonderful celebration of our planet.
This message was also printed in the April 16, 2008, issue of The Orange Leader by guest columnist Nikki Sumrow. You can read a new column each Wednesday in The Orange Leader discussing the latest Orange events and activities.
