|
Alaska Hummingbird Festival returns to Ketchikan in April
KETCHIKAN, Alaska,
Beginning in April, the Alaska Hummingbird Festival in Ketchikan will celebrate the return of the Rufous hummingbirds to the Tongass National Forest. The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center will serve as
the hub for a series of educational and creative events, including a juried art show, to promote awareness of the spring migratory birds of Southeast Alaska.
The Alaska Hummingbird Festival juried art show opening reception is April 5, 2019, starting at 5 p.m. at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau will host the opening
reception. Artwork will be on display through June 1, 2019. The festival’s series of events continue through April 27. Scheduled activities include Saturday morning guided bird walks, the Friday Night Insights lecture series, and Saturday morning crafting
activities for youth and their families. All programs and activities are free to the public.
Visitors are also welcome to enjoy the exhibits, purchase maps and America the Beautiful passes, and learn about the forest from an interpretive ranger. A variety of films exploring the natural
and cultural history of Alaska will be played in the Elizabeth Peratrovich Theater upon request until 5 p.m. Teachers are welcome to bring their classrooms for tours during this time or schedule a private tour Monday through Thursday by calling 907-228-6290.
The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is located at 50 Main Street in Ketchikan.
Summer hours begin on Sunday, May 12, with the center open 7 days per week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee collection begins on May 1 with all areas requiring a $5.00 entrance fee. Local visitors may
purchase a Discovery Center season pass for $15.00 which gets the cardholder and two others in for a daily visit from May 1-September 27, 2019.
For more information, contact Leslie Swada at 907-228-6290
leslie.swada@xxxxxxxx. Follow the Center at
http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/tongass/seadc.
For interviews and information to be used for publication, contact the Tongass Public Affairs Officer at 907-228-6201.
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the
economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 30 percent of the nation’s surface drinking water to cities and rural communities and approximately 66 million Americans rely on drinking water that originated from the National Forest
System. The agency also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
The petite but mighty Rufous Hummingbird is the mascot of the festival. Join us in welcoming this pennyweight flyer and other migratory birds back
to Ketchikan and the Tongass National Forest. -end- |
