Press

ALBANY, NY – “Life in the Adirondacks” will be the theme of the New York State Museum’s next Family Fun Weekend, August 5 – 6.

The program, which is free of charge, takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. both days, and will acquaint people of all ages with the basics on hiking, canoeing and other activities in and near the Adirondack Park.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday afternoons, Mike Carpenter of Queensbury, the co-author of the “Common Man Trail Guide Series,” will share information from his books on short hikes and interesting walks in the Adirondacks and Saratoga Springs area. He also will discuss flatwater canoe/kayak trips in the Adirondacks.

On both days “The Sky Tonight,” a show in the Museum’s inflatable planetarium, will show the constellations as they will appear that evening. Tickets to the show, to be presented in the Museum Theater, are limited to 30 people and are available in the Museum lobby. All other activities will take place in Adirondack Hall.

Tents will also be set up and equipment will be displayed to show what a modern campsite would consist of. Throughout the weekend, children can make birch bark canoes and ornaments that resemble s’mores, the popular campfire snack. There also will be a scavenger hunt, with prizes, and participants will get an activity pack to take home. Story Time, focusing on the Adirondacks, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

On Saturday, Smokey the Bear and Karen Glesmann, a forest ranger with the Department of Environmental Conservation, will provide safety tips for hiking or camping in the Adirondacks.

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Family Fun Weekends offer theme-based family activities, which are held the first weekend of the month.

The New York State Museum, established in 1836, is a program of the New York State Education Department. Located at the Empire State Plaza on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free and the Museum is fully accessible. Further information about Museum programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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