Georgia Magazine - August 2018 - 28

the facts of life ... in georgia

More outdoor fun
Below is a sampling of events
planned at several nature centers in
Georgia.

Reptiles rule!
Celebrate all things
reptilian at Elachee
Nature Science Center
BY VICTORIA SCHARF DECASTRO

Every September, families come
to see and touch live reptiles on
Snake Day at Elachee Nature Science
Center in Gainesville. This year, the
26th annual Snake Day takes place
Sept. 8.
"Approximately 1,500 people attend Snake Day each year, so it's by
far Elachee's largest and most popular public event," says Peter Gordon,
Elachee's director of education. "It's
a great opportunity for us to educate and entertain people of all ages
about animals they may see regularly
but know little about."
Guests can see live animals on
exhibit and in demonstrations and
can take guided hikes through woodlands filled with wildlife and plant
communities. Youngsters also can
create reptile-related crafts and have
their faces painted.
Located in the 1,400-acre Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve, Elachee
attracts tens of thousands of visitors
28

ELACHEE NATURE SCIENCE CENTER

Herpetologists entertain audiences with live demonstrations of snakes, alligators, lizards,
turtles, tortoises, toads and frogs on Snake Day at Elachee Nature Science Center.

Get up close and personal with creatures
that slither and crawl on Snake Day.

annually with nature programming
and environmental education experiences for schoolchildren, families and
nature lovers.
"Snakes are among the most
beautiful, unique and misunderstood
animals," Gordon says. "Snake Day
visitors are able to see a large number and variety of snakes and other
reptiles while talking to friendly and
engaging experts in herpetology. It's
Elachee's best friend-making event
and one that we look forward to each
year."
Victoria Scharf DeCastro is a freelance writer based in Winder.

When you go
Elachee Nature Science Center,
2125 Elachee Dr., Gainesville. elachee.org.
(770) 535-1976.
Snake Day: Sept. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: $10 per person (age 2 and older).
More online at www.georgiamagazine.org

Family Creek Walk, Aug. 18, Blue Heron
Nature Preserve, Atlanta. Learn about the
biology of Georgia's waterways, dig up
some mud and look under microscopes.
A public works representative will provide
tips on protecting waterways from pollution. Stay after for lemonade. bhnp.org.
(404) 946-6394.
Halloween Hikes, Oct. 19-20, 26-27,
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell.
Meet woodland creatures and costumed
characters on a guided, 45-minute night
hike in this not-scary Halloween tradition.
bit.ly/halhike. (770) 992-2055, ext. 238.
Jack-O'-Lantern Jog 5K & Goblin 1-Mile
Fun Run, Oct. 28, Sandy Creek Nature
Center, Athens. Runners and walkers alike
can participate in this annual race on the
North Oconee River Greenway. bit.ly/joljog.
(706) 613-3615.
Syrup Festival, Nov. 17, Dauset Trails
Nature Center, Jackson. See how an
early-20th-century farm operates while
savoring the smell of sugar cane boiling in
an 80-gallon kettle, watching mules power
a sugar cane mill and listening to live
bluegrass music. dausettrails.com.
(770) 775-6798.

SANDY CREEK NATURE CENTER

ELACHEE NATURE SCIENCE CENTER

Stars on the Water, Aug. 12, 4-H Tidelands Nature Center, Jekyll Island. Enjoy
a night of stargazing and see the Perseid
meteor shower from the dock overlooking
Tidelands Pond and then on one of Jekyll's
beaches. tidelands4h.org. (912) 635-5032.

Kids gather with Sandy the Frog at Sandy
Creek Nature Center's Jack-O'-Lantern Jog.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE

http://www.tidelands4h.org http://www.bhnp.org http://www.bit.ly/halhike http://www.bit.ly/joljog http://www.dausettrails.com http://www.elachee.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - August 2018