WNC Nature Center Annual Hey Day Fall Family Festival

October 10, 2015    Hey Day Fall Family Festival at the WNC Nature Center   Enjoy the 37th annual Hey Day Festival featuring live music and dance performances, special animal encounters, educational programs, arts and crafts for the kids, and delicious food from local vendors. Hey Day is the Nature Center's biggest event of the year. 

The 2015 festival will feature games, arts and crafts, educational animal programs, live music, local food vendors, and of course, a wide variety of exciting wildlife. There will also be a kick-off to the Friends' fall raffle, with the opportunity to win great items.

photo courtesy of Friends of the WNC Nature Center

Stage Schedule:
11am - Noon  Idea Factory Inc. Dance Studio
Noon-12:45pm  WNC Nature Center Wildlife Ambassadors
1 - 1:45pm  Garnet Ridge Ramblers
2 - 2:30pm  Mountain Thunder Cloggers
3 - 3:45pm  Professor Whizzpop
Animal enrichment programs will also occur during the day.

Food and refreshments will be available from Captain Dave's Pirate Dawgs, Ruth & Ranshaw, Pizza Hut and Party Blvd.  Bottled water for our Hey Day guests has been donated by Earth Fare.

Hellbender Featured at WNC Nature Center

This year the WNC Nature Center is thrilled to be celebrating a special Year of the Hellbender. You may have seen the great big Eastern Hellbender in Appalachian Station. Hellbenders are large aquatic salamanders--they can grow up to two feet long - yikes! They look kind of intimidating, but if you come across one in the river, don't worry. They aren't venomous. They are also extremely difficult to find, as they spend most of their time hanging out under large, flat rocks in fast moving water. And here's a fun fact: Hellbenders breathe through their SKIN.   

There's a lot more information on these cool critters on the Center blog, as well as an exciting announcement about the Nature Center's own Hellbender. And check out this cool video:

Meet a Hellbender

The Center looks forward to spending this year bringing some special attention to our slimy aquatic neighbors, and all of our special Southern Appalachian animals.

Asheville's Compleat Naturalist Hosts Informal DLIA Event

November 1, 3 PM - 5 PM The Compleat Naturalist located at 2 Brook Street, Historic Biltmore Village in Asheville NC will host an informal event in the store to assist with the sorting of specimens collected in a study of arthropods and other invertebrates in high elevation beech forests. This Tree Specimen Sorting Event is held in conjunction with DLIA (Discover Life in America), the non-profit organization overseeing the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Volunteers along with specialists will help identify and organize arthropods in a lab setting. This is a great opportunity for people with all backgrounds to come see and learn new things about arthropods.  You do not need a science background; just come with sharp eyes and a willingness to learn.

This event is free, but an RSVP is requested, so pleasecall (828) 274-5430, (or email) if you are interested. Imilar events are planned for the future.