YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park will celebrate National Park Week, Earth Day, and National Junior Ranger Day from Saturday, Apr. 18, through Sunday, Apr. 26. In conjunction with the Centennial celebration of the National Park Service (NPS), Yosemite invites visitors to Find Your Park, and join in Yosemite for National Park Week.
Special events and activities are being sponsored and organized by the NPS, Delaware North, Yosemite Conservancy, and The Ansel Adams Gallery.
Park entrance fees will be waived for Yosemite National Park on Saturday, Apr. 18, and Sunday, Apr. 19. Camping fees and all other fees will still be applicable.
National Park Week is America’s largest celebration of national heritage. It’s about making connections, exploring public lands, discovering open spaces, and enjoying vacations in some of the country’s most beautiful places. This year, Yosemite will focus National Park Week on its 125th anniversary celebration with the theme of Stand up for What you Stand on! YOUR park. YOUR planet. 125 Years of Yosemite National Park.
This year’s annual celebration in Yosemite will include events and activities throughout the whole week. Events and activities include:
Friday, April 17 (Pre-Celebration)
· 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Earth Day Bike Ride
· 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Earth Day Family Night
Saturday, April 18 (National Junior Ranger Day and Earth Day Celebrations)
· 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Photo Walk – Ansel Adams and the Yosemite Landscape
· 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Earth Day Celebration and Junior Ranger Exploration Fair
· 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.: Junior Ranger Walk
· 11:00 – 11:20 a.m.: Wee Wild Ones
· 11:30 – 11:50 a.m.: Children’s Yoga
· 12:00 – 12:20 p.m.: Recycled Jug Band
· 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Universal Waste Collection
· 12:30 – 12:50 p.m.: Live Earth Music for Kids
· 1:00 – 1:20 p.m.: Wee Wild Ones
· 1:30 – 1:50 p.m.: Children’s Earth Storytelling
· 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Earth Day Stewardship Project Clean-Up
· 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Junior Ranger Walk
· 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: California’s Influence on What Would Become America’s Greatest Idea, the National Parks.
Sunday, April 19
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: This is America
Monday, April 20
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: Visiting Yosemite, A Journey Through Time
Tuesday, April 21
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: Creative Fusion: Exploring the Nature of the Sierra Nevada
Wednesday, April 22
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: First-Come, First-Served
Thursday, April 23
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: Primeval Ponderings
Friday, April 24
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: Art in the National Parks
Saturday, April 25
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: Ranger’s Choice
Sunday, April 26
· 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Ranger Program: This is America
For more information and a description of all events, please visit: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm and click on the current “Yosemite Guide” link, or call 209-372-0200.
For information on the NPS Centennial, please visit www.FindYourPark.com.
For information on Yosemite’s 125th anniversary, please visit www.nps.gov/yose/anniversary.
