Saturday, August 27th will be a day filled with fun and exploration at Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor, as they host the first Family Festival since the pandemic.
The nature center, located at 2300 N Benton Center Road, will host live music, crafts for kids, nature hikes, and food trucks, from 11 a.m to 4 p.m, ensuring your weekend will be educational and entertaining, while enjoying the great outdoors.
This is only the second Family Festival, but there will be many more to come. Mike Mahler, event coordinator at Sarett, says “This festival replaces the Country Fair we hosted in the past, and is intended for adults and children of all ages. Our goal is to provide a fun day for families and visitors that will not break the bank.”
Face painting and wagon rides will run until 3 p.m, with the Butterfly House open during the duration of the festival. At noon and 1:30 p.m, the Animal Program will feature live reptiles and amphibians, and attendees can help ‘Sow the Prairie’ using the STEAM catapult to launch seeds into the grassy meadows.
Food will be available for purchase by Water & Wheat, a local plant-based food truck that creates delectable eats, and Wood, Stock, & Grill, purveyor of mouthwatering volkswagen-smoked BBQ.
Sarett Nature Center is a non-profit community organization and preserve that focuses on environmental education in Southwest Michigan. Over 1,000 acres and eight miles of nature trails span the property, and they are open year round. In the colder months, they offer snowshoe rental and Winter hiking, and interactive naturalist programs to keep curious minds always entertained.
This event is open to everyone, not just members of Sarett Nature Center. Festival entrance fees for nonmembers are $10 per adult, $5 per child, or $25 for families. (And nature center members receive a discount at $8 per adult, $3 per child, and $20 per family). Sarett keeps education affordable, and yearly membership fees are offered per person or per family.
Campfire Stu will perform live music at 3 p.m, and the S’mores Station will be available from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Join Sarett Nature Center and the wildlife that surrounds us this Saturday, August 27th for the Family Festival, and learn about the programs, events, Summer camps, and fundraisers Sarett Nature Center hosts all year long.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
