Click to Download a Copy of Our Fall 2018 Calendar of Events
Please call to register for all programs. Dates and times are subject to change.
Parties and organizational groups of more than 15 people visiting the park must call the Ansonia Nature Center (203 736-1053) and talk with a staff member about space availability and are required to rent the picnic pavilion for $125 including a $200 returnable clean up deposit
Scout or other organizational groups must book a separate class or program than those being offered to the public.
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SEPTEMBER
Registration is now closed for: MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL DYE – Sat. Sept. 22, 2 pm
Learn how to make your own dye with natural materials. We’ll go out on the land to find and harvest berries from pokeweed plant. Each person will go home with some dye and some wool yarn to dye! FEE: $10 per person. Adults and children 9 years and up. Please call to register.
BIRDS ON THE MOVE – Sat. Sept. 29, 8 am
Join Ranger Jess for this informative program. She will concentrate on the end-of-summer journeys taken by our “flying friends” to faraway places each year. Find out who’s going and who’s staying put! FREE.
OCTOBER
FAERIE HOUSES AND TEA PARTY – Sat. Oct. 6, 1-3 pm
Join us at Pavilion 2 to build faerie houses out of natural materials, which we will provide, and enjoy a tea party with mini-cupcakes and herbal tea. Donations of baked goods to share are also cheerfully accepted. FEE: $7 per person. For children 18 months to 5 years old; each child must be accompanied by an adult. Bring blankets or mats to sit on and dress appropriately for the weather. Please call to register.
BITTERSWEET WREATHS – Sat. Oct. 13, 1 pm
Bring your own clippers and gardening gloves for this workshop led by Ranger Dawn. When you collect these beautiful orange-berried vines, you’re actually helping the park by removing this invasive plant species. FEE: $5. Please call to register.
AUTUMN FESTIVAL – Sat. Oct. 20, 11 am–4 pm
Celebrate this wonderful season with the staff and the Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center (FANCI)! Take a ride through our community gardens and fields in our horse-drawn story wagon, where you’ll hear some spooky Halloween tales! Learn about bats, spiders, and owls! Have some fresh apple cider and baked goods. Visit the Nature Shop to buy some creepy and crawly nature-related items. Enjoy nature-related exhibitors and vendors. You can try your hand at pumpkin painting, get your face painted, and make some original crafts. All proceeds will benefit the Nature Center. RAIN or SHINE. No park admission fee. Call us for more information at 203-736-1053.
NATURE EXPLORERS – Wednesdays, Oct. 24, 31 and Nov. 7, 14; 10–11:30 am
Join us for this 4 week pre-school/toddler program for children ages 2-5 and their adult explorer. Participants will have fun exploring nature every week in these outdoor classes. The classes are loosely structured and influenced by the seasons and the interests of the children. We will go outside for a short hike and to explore nature every class so please dress for the weather. Classes will end with a light snack (provided or bring your own) and conversation. TUITION: $40 for all 4 weeks, space permitting (cash or check payable to Ansonia Nature Center), due at first class. Class is limited to 10 children. Please call 203-736-1053 to register.
REPURPOSE OLD CANDLES – Sun. Oct. 28, 2:30 pm
Wondering what to do with all of your old, burnt out candles? Bring them to this class! Ranger Jess will show you how to melt down wax from your old candles and make brand new candles out of them. Bring an old glass jar with you to hold your new candle. For adults and children 11 and up. Please pre-register, as class size is limited. MATERIALS FEE: $6 per person.
NOVEMBER
SUNDAY GUIDED HIKE: Fall Foliage – Sun. Nov. 4, 1 pm
Join the Nature Center naturalist for a stroll through our woodlands, old fields, and wetlands. Enjoy the beauty and the crisp fall air while learning about New England’s flora and fauna. Wear appropriate shoes for this moderate hike. FREE. Please call to register.
THANKS FOR GIVING POTLUCK – Fri. Nov. 9, 5 pm
For current Nature Center volunteers — watch for your invitation. The potluck will be held in Pavilion 1, weather permitting.
NATURE PHOTO WALKABOUT WITH PHOTOGRAPHER SOPHIE ZYLA – Sat. Nov. 10, 10am–1pm
Bring your camera; we’ll meet in the Nature Center and then wander the grounds taking photographs of all that captures our attention, from insects to landscapes! Please take some time to study your camera instruction book as Sophie has used only Canon and may not know about options on other brands. She will have some Canon accessories to give you an idea of options and possibilities. No camera is too small; cell phones welcome! The photographer, not the equipment, makes the image. Bring water and a bag lunch if you like; we can find a picnic spot to chat about photography. Please register for this FREE program for adults and youth 14 and up.
BEARS IN CONNECTICUT – Sun. Nov. 11, 2:30 pm
Join Master Wildlife Conservationist Paul Benjunas from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for an educational talk, highlighting Connecticut’s only native bear species and the statistics on its growing population. FREE; please call to register.
MAKE YOUR OWN CIDER – Sat. Nov. 17, 1:30 pm
Using an old-fashioned wood cider press, we will prepare apples (possibly other fruit as well) and press our own cider just like the colonial settlers did! Take your cider home in a mason jar to drink and share. Ages 10 and up; children must be accompanied by an adult. FEE: $12 per person. Please call to register.
CANCELED: NATIVE DRUM WORKSHOP – Sun. Nov. 18, 2:30 pm
Ojibway artist and musician Allan Madahbee will demonstrate and discuss the significance of his instruments as well as explain the importance of the drums throughout history, and especially in Native American history. We will learn how to make the drums and play them. Supplies will be provided. MATERIALS FEE: TBA. Please call to register.
DECEMBER
WINTER WREATH WORKSHOP – Sat. Dec. 1, 10 am
Celebrate winter and the festive season as you create a wreath from fresh locally grown greens, then decorate your masterpiece with natural trimmings. Enjoy some warm mulled cider and a cookie too! Wreath frames and wire will be provided. Please bring your own hand clippers. MATERIALS FEE: $15. Please call to register.
NEEDLE FELTING FOR BEGINNERS – Sat. Dec. 1, 1 pm
Join in this fun class and learn the art of needle felting. With just one barbed needle you can create some wonderful 3D animals. All supplies will be provided. MATERIALS FEE: $15. Class size is limited to 12, so please register in advance. Ages 12 and up.
SCULPT-A-FOX – Sun. Dec. 9, 2:30 pm
Do you love foxes? Join Ranger Jess to learn how to sculpt a fox out of clay using nothing but your fingers! Time permitting, we’ll bake and paint them too. Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season! FEE: $6 per person.
PRINCIPLES OF FIRECRAFT – Sat. Dec. 15, 11 am–1 pm
Basic firecraft skills are very important for campers. Learn how to be the family camp-out firestarter in this session on the safe and efficient way to build and tend to a fire. Ranger Dan will teach us about wood gathering, fire safety, and fire starting with only one match. We’ll even roast some marshmallows! Children must be accompanied by an adult. FEE: $6 per person.
**And plan to start 2019 with a hike!**
JANUARY 2019
NEW YEAR’S DAY HIKE – Tues. Jan 1, 2019, 10 am
Bring a healthy start to your new year at the Nature Center. Our ranger will conduct this brisk walk while you learn a little natural history trivia along the way. FREE. Please call to register. Inclement weather cancels.
***ONGOING PROGRAMS***
Pet Loss Grief Support Session – By appointment
Losing a beloved animal can be tragic and a very emotional time for humans. There are numerous resources to turn to for the loss of a human loved one, but limited options for when we lose an animal. This FREE support session is for those who have lost an animal or have one in the process of moving on. Please call Susan Wilson at 1-802-379-4449 for an appointment.
Sunday Guided Hikes – Sundays, 1 pm
Join a Nature Center guide on Sunday afternoons for fun, exercise, and learning about our trails! See the above listings for hikes with a specific theme.
Monday Night Trail Run – Mondays, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26; 5:30-6:30 pm
This is a call to all of the runners who want something that is out of the ordinary! Ranger Dan will lead you through our 156-acre network of trails, while you burn off the weekend’s extra calories. We guarantee that this FREE program is the best way to start off your week. Please register and wear appropriate footwear.
Karate Club – Tuesdays, 5-week sessions: Sept. 25–Oct. 23; Oct. 30–Nov. 27; Dec. 4, 2018–Jan. 15, 2019 (no classes Dec. 25 or Jan. 1), 5:45–6:15 pm
This afterschool program at the Nature Center is for children 6-12 years old (Karate Kids), and 3-5 years old (Little Dragons). Students will engage in martial arts techniques and activities while learning skills such as discipline, focus, self-control, and confidence. They can earn higher-ranking belts as their participation continues. TUITION per 5-week session: $40 (cash or check payable to AMAA), which includes a Karate Club T-shirt and white belt. For more information call Chief Instructor Adam Rylski at 203-671-6903 or Program Coordinator Theresa at 203-506-3816, or the Ansonia Nature Center at 203-736-1053.
Fiber Arts Group – Tuesdays, 6 pm
Get together with others to work on your fiber arts projects! Bring any kind of fiber work—knitting, felting, crocheting, etc. A great way to dedicate time to your handiwork and socialize too. FREE.
Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body – Thursdays, 6:30 pm
Hatha Yoga instructor and practitioner Pam Mellitz will lead us into a healthier lifestyle through stretching, breath control and gentle exercise. The 90-minute classes require a mat or thick towel; dress for easy movement. Class is limited to 12 students. $7 per class. Please call Pam to register at 203-888-4124.
Creature Features – Saturdays, 12 noon
Come to meet our furry, scaly, and feathery animal ambassadors. You’ll have the chance to touch and hold them in this FREE family program for all ages.
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***THINGS TO COME (Winter 2019)***
Snowshoeing • Maple Sugaring • Owls