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Please join us for our 3rd and 4th Great Park Pursuit Events which are Semi-Guided Events. Your family/team picks the location, participates and takes a selfie by the GPP sign and submits it for credit for attending.
GPP Event #3:Memorial Day Weekend 2018-Saturday May 26, 2018, Sunday May 27, 2018 and/or Monday May 28, 2018. Pick one of the following 11 Nature Centers or Museums listed below, visit and participate in activities or programs. Be sure to look for the GPP sign, snap a selfie and submit it before the next event to deep.nochildleftinside@ct.gov to receive credit for attending one of the locations below:
1 Milford Point Road
Milford, CT 06460
203-878-7440
Saturday May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 3:30 pm
Sunday May 27, 2018 from Noon - 4 pm
Salt marsh, tide pools, beach
1361 Main Street
Glastonbury, CT 06033
860-633-8402
Saturday May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 3 pm
Connecticut River access, 2 miles of trails through riparian habitat
Barnes Nature Center
175 Shrub Road
Bristol, CT 06010
The Center will be open Saturday May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 4pm. Members are free and non-members will be charged $5 for adults and $3 for children. Please call 860-583-1234 or contact fvaughn@elcct.org for more information.
163 Papermill Road (off of Route 22)
New Milford, CT
Visit the 205-acre wildlife preserve and environmental education center in Litchfield County, CT. The land is diverse – with a mountain,
meadows, woods, wildlife, gardens, farm animals, a stream, a pond, and wetlands, providing wonderful opportunities for outdoor fun, discovery and adventure! Pratt Nature Center offers hiking, bird-watching, community garden plots and nature education for all ages including programs tailor-made for the classroom or scout troop as well as for family or community enjoyment and learning.
100 East River Road
Pleasant Valley, CT
Spend the afternoon on Sunday May 27, 2018 at Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted, CT. Visit the Peoples State Forest Nature Center (Greenwoods Road, Pleasant Valley, CT) between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm and Squire's Tavern between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
Special Program Monday, May 28, 2018 from 1:00 pm to 2:30
The Fascinating Lives of Honeybees at Peoples State Forest Nature Museum (Pleasant Valley) with CT Forest & Park Association (CFPA) Education Director, Emma Kravet.
39 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford, CT 06903
203-977-6568
Stamford Museum Galleries & Bendel Mansion Open Saturday May 26, 2018 from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday May 27, 2018 from 11 am to 5 pm. Fees are as follows:
Adults: $10
Seniors (65+): $8
Students (18+): $6 (with valid ID)
Children (4-17): $5
Members: Free
Children 3 and under: Free
Note there are may be other fees associated with the following: Overbrook Building, Heckscher Farm, Nature's Playground, Heckscher WILD! and Stamford Observatory.
If you mention the GPP program when you arrive and are wearing your red bracelet, you will receive a free child admission with a paid adult admission. For more information, please contact Lisa Monachelli, Director of Education-Stamford Museum & Nature Center lmonachelli@stamfordmuseum.org or call 203-977-65
CT DEEP locations participating:
Dinosaur State Park-Open Saturday May 26, 2018 and Sunday May 27, 2018 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. (admission fee to building-$6 for adults and $2 youth, 5 and under free; but free admission for Great Park Pursuit families who are wearing their NCLI/GPP red bracelets)
Fort Trumbull State Park-Fort and Center are open Saturday May 26, 2018, Sunday May 27, 2018 and Monday May 28, 2018 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. (admission fee to building-$6 for adults and $2 youth, 5 and under free; but free admission for Great Park Pursuit families who are wearing their NCLI/GPP red bracelets)
Coast Guard Band will be playing at 1:00 pm on Sunday at Fort Trumbull (rain date of Monday). Please check the Coast Guard website for more information about the band.
Gillette Castle State Park- Open Saturday May 26, 2018 and Sunday May 27, 2018 from 10 am to 5 pm. Tickets are sold until 4:30 PM. Staff is available to assist with questions about the Castle interior and its history.
(admission fee to building-$6 for adults and $2 youth, 5 and under free; but free admission for Great Park Pursuit families who are wearing their NCLI/GPP red bracelets)
23 Potter Road
Hampton, CT 06247
(860) 455-9534
Center will be open Saturday May 26, 2018 from 9am to noon and Sunday May 27, 2018 from 9 am to 5pm (free admission).
Special Programs at Goodwin
Gardener’s Roundtable
Saturday, May 26th
10:00am-11:30am
This workshop is intended for gardeners of all experience levels. We share best practices and pitfalls for gardening in eastern Connecticut.
These monthly workshops cover a wide-range of topics, so please come with your questions, your expertise, and your own stories of success and
failure in your gardens.
Youth Series: Invasive Plants
Sunday, May 27th
1:00pm-3:00pm
Join Master Naturalist Lynn Kochiss and guest Michelle Poudrette as we examine invasive plants growing in Goodwin Forest. What makes a plant invasive? How did it get here? Why should we care? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered. There are a number of invasive plant species currently found in Connecticut’s land and water ecosystems. We will focus primarily on those impacting Goodwin State Forest, such as Japanese barberry, winged euonymus, and multiflora rose, and learn what control techniques have been used for these species. Discussion will be followed by a hike to identify invasives on the property.Michelle Poudrette became a certified Texas Master Naturalist for the Capital Area (Austin) chapter and after she returned to Connecticut two years ago has joined the Master Naturalist Program at Goodwin and become a member of Eastford’s Conservation Commission. She enjoys volunteering and broadening her knowledge of our environment. Lynn Kochiss is an environmental educator who has been a CFPA volunteer since 2007. She is a certified elementary teacher, a Project Learning Tree facilitator, and a Master Naturalist. Lynn was recognized as a National PLT Outstanding Educator in 2013 for her work in environmental education. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Registration is Required.
500 Hawthorne Avenue
Derby, CT
203-734-2513
Join us on Saturday May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 3 pm for Family Day. Wet and Wild Activities for families and individuals wanting to explore the fun and secrets of ponds, streams, soil and woods. Equipment and educators will be on hand to answer questions and introduce you to the joys of state parks and ways to get the most out of your visits. Self-guiding activities are provided as well, so you can make discoveries and enjoy trials on your own. Picnics are encouraged. (free admission)
Derby, CT
Open Saturday May 26, 2018 from 10 am to 4 pm
Open Sunday May 27, 2018 from noon to 4 pm
We request groups of more than 8 people to call 203-734-2513
to reserve a tour date and time.
Admission is Free
Please Note: Nature Center and Museum hours of operation may vary over the Holiday Weekend. Some locations may/will charge an admission fee.
GPP Event #4: CT Trails Day-June 2, 2018 and June 3, 2018
Please look for an event that is participating in the 2018 Great Park Pursuit program to receive credit. Look for the GPP squirrel icon in the list below. Your family/team picks the location, participates and takes a selfie by the GPP sign and submits it for credit for attending before the next event to deep.nochildleftinside@ct.gov
Please visit the online Trails Day directory for driving directions, an interactive map, to sign up for an event, or to contact an event leader with a question at:
Please Note: times, locations and skill level of walks and hikes may vary. Some may cancel due to weather. Please check in advance of visiting the location(s).
GPP Event #5 is Boating Day, a Guided Event from 9 am to 3 pm at: Mansfield Hollow State Park in Mansfield, CT (entrance to event location will be down past park entrance along water-GPP signage will lead the way). Come out and join us for a day of Boating. There will be mini-workshops about paddling, PFD's, boating safety, preparing a float plan; then the opportunity to take a canoe out on the water. There will be various folks attending with displays and activities relating to boating, and much more. More detailed information will be available the week of June 4th.
For more information about the No Child Left Inside program,
please contact:
Kristen Bellantuono, No Child Left Inside® Coordinator
CT DEEP State Parks and Public Outreach at
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