Moose Mountains Regional Greenways invited families to celebrate Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice on Sunday, June 20th, at their Leary Field and Forest property. Three dedicated MMRG volunteers, Kelly Eaves, Rachel Towne, and Lorrie Drake, hosted the event. Clear skies made for excellent solstice-themed activities as the day turned to night. 

Before beginning the walk through the field, Kelly helped the group’s youngest members poke sticks into the dirt parking lot, marking the location of their shadows. After the walk, she led the children in observing how the positions of the shadows had changed in the past three hours.

During the guided hike, families collected natural materials like flowers and rocks and created artful mandalas – circular images that act as a visual representation of the universe. MMRG volunteers shared various stories about the summer solstice from cultures around the globe, and the different traditions to celebrate the longest day of the year. 

While waiting for the moon to rise, children enjoyed playing in the wide open spaces of the hay field while parents looked on, enjoying the views. Volunteers led the children in making sun prints with photo-sensitive paper, and passed out sun-shaped frames to look through. As the first official day of summer wound down, the group caught views of a beautiful moon while trekking back down the hill. 

MMRG would like to thank our volunteers, Kelly Eaves, Rachel Towne, and Lorrie Drake, for hosting this event. The event was planned thanks to the support of these and other volunteers on our Education and Outreach Committee. We also would like to thank the Leary family, who have been so involved with our events and have graciously allowed public access to their wonderful property. 

Want to join our next summer event? Make sure to sign up for our upcoming flower pressing workshop on July 24th! At the height of flower season, we’ll demonstrate flower pressing and drying, as well as other flower-themed activities and crafts. All materials will be provided for this event, and participants will also learn about varieties of flowers in bloom and will have the opportunity to pick their own flowers to take home. The flower workshop is FREE for MOOSE-ie Members, and only $25 for all others (this registration fee covers a MOOSE-ie Membership for the whole family for an entire year).