2023 Bull Run Festival of Lights

Bull Run Regional Park 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, VA, United States

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy a 2.5 mile drive-through of festive light displays, walk-through a Christmas Village and Carnival. The show is open nightly from November 11, 2022 through January 8, 2023. Times vary on weekday and weekends. PLEASE NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO BUY ONE TICKET PER VEHICLE.

$30 – $75

2023 Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA, United States

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy even more lights this year as Meadowlark Botanical Gardens sparkles with displays of flowers, animals, trees, and holiday scenes along the Winter Walk of Lights .6-mile trail. Times and prices vary by weekday or weekend. See website for all details.

$18 – $22

Meadowood Natural Habitat Survey

Meadowood Recreation Area Lower Potomac Field Station, 10406 Gunston Road, Lorton, VA, United States

(VA) (Audubon Society of Northern Virginia) Help survey the remaining natural places sheltering remnants of an earlier, vital, natural history in NoVa. Consider joining one or more of the continuing natural resource surveys at Occoquan Bay NWR, Meadowood Recreation Area and other parks and preserves in eastern Fairfax and Prince William Counties. A report of each of the weekly, monthly surveys ...

Free

What Makes a Habitat a Home? (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian) From deserts to rainforests, what makes a habitat a suitable animal home? What Makes a Habitat a Home explores habitats around the world and some of the animals that live in these habitats. Part of Smithsonian’s National Zoo Conservation Classroom series for kids and families.

Free

Writing Workshop Inspired by “Forces of Nature”

National Portrait Gallery 800 G St NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (National Portrait Gallery) Join the National Portrait Gallery for an interactive poetry writing workshop exploring the themes of environmentalism and environmental justice. Attendees will create poetry inspired by portraits of scientists, activists and artists whose work has influenced attitudes toward the environment in the United States. Experiment with poetic forms to express an environmental message. Open to writers of ...

Free

Your Inner Neanderthal (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian) When early modern humans encountered Neanderthals and Denisovans, these archaic humans contributed DNA to our genomes. But how many archaic human groups did we encounter and what role does archaic human DNA play in the lives of present-day people? Laurits Skov is a geneticist at UC Berkeley studying the role of archaic DNA in modern humans. In this ...

Free

Race, History, and Rock Creek: Civil War Reconstruction (Virtual)

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join us for a panel discussion as we learn of the history and origins of the National Park Service, and Rock Creek Park. Together we will learn about the works of Frederick Law Olmsted, founder of American Landscape Architecture, which inspired the creation of parks and its benefits to the public. Our conversation will consist of ...

Free

Share Your Vision for Oxon Run

Black Box Theatre at the ARC 1801 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (DC Parks and Recreation) Join the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Energy and Environment at the ARC to share your vision for the future of Oxon Run Park and the stream. You can find more information about the stream project. This project is a partnership among DOEE, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), ...

Free

Conservation Café: Yes, in my HOA yard!

(MD) (Nature Forward) Native plant gardens fight climate change and are beautiful. So why do so many Homeowners Associations (HOAs) want to ban them? Join Nancy Lawson, nature writer and founder of The Humane Gardener, for a discussion with leading experts in MD and VA who advocate allowing sustainable landscaping in HOAs.

$10 – $15

Sparrows and Finches: An Intro to the Season’s LBJs

Woodend Nature Sanctuary 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD, United States

(MD) (Nature Forward) You’re invited to join one (or both) of our field tutorials for an introduction to the most common sparrows and finches in our region during this season. Tips for recognizing plumage, voice, habitat preferences and more will be shared by our teacher-leader teams. Mike Bowen will present an optional illustrated photo & vocalization lecture at our Woodend ...

$26 – $36

2023 Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run

Cameron Run Regional Park 4001 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA, United States

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Ice & Lights offers a fun, outdoor family experience to see unique light displays, take family pictures or selfies with a variety of displays, and take a spin on the outdoor ice rink.  Tickets are available for the Village or Village and Ice Skating daily through January 1st.  Prices and times vary from weekdays to weekends.

$8 – $20

Natural Habitats of Woodend

Woodend Nature Sanctuary 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD, United States

(MD) (Nature Forward) Join Nature Forward naturalists to explore the meadows, forests and stream at Woodend. Learn about the work we do to improve our native habitats for our local wildlife.

Free
Capital Nature