KABETOGAMA- The sixth annual Voyageurs Star Party will bring two nights of stargazing, storytelling, music, paddling, and family activities to Voyageurs National Park on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12.
The free event will begin Friday at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center before moving to the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center on Saturday. At Kabetogama, activities will begin with afternoon film screenings, followed by a full slate of evening programs from 6:30-11 p.m.
One of the park’s most popular annual gatherings, the Star Party offers both experienced sky watchers and newcomers an opportunity to explore the night sky above a certified International Dark Sky Park.
A highlight of this year’s Star Party will be “Star Legends of the Anishinaabe People,” a special presentation by Michael Waasegiizhig Price from 8-9 p.m. Saturday at Kabetogama.
Price is an Anishinaabe educator and Traditional Ecological Knowledge specialist from Wikwemikong First Nation. Drawing upon more than 20 years of research with Elders and storytellers, he will share stories reflecting Anishinaabe understandings of the stars and humanity’s relationship with the universe.
The presentation will explore traditional constellations, spiritual teachings, celestial beings, and stories of stars that shaped the Earth. It will also examine connections among the night sky, the land, seasonal cycles, and human responsibilities to the natural world.
Price will present the program on both nights of the Star Party, appearing at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Friday and at Kabetogama on Saturday.
A fitting introduction to Price’s presentation will be provided by screenings of “Northern Nights, Starry Skies” from 1-2 p.m. and again from 3-4 p.m. Saturday at Kabetogama. The film celebrates the northern night sky through the perspectives of Ojibwe and Dakota cultural astronomers and other experts.
Starry Skies North will also have an information table available from 1-4:30 p.m. and again from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Minnesota nonprofit works to protect dark skies and reduce light pollution. Visitors can learn about steps homeowners and businesses can take to help preserve darkness throughout the Voyageurs region.
Evening activities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Children can complete activities about space and the park’s nocturnal wildlife to earn a Dark Sky Junior Ranger badge. Families can also gather around the campfire for free s’mores and children’s stories about the stars.
The Voyageurs Wolf Project will offer a closer look at Minnesota’s wolves through scientific displays, skulls, track casts, trail cameras, and information about the project’s latest research. Maeve Rogers, the project’s education and outreach specialist, will be on hand from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Interpretive park ranger Mark Miller will provide music during “Singing with the Stars,” featuring familiar favorites along with songs inspired by space and the night sky.
Wilderness Inquiry will once again bring its Canoemobile to the Star Party, offering sunset and nighttime outings on Kabetogama Lake from 6:30-10:30 p.m. The trips use 10-person canoes and are open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. No previous paddling experience is required.
A pair of shorter programs will lead into Price’s featured presentation. “Nightlife in the Northwoods,” from 6:45-7:15 p.m., will examine how bats use echolocation, the stealthy flight of owls, and the secretive behavior of mustelids and other nocturnal wildlife.
At 7:15 p.m., Voyageurs Conservancy Dark Sky Specialist Jesse Gates will present “The Value of Darkness: Human Connection, Cosmic Wonder & Beyond.” Gates, who is also a NASA Solar System Ambassador, will discuss humanity’s connections with the stars, explore some of the Milky Way’s stellar neighbors, and consider the perspective the night sky can provide on humanity’s place in the universe.
Following Price’s presentation, the evening will conclude with guided telescope viewing from 9-11 p.m. Visitors will have opportunities to view planets, star clusters, galaxies, and perhaps a meteor passing overhead.
“You won’t want to miss our annual Star Party. Each year offers unique experiences – from learning about nocturnal wildlife to the occasional lucky glimpse of meteors and even the northern lights,” said Kate Severson, the park’s program manager for interpretation and education. “Beneath some of the darkest skies in the country, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the wonders of our universe while discovering the importance of preserving dark skies and our national parks.”
Complete schedules for the Rainy Lake and Kabetogama programs are available at www.voyageurs.org/starparty.