Dark Sky Festival
View the full event guide
Explore every detail of the Dark Sky Festival with our full event guide, now available in the flipbook below! From keynote speakers and stargazing sessions to workshops and presentations, this guide has everything you need to make the most of your festival experience. Flip through to discover what’s in store and start planning your journey into the night!
Can’t make it to the Dark Sky Festival? No worries! You can still be a star by donating!
Your support helps keep our skies dark and our public education programs free for all to enjoy.
FRIDAY NIGHT FREE MOVIE EVENT
Kick off the 11th Annual Dark Sky Festival with a Free Movie Night at the Visalia FOX Theater!
Sequoia Parks Conservancy and Visalia FOX Theater are thrilled to kick off the Eleventh Annual Dark Sky Festival with a special free movie showing of A Million Miles Away on September 6, 2024, at 6:00 PM. This family-friendly event is more than just a movie night; it’s a celebration of our region’s rich connection to space exploration and the natural wonders of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Bring your family, enjoy a night of inspiration, and learn more about the connections between our community, the cosmos, and the dark skies that we strive to protect.
Food Trucks | Silent Auction | Family Friendly
Date and Time:
September 6, 2024
Doors open at 5:00 PM
Movie starts at 6:00 PM
Location:
Visalia FOX Theater, Visalia, CA
SUNDAY 'CRAFT THE NIGHT' EVENT
Craft the Night: A Creative Benefit for the Dark Sky Festival
Date & Time: Sunday, September 8, 2024, at 1:00 PM
Location: Harrison Hall, Community Presbyterian Church, 43410 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers, CA
Join us for an afternoon of creativity and community at Craft the Night, a special event supporting the Dark Sky Festival. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just looking to try something new, this event has something for everyone!
Two Unique Craft Projects:
- Moon Greeting Card (Sponsored by Kaweah Arts): Create a handmade greeting card featuring the moon, using a variety of card-making techniques. This project is suitable for all ages, making it a perfect activity for families.
Instructor Bio: Nancy Brunson is a talented graphic designer and craft enthusiast who has a deep passion for the arts. With her guidance, you’ll create a beautiful card that’s out of this world! - Moon Pendant: Design a pendant displaying the exact phase of the moon on the day you were born or for a special someone. Bring the date (month, day, and year), and leave with a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
Instructor Bio: Kacey Fansett is an experienced craftsperson who has been sharing her love of art with people of all ages since she was 15. Kacey takes pride in helping participants create unique pieces they can treasure for years to come.
- Cost: Free
- Reservations: Appreciated but not required
- Materials: All materials provided
Come craft with us and support the Dark Sky Festival—no artistic experience necessary, just bring your creativity and enthusiasm!
Dark Sky Updates
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Dark Sky Festival Event Schedule
The following schedule of events is still being finalized. Once the schedule is final we will remove this message.
Friday, September 6, 2024
Sequoia National Park: Giant Forest AreaSilent Auction opens!
Friday 12:00 PM – Sunday 5:00 PM
Location: Beetle Rock Center
New this year! Discover unique items and experiences, all while supporting the Dark Sky Festival and Sequoia Parks Conservancy. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to bid and win.
Location: Giant Forest Museum
Join a ranger to explore various topics that happen after sunset in Sequoia National Park.
Presenter: Khaled Alktob
Location: Beetle Rock Center
One hundred years ago, sponge divers discovered a rusted bronze mechanism off the Greek island of Antikythera. After decades of mystery, an international team of astronomical historians discovered that this mystifying object was the oldest computer in the world. Come see a working model of this 2,000-year-old eclipse computer and learn of its history.
Presenter: Darren Bly
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Darren has been an amateur astronomer from the age of 11. He has spent over 50 years observing the night sky specializing in visual observation. As a 45 year member of the Kern Astronomical Society, he has been President, Vice President, Events Coordinator and Equipment Chairman. His greatest joy is organizing public events to share his love of astronomy.
Sequoia National Park: Lodgepole
Location: Lodgepole Visitor Center
Join a ranger to learn about some of the animals that are active and night and what adaptations they use.
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater
Jeremy Evans is a professional photographer, filmmaker, amateur astronomer and delegate for Dark Sky International. When not working on TV shows and documentaries he’s often out backpacking or living off the grid enjoying nature and dark skies.
Sequoia National Park: Wuksachi
Presenter: Terry Himes
Location: Wuksachi Lodge Alta Room
In this talk, we’ll explore the mysteries these fascinating icy bodies hold, from their origins in the distant Oort Cloud and Kuiper Belt, to their fiery journeys toward the Sun. These celestial travelers, known as comets, have captivated human imagination for millennia. Comets are not just beautiful spectacles in the night sky; they are ancient relics, holding clues to the earliest days of our solar system’s formation. We will talk about the JPL missions that flew into deep space and intercepted some of these celestial bodies.
Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Wuksachi Lodge Back Lot
The night sky in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is one of the darkest in the State of California. Explore the Wonders of the Night Sky on this naked-eye astronomy program, where we will take you on a visual tour through the stars and constellations! Meet in the lobby of the Wuksachi Lodge for introductions and a safety talk before we head out for our adventure.
Kings Canyon National Park: Grant Grove
Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Kings Canyon Visitors Center
What do YOU wonder about when you look up at the night sky? Join us for a fun and crafty program as we capture YOUR view of the night sky.
Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Grant Tree Loop
Half the park is after dark! Join us on a night hike through the giants and learn about what other animals are awake in the parks at night.
Meet at the Grant Grove Tree parking lot. Bring a flashlight!.
Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Big Stump Picnic Area
The night sky in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is one of the darkest in the State of California. Explore the Wonders of the Night Sky on this naked-eye astronomy program, where we will take you on a visual tour through the stars and constellations!
Meet at the Big Stump parking lot in Grant Grove. Please carpool.
Astrophotography Workshop
Astrophotography Workshop with Jon Norris
Presenter: Jon Norris
Date: Friday, September 6, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Wolverton Parking Lot
Ticketed Event: Please reserve your space here.
Max of 12 Participants
Kick-off the Dark Sky Festival weekend with an astrophotography workshop led by renowned landscape photographer Jon Norris.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Sequoia National Park: Giant Forest AreaPresented by: Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Giant Forest Museum
NOAA Weather Station Hanford, Sequoia Parks Conservancy, NPS Rangers, the Riverside Astronomical Society, Chaffee Zoo, and a NASA Solar System Ambassador
Self Guided
Location: Round Meadow
It is called “space” for a reason. If the sun were a large grapefruit in our model, the earth would be a grape seed fifty feet away, and there would not be much in between! Come walk the solar system, learning some interesting facts about our place in the universe along the way!
Location: Giant Forest Museum
Join a ranger to explore various topics that happen after sunset in Sequoia National Park.
Presenter: Terry Himes
Location: Beetle Rock Education Center
Curiosity rover landed in 2012, Insight lander in 2018, Perseverance rover in 2021. They all are
now in their science phase. And the Ingenuity helicopter is making spectacular history. How we fly a helicopter on Mars will be discussed. We will talk in vivid detail, all those missions plus the future Mars Sample Return and beyond.
Presenter: Darren Bly
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Darren has been an amateur astronomer from the age of 11. He has spent over 50 years observing the night sky specializing in visual observation. As a 45 year member of the Kern Astronomical Society, he has been President, Vice President, Events Coordinator and Equipment Chairman. His greatest joy is organizing public events to share his love of astronomy.
Presenter: Brian Fulda
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Explore the universe from America’s darkest skies with traveling astrophotographer Brian Fulda, who captures stunning images of space through his telescope. Learn about how these photographs are captured, the crucial role dark skies play in making the images possible, and ongoing efforts to combat light pollution.
Sequoia National Park: Lodgepole
Presenter: NPS
Location: Lodgepole Visitor Center
Join a ranger to learn about some of the animals that are active and night and what adaptations they use.
Presenter: Mg Swarts
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater
Mg joined the Tulare County Office of Education Planetarium and Theatre Company in February of 2023. A lifelong nerd for all things theatre, storytelling, and learning, Mg is thrilled to serve as TCOE’s first OnStage and Planetarium Facilitator. Beginning with kids’ choirs in childhood and a dad who would randomly burst into song, Mg has always been surrounded by music. They are a self-taught ukulele player, and they do nightly performances of “bedtime stories with ma’dada” for their two kiddos. Mg holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology with a minor in Theatre from Fresno State, and a master’s degree in Education from San Francisco State. Mg loves working at the Planetarium and Science Center getting kids excited about astronomy and space, because really, we are all scientists! All it takes to do science is to get curious about the world, ask questions, and keep learning more.
Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy Executive Director, Savannah Boiano
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater
Join SPC Executive Director Savannah Boiano to learn how to team up with your best friends to host your own Dark Sky Festival! In this fun and practical talk, she’ll take you behind the scenes of Sequoia Parks Conservancy and show you how to plan, promote, and pull off an event that’s out of this world. Whether you’re a star expert or just looking for a cosmic adventure, this session will give you the tools to Discover the night sky together and make an impact in your own backyard!
Keynote Address
Dark Sky Festival Keynote Address with Rebecca Boyle
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater
As a journalist, Rebecca Boyle has reported from particle accelerators, genetic sequencing labs, bat caves, the middle of a lake, the tops of mountains, and the retractable domes of some of Earth’s largest telescopes.
Rebecca is a contributing editor at Scientific American, a contributing writer at Quanta Magazine, and a columnist at Atlas Obscura. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and The Atlantic, and her work has appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian Air & Space, Wired, MIT Technology Review, Nature, New Scientist, Audubon, and many other publications. Rebecca’s work has been anthologized multiple times in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series, and she is the recipient of multiple writing awards.
She lives on a mountain in Colorado Springs with her family.
Sequoia National Park: Wuksachi
Presenter: Jeremy Evans
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room
Jeremy Evans is a professional photographer, filmmaker, amateur astronomer and delegate for Dark Sky International. When not working on TV shows and documentaries he’s often out backpacking or living off the grid enjoying nature and dark skies.
Presenter: Nivedita Mahesh
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room
How did the first stars of our universe form? What do we mean by the Dark Ages? When did the Cosmic Dawn occur? To answer all of these fundamental questions about our universe we need radio telescopes in the most remote places – some scientists argue even on the Moon! In this talk ill tell you how and why radio astronomy is the best way to unravel the mysteries of our early universe!
Meet the Presenters
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room
Meet some of our guest speakers, scientists, and astronomers, as well as event organizers from the Sequoia Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service. This informal mixer is a great opportunity to meet people from across the state and country that share a passion for everything in and under our Dark Skies.
Star Party with Sequoia Parks Conservancy and Kern Astronomical Society Location: Wuksachi Back Parking Lot
Hosted by the Kern Astronomical Society. Telescopes will be set up at the Wuksachi Lodge back parking lot in Lodgepole for guests to view astronomical objects. Astronomers will be on hand to show you deep-sky objects and answer your questions.
Kings Canyon National Park: Grant Grove
Presenter: Fred Lusk
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Have you ever wondered what is really up there in the night sky? You’re not alone! Many people often wonder how they can start their own stargazing adventure. Join us for this fun and engaging presentation to learn about observing deep sky objects and how you can start to observe the night sky at home!
Self Guided
Location: Kings Canyon Panoramic Point
It is called “space” for a reason. If the sun were a large grapefruit in our model, the earth would be a grape seed fifty feet away, and there would not be much in between! Come walk the solar system, learning some interesting facts about our place in the universe along the way!
Presenter: Khaled Alktob
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
One hundred years ago, sponge divers discovered a rusted bronze mechanism off the Greek island of Antikythera. After decades of mystery, an international team of astronomical historians discovered that this mystifying object was the oldest computer in the world. Come see a working model of this 2,000-year-old eclipse computer and learn of its history.
Kings Canyon Keynote Address
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
The Moon is one of Earth’s most unique features—and it shapes all of the other things that make our planet special, from its geology to its multitudes of life, including us. Life might not have evolved on Earth at all without the Moon’s stabilizing gravitational influence. After we humans showed up, the Moon quickly became our primary way of telling time and organizing our lives. It shaped our understanding of our place in the universe, and helped us to invent forms of religious devotion and the process of science. The Moon plays a major role in our most famous wars, our greatest adventures, and our shared futures. And now, humans are trying to go back to the Moon’s surface — soon, and with plans to stay. What do we owe to our spectral satellite?
Presenter: Fred Lusk
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Have you ever wondered what is really up there in the night sky? You’re not alone! Many people often wonder how they can start their own stargazing adventure. Join us for this fun and engaging presentation to learn about observing deep sky objects and how you can start to observe the night sky at home!
Presenter: NPS
Location: Meet at Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Join a ranger to explore the wonders of the night sky.
Star Party with Sequoia Parks Conservancy and Central Valley Astronomers
Location: Big Stump Parking Lot
Hosted by the Central Valley Astronomers. Telescopes will be set up at Big Stump parking lot in Grant Grove for guests to view astronomical objects. Astronomers will be on hand to show you deep-sky objects and answer your questions.
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Sequoia National Park: Giant Forest AreaPresenter: NPS Ranger
Location: Giant Forest Museum
Join a ranger to explore various topics that happen after sunset in Sequoia National Park.
Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Join SPC Executive Director Savannah Boiano to learn how to team up with your best friends to host your own Dark Sky Festival! In this fun and practical talk, she’ll take you behind the scenes of Sequoia Parks Conservancy and show you how to plan, promote, and pull off an event that’s out of this world. Whether you’re a star expert or just looking for a cosmic adventure, this session will give you the tools to Discover the night sky together and make an impact in your own backyard!
Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Paint a Galaxy
Paint a Galaxy with Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: Beetle Rock Center
Want to learn how to paint a galaxy? Us too!! Join us for this special art activity as we learn how to Paint a Galaxy together! Come paint with Sequoia Parks Conservancy. Materials will be supplied.
Sequoia National Park: Lodgepole
Presenter: NPS Ranger
Location: Lodgepole Visitor Center
Join a ranger to learn about some of the animals that are active and night and what adaptations they use.
Presenter: Jeremy Evans
Location: Lodgepole Amphitheater
Jeremy Evans is a professional photographer, filmmaker, amateur astronomer and delegate for Dark Sky International. When not working on TV shows and documentaries he’s often out backpacking or living off the grid enjoying nature and dark skies.
Sequoia National Park: Wuksachi
Rebecca’s book will be available to purchase at park stores inside park visitor centers.
Location: Wuksachi Alta Room
Meet the DSF Keynote Speaker and author of the book Our Moon – Rebecca Boyle. Make sure to bring your copy to get signed!
Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Wuksachi Back Parking Lot
Kings Canyon National Park: Grant Grove Area
Presenter: Terry Himes
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Terry’s captivating talk on JPL’s deep space missions reveals inside stories of ingenious engineering and triumphs against bureaucracy as well. Through compelling narratives, he showcases the indomitable human spirit, resourcefulness, and tenacity that drive these missions, leaving the audience in awe of the incredible and sometimes unconventional feats accomplished by engineers and flight teams at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Self Guided
Location: Panoramic Point
The night sky in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is one of the darkest in the State of California. Explore the Wonders of the Night Sky on this naked-eye astronomy program, where we will take you on a visual tour through the stars and constellations!
Meet at the Big Stump parking lot in Grant Grove. Please carpool.
Presenter: Brian Fulda
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Explore the universe from America’s darkest skies with traveling astrophotographer Brian Fulda, who captures stunning images of space through his telescope. Learn about how these photographs are captured, the crucial role dark skies play in making the images possible, and ongoing efforts to combat light pollution.
Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy Executive Director, Savannah Boiano
Location: Kings Canyon Visitor Center
Join SPC Executive Director Savannah Boiano to learn how to team up with your best friends to host your own Dark Sky Festival! In this fun and practical talk, she’ll take you behind the scenes of Sequoia Parks Conservancy and show you how to plan, promote, and pull off an event that’s out of this world. Whether you’re a star expert or just looking for a cosmic adventure, this session will give you the tools to Discover the night sky together and make an impact in your own backyard!
Presenter: NPS Ranger
Location: Big Stump Parking Lot
Presenter: Sequoia Parks Conservancy
Location: Big Stump Parking Lot
The night sky in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is one of the darkest in the State of California. Explore the Wonders of the Night Sky on this naked-eye astronomy program, where we will take you on a visual tour through the stars and constellations!
