Night Sky Festival Comes to Acadia

Savor some of the eastern United States’ last pristine night skies at the first ever Acadia Night Sky Festival. Located on Mount Desert Island, the festival is offering art, music, science, poetry and stargazing all under Acadia’s magical night sky.

The five-day festival begins on Thursday, September 17 and runs through Monday, September 21, with events taking place at Acadia National Park, in the town of Bar Harbor, and in other nearby communities.

Not only will the festival offer fun and educational activities for the whole family, it will also give you the chance to discover Downeast Maine’s unique commitment to measuring the quality of its starlit nights. Festival attendees are invited to enjoy and help protect this inspiring resource for generations to come.

On Thursday head over to Acadia’s Sand Beach at 8 p.m. for the Stars Over Sand Beach program, which will feature a ranger sharing stories related to stars. While listening, lie back and marvel at the beauty of the sky above you.

On Friday at 1 p.m., learn about owls at Owl Ecology: Science Form the Inside Out, taking place at the Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor. Kids can find their inner scientist as they dissect owl pellets and discover firsthand what the owl ate.

From 8-10 p.m. on Saturday, make your way to Cadillac Summit in Acadia for the Sky Watch. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! If you don’t have a pair, you can gaze through telescopes provided by The Penobscot Valley Star Gazers . There will also be volunteers and park rangers on site to help visitors find constellations.

Attend Understanding Our Universe on Saturday for interactive activities to help kids discover how simple observations on Earth offer clues to the greater mysteries of our planet, solar system and beyond. This program will take place at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the park’s Sieur de Monts Nature Center.

The last day of the festival will include Sunrise on Cadillac Summit. At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, watch as the beautiful night stars disappear and give way to the brilliance of the sun. You won’t want this miss this breathtaking scene.

If you would like more information on the Acadia Night Sky Festival visit Acadia National Park's website, call Acadia at (207) 288-3338 or visit www.nighskyfestival.org.