Winter Festival Showcases Cold-Weather Fun for Families
Connecticut Hunting Today – January 07, 2008
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) “No Child Left Inside” initiative continues even during the winter cold with the second annual “Winter Festival” at Chatfield Hollow State Park, Killingworth, that showcases outdoor winter activities for the whole family.
The Winter Festival will take place Saturday, February 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a full range of winter outdoor activities.
The Festival is free and there is no registration or sign-up. Everyone is welcome to attend. Last year’s “Winter Festival” at Black Rock State Park in Watertown drew more than 500 adults and children.
Commissioner Gina McCarthy said, “Connecticut’s ‘No Child Left Inside’ initiative has gained national attention over the past two years and we encourage children and their parents to make their New Year’s resolution now to experience the outdoors together over the coming months. Don’t get discouraged by the cooler temperatures, winter is a great time to get outside, breathe some fresh air and enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing or bird watching in Connecticut’s scenic 137 state parks and forests.”
“In addition to benefiting the physical health and spirit of adults and youngsters,” Commissioner McCarthy said, “there is no greater gift you can give a young person than teaching them to appreciate nature and the outdoors, especially in the wintertime in New England.”
No Child Left Inside is a statewide initiative launched by Governor Rell in 2006 to reconnect youngsters with the outdoors, showcase Connecticut’s state parks and forests and encourage a new generation of environmental stewards. The Great Park Pursuit family contest is a centerpiece of the initiative. Connecticut families follow clues as they tour seven different state parks and forests over a seven-week period. At each location they compete for prizes as they complete a variety of activities that may include hiking, fishing, canoeing, arts and crafts and more. The third annual Great Park Pursuit is scheduled to begin in spring, 2008.
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C&NN has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month." As part of this effort, we invited network members (like you) to list their April programs and share their strategies for building public awareness. Find out what's happening in your community on the C&NN Movement Map.
As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published two new resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
An annotated bibliography of 20 premier studies focusing on the children and nature connection.
