State park's 100th birthday party Sat., July 12 at Dunes

Friday, July 11, 2008

Bruneau Dunes State Park will take part in a "birthday" celebration of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Idaho state parks system, Saturday, July 12.

The first state park, Heyburn State Park, was located in Plummer. To commemorate the centennial of its creation the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has planned statewide programs and events with special celebrations at every Idaho state park on Saturday.

The birthday party at Bruneau Dunes State Park will begin with coffee and rolls with the park manager beginning at 8 a.m. at the Broken Wheel Campground.

The day's activities will feature an 18-minute "Just 4 Kids DVD" that will be shown continuously during the day, an Idaho State Park Challenge Game, birthday cake, face painting, and an opportunity to view the sun through the park's Solar Scope Observatory Tour.

At 10:30 a.m. a fly fishing demonstration will be held at the Little Dune Lake behind the Observatory,

At 6 p.m. a "History of Idaho State Parks" program will be held at the Steele Reese Education Center and Observatory Plaza.

At 9 p.m. park visitors are invited to celebrate the Bruneau Dunes Astronomical Observatory's 10th year of operation.

A special guest speaker for that event will be Richard Beaver, Professor of Physics at Boise State University and a member of the Boise Astronomical Society.

From dusk until midnight visitors can observe the heavens through the public telescope.

Idaho celebrates the centennial of its first state park, Heyburn State Park located in Plummer, Idaho this year. To commemorate the occasion, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has planned statewide programs and events with special celebrations at every Idaho State Park on Saturday, July 12, 2008.

Every Idaho State Park will offer free day-use access and birthday cake on July 12. Unique events have been organized throughout the state park system, with the largest celebration taking place at Heyburn State Park.

Idaho has 30 state parks and recreational trailways that service over 2.5 million visitors annually. Today the diverse parks system encompasses more than 50,000 acres. In addition, the Department manages recreation registration, safety and education programs statewide.

For the latest information on centennial celebration special events, or to learn more about Idaho's State Parks and Recreation Programs, visit: www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

"More than just a year-long celebration, the 100th anniversary (of the state parks) is a chance to explore the past, present and future of our great state park system," said Robert Meinen, director of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

"During this anniversary year, we want to increase the public's awareness of our state parks and encourage everyone to support the special places that preserve our state's heritage," he said.

"The vision of the Idaho State Parks Centennial is to celebrate the rich legacy of Idaho's State Park system and to engage the public by providing a myriad of opportunities to come together, to learn and to appreciate each park's magnificent heritage. Through historical, cultural, educational, and community based events and activities, the multi-year celebration will encourage all to cherish Idaho's history through state parks, celebrating our past, embracing the present and preparing for the future," Meinen said, adding, "the doors to our state parks are open. Come out and help us celebrate."

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  • I took our sons & we had a really good time! It was amazing to see the planets/stars (& the cake was good too)! =)

    Thank you to everyone who "put it on!"

    -- Posted by MommiezBoyz on Sun, Jul 13, 2008, at 9:41 AM
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