Stretch Your Wings at the Festival of Flight!

Looking for a great family activity in the Lakes Region this weekend? Squam Lakes Natural Science Center has just the ticket—the Festival of Flight, featuring a hawk watch, crafts for children, live animal presentations, and a tethered balloon ride!

On Saturday, September 8^th from 9:30 – 6:30, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, NH will be hosting a day of celebrating the wonders of flight and migration sponsored by Community Guaranty Savings Bank. Take a tour of the visitors’ center and extensive grounds, which include meadows, mature forests, and marshlands, where lucky visitors may spot a resident hawk. There will also be presentations by the Squam Lakes staff at the Amphitheater, with opportunities to see live birds of prey up close!

On the Picnic Lawn, IBEX Puppetry will present ‘Celebration of Flight’ at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. IBEX Puppetry is run by Heather Henson, the daughter of puppeteer Jim Henson of Muppet fame, and the show promises to be top-notch! With elegant kites and choreographed puppetry, guests of all ages are sure to be spellbound. Check out this preview of the show: Read the rest of this entry »

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center Celebrates Accreditation

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, NH recently announced that they have been granted accreditation by the independent Accreditation Commission of The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and is celebrating by offering a $5-off discount coupon on trail admission everyday throughout the month of October.

After a thorough review that included a detailed accreditation application, as well as a multiple day on-site inspection by a team of experts from around the country, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center received its second accreditation from AZA.  The Science Center has shown that it continues to meet ever-rising standards, which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety.  AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this accreditation process every five years in order to be members of the Association.

The Science Center first applied for and received AZA accreditation in 2006, and is currently the only AZA-accredited institution in northern New England.  “By meeting high Association of Zoos and Aquariums Accreditation Standards, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center has demonstrated its leadership among zoos and aquariums,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.  “Only the best of the best rise to this level, and we congratulate the professionals at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center for their hard work.”

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for the Science Center’s hard work and devotion to the highest possible standards in the industry,” said Iain MacLeod, Executive Director of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.  “In celebration of receiving accreditation and to acknowledge the thousands of visitors who have made the Science Center such a vibrant and successful institution over the last 40-plus years, I’m pleased to announce that we are offering a $5 discount coupon on trail admission for the entire month of October.”

Autumn is a beautiful season for going for a nature walk, and there is still plenty of time to take advantage of this great offer, which is good for two people on any day this month.  Visitors can find the special downloadable October coupon at the Science Center’s website at www.nhnature.org.  For more information, call the Center at 603-968-7194.

Carrie Reed
Mill Falls Blogging Team

photo courtesy of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

On Golden Pond to Wow Audiences at Little Church Theater

Carly Simon and Ernest Thompson, creators of new song, The Father Daughter Dance

Next week, one of the most produced plays in history, On Golden Pond, is coming to Squam Lake—where the movie it inspired was filmed—and for the first time in its 33-year history, this legendary production will be directed by its Academy Award® winning author, Ernest Thompson.

The Little Church Theater, located on the shore of Squam Lake in Holderness, New Hampshire, will be home to On Golden Pond, which opens on the first day of summer, June 21^st, and continues through July 3^rd.  It then runs again from August 23^rd through September 4^th.  This summer marks the 30^th anniversary of the film and the 250^th anniversary of the town of Holderness.

On Golden Pond has been translated into 27 languages and has played in more than 40 countries.  This version of On Golden Pond pays homage to New Hampshire, where Ernest lives and runs Whitebridge Farm Productions with partners Morgan Murphy and Lori Gigliotti Murphy.  Featuring a cast of professional actors, this production takes Ernest back to the essence of a story that for three decades has continued to capture the imagination of audiences everywhere.  One of the opening lines of the play, “Golden Pond is very near wherever you are,” is also its universal message.  Says Ernest, “Everyone has a Golden Pond, an ideal, a fantasy, a home to go to, even if it’s only in a person’s dreams.”

The show will also highlight the world premiere of a brand new song, “The Father Daughter Dance,” recorded by musical legend Carly Simon and created by Carly, Ernest, and Joe Deleault. “When I hear Carly’s voice in ‘The Father Daughter Dance’… it makes me weep every time,” says Lori Gigliotti Murphy, who plays Chelsea in the show.  Another new song, “On Golden Pond,” created by Ernest, Joe, and world-renowned fiddler, Natalie MacMaster, will premiere in this production as well.

Ernest promises a “wildly funny, yet very, very moving” production.  In addition to Lori Gigliotti Murphy as daughter Chelsea, the cast includes Frank Wells as Norman, Vinette Cotter as his wife, Ethel, Morgan Murphy as Chelsea’s dentist boyfriend Bill, Kodiak Thompson as his son Billy, and Joe Sampson as Charlie, the Mailman.  Ernest credits the actors with unearthing an On Golden Pond “that people didn’t know could exist. People will be surprised it’s funnier than the movie, but touching,” he says.

There is no better time to see this outstanding production of the classic American play, now coming to life on stage in the hands of its creator.  Don’t miss On Golden Pond in the place where it all began!  For more information or tickets, call 603-968-2250 or go to www.ongoldenpond.org.

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

photo courtesy of Whitebridge Farm Productions

additional source: article in The Citizen of Laconia

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center Opens Early This Year

An otter at SLNSC

Good news for nature lovers:  The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, NH will be open to the public a little earlier than usual this season.   The organization recently announced that next week, Monday, April 26^th through Friday, April 30^th, The Gephart Exhibit Trail will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the last trail admission at 2:00 p.m.

Christine Cherry, Marketing Manager at the Center, says that they decided to open early this year because the mild winter made for cooperative weather this spring.  “The trail is clear and ready to go!” she says.  Also, the Center wanted to be able to accommodate some of the local schools’ April vacations next week so that families can enjoy the trail together.

The Science Center’s regular hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will resume on their usual start date of May 1^st, which is New Hampshire Day, when visitors pay only $3 admission with proof of NH residency.

According to their website, “The mission of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (SLNSC) is to advance understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire’s natural world.  Through spectacular live animal exhibits, natural science education programs, and lake cruises, the Science Center has educated and enlightened visitors for more than forty years about the importance of our natural world.”

The Center gained national accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in September of 2006, and now holds the distinction of being the only AZA-accredited institution in northern New England.

Enjoy the beauty of early spring!  For further information about the Science Center, call 603-968-7194 or visit www.nhnature.org.