Spring Has Sprung at Ballard Park

The last of the snow has finally melted away just in time for spring events at Ballard Park, which include a stargazing event and Earth Day activities this month and a bird walk the first weekend of May. The buds are bursting, the birds are singing and it’s a great time of year to visit Ballard Park!

The first-ever stargazing program at Ballard Park will be held from 8 to 9pm on Saturday, April 6 in the quarry meadow. The stargazing program happens to fall during Newport Restaurant Week, so it’s a great time to enjoy dinner downtown before you head to the park. Robert Horton, Manager of Astronomical Laboratories at Brown University, will guide event goers through the spring constellations. The early-setting moon should leave a clear night sky for optimal viewing. There will be several telescopes and star charts available for attendees to use.

Those interested in attending should meet at the Hazard Road entrance. There is a suggested $5 donation per person and $15 per group. A comfy chair, cozy blanket, and warm drink will make your viewing experience even more enjoyable. The trail will be dark, so a flashlight is also important.

If you are looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day, please join us for the Earth Day Clean-Up on Saturday, April 27 from 9 to 11am. Volunteers will be picking up trash and removing invasive plants from Ballard Park. If you have experience removing brush or invasives and are available to help, please email events@ballardpark.org. Those interested in volunteering should meet in the quarry meadow off Hazard Road at 9am. For those with community service requirements, the clean-up may be used for service hours. Please bring all papers you need signed with you to the clean-up.

Following the clean-up, there will be a free tour of Ballard Park at 11am. Friends of Ballard Park staff will identify unique features, vegetation and share some history of the park. Participation in the clean-up is not required for the tour. The tour will begin at the trail sign in the quarry meadow. Call 401.619.3377 or email events@ballardpark.org to volunteer for the clean-up or RSVP for the tour.  The rain date for this event is Sunday, April 28.

On Sunday, May 5 expert birder Lauren Parmelee will lead a bird walk through the trails of Ballard Park from 8 to 9am. On the walk, attendees will learn more about bird identification by sight and sound as they search for feathered friends and migratory species. All birding levels are welcome. Event goers should wear sturdy shoes and bring binoculars and be aware that the trails are steep and uneven in places. Those interested in attending should meet at the park entrance across from Rogers High School. There is a suggested $5 donation for this event.

We hope you will join us for some of these spring events. Visit www.ballardpark.org or call 401.619.3377 for more information.