Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime event at Indian Creek Nature Center as we celebrate the opening of our Amazing Space! Grand Opening Weekend will feature the Connection Ceremony (our version of a ribbon cutting) on Friday morning at 11 a.m., and continue with a full schedule of tours, live music, food trucks, happy hours, guided trail hikes, kids’ crafts, evening campfires and more throughout the weekend!
All the activities are FREE and open to the public (with the exception of the Farm-to-Table Dinner at Grand Opening, which is a ticketed event – registration opens July 1). You don’t want to miss this incredible weekend of fun at the area’s most amazing new destination.
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 6:00pm | Farm-to-Table Dinner | Held in an outdoor, intimate setting this dinner will feature elegant food and drink made using locally sourced ingredients. More details available here. Tickets are limited and advance reservations required. |
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Beginner | Join us on a quick and easy hike to discover the natural beauty around the Nature Center. |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Intermediate | Explore the natural world around the Nature Center on a guided half-hour hike. |
| 11:00AM, 1:00PM, 3:00PM | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Advanced | Venture deep into the Nature Center’s trails on this 45 minute hike. |
| Natural Playscapes | Visit the outdoor classroom space for fun and interactive play. | |
| Make and Take Crafts | Make and take arts n’ crafts! Find multiple stations set up throughout the building. | |
| Visit our Hoop House | Check out our new butterfly hoop house! |
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 7:00AM | Birds and Bagels | Go on a bird watching hike and afterward enjoy coffee and bagels in the Bird Room. |
| 9:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 10:00AM | Preschool Trail Trekkers: Spider Safari! | Children ages up to age 5 will have a blast learning about our 8-legged little friends. |
| 10:00AM | Honey Hive Tour | Tour the bee hives at Amazing Space and learn about honey bees! |
| 11:00AM-Noon | Connection Ceremony | Join us for our version of a ribbon cutting as we flip the switch to connect solar power to Amazing Space, and Amazing Space to you! Key partners will speak as we’ll officially kick off the weekend. Enjoy light refreshments and wander the grounds. |
| 11:00AM | Wildflower Circle | Learn all about wildflowers at this naturalist-led lecture in the meadow. |
| 11:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 11:30AM | Food Trucks Open! | Grab lunch from The Grateful Crepe, O’s Grill (Mediterranean cuisine), or Woolf’s Lunch Box. |
| Noon-2PM | Music on the Patio | Enjoy live bluegrass music on the patio with the Riverbottom Ramblers! |
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM | Lunch at the Creek | Bring your business partner or co-workers and enjoy lunch at the creek, featuring live music and food trucks! Make sure to check out the weekend schedule and make plans to return with your family. |
| 12:00PM | Arm Chair Birding | Looking for a low-key activity? Join us for birding in the Bird Room with a guide! |
| 1:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 1:30PM | Raptor Talk | Raptor educator Joan Schnabel brings one of her live raptors for an interactive educational demonstration! |
| 2:00PM | Amazing Garden Tours | Tour the landscaped gardens at Amazing Space and get tips and pointers for applying the same techniques to your own yard. |
| 3:00PM | Bena Brook Stream Walking | Get your feet wet and take a guided hike up Bena Brook, which runs adjacent to Amazing Space. |
| 3:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 4:00PM | Insect Safari | Hunt in the prairie and the woodlands for creepy, crawly insects. Fun for the family! |
| 4:00PM – 6:00PM | Happy Hour! | Join us after work at Amazing Space for food, fun, music and beer. |
| 4:00PM – 8:00PM | Music on the Patio | The Cedar County Cobras bring their brand of dancing bluegrass and acoustic rockabilly to Amazing Space. |
| 6:30PM | Food Trucks Close | |
| 7:30PM | Full Moon Night Hike | Take a beautiful guided hike through the prairie and the woodlands under the light of the full moon. |
| 8:00PM | Bonfire Lit | Join us by the campfire to eat s’mores and listen to stories. |
| 8:00PM | Stories by the Fire | Join seasoned storyteller Darrin Crow around the campfire. |
| 10PM | Day End | Goodnight and see you tomorrow! |
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Beginner | Join us on a quick and easy hike to discover the natural beauty around the Nature Center. |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Intermediate | Explore the natural world around the Nature Center on a guided half-hour hike. |
| 11:00AM, 1:00PM & 3:00PM | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Advanced | Venture deep into the Nature Center’s trails on this 45 minute hike. |
| 1:00PM | Face Painting | Face painting by Stacy and Lizzy Dvorsky, featuring sensitive skin and environmentally friendly paints. |
| Natural Playscapes | Visit the outdoor classroom space for fun and interactive play. | |
| Make and Take Crafts | Make and take arts n’ crafts! Find multiple stations set up throughout the building. | |
| 10:00AM-4:00PM | Ceramics Center | Make a clay craft with the Ceramics Center! They will take your artwork back to their studio to have fired and call you when it’s ready for pick up. |
| Visit our Hoop House | Check out our new butterfly hoop house! |
TIME |
EVENT |
DETAILS |
| 7:00AM | Birds and Bagels | Go on a bird watching hike and afterward enjoy coffee and bagels in the Bird Room. |
| 7:30AM | Sunrise Yoga | Join instructor Maria Dummermuth on the lawn for a one-hour sunrise yoga practice. |
| 8:00-10:00AM | Creekside Café feat. Brewhemia | Start your morning out right with a cup of delicious Brewhemia coffee and choose from a selection of fresh pastries. Local coffee for the win! |
| 8:30AM | Scout Flag Raising | All Scouts are invited to participate in the official raising of the American flag at Amazing Space. All Scouts in uniform will receive a free ICNC patch. |
| 9:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 10:00AM | Patterson Amphitheater Dedication | The dedication of Patterson Family Amphitheater, featuring a ceremony to acknowledge Rich Patterson and his family. |
| 11:00AM | Wildflower Circle | Learn all about wildflowers at this naturalist-led lecture in the meadow. |
| 11:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 11:30AM | Food Trucks Open | Grab lunch from The Grateful Crepe or Woolf’s Lunch Box! |
| Noon-2:30PM | Music on the Patio | Live music with The Feralings! Featuring Benj Upchurch (mandolin / vocals), Nicole Upchurch (clawhammer banjo / vocals), Patrick Brickel (upright bass / vocals), and Stacy Webster (acoustic guitar / vocals). |
| 1:00PM – 4:00PM | Partner Fair! | Visit our partner organizations and businesses at our Partner Fair, featuring over 12 partners including Wickiup Hill, Prairiewoods, EcoLips, and more! |
| 1:00PM | Amazing Garden Tours | Tour the landscaped gardens at Amazing Space and get tips and pointers for applying the same techniques to your own yard. |
| 1:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 1:30PM | Raptor Talk | Raptor educator Joan Schnabel brings one of her live raptors for an interactive educational demonstration! |
| 2:00PM – 4:00PM | Shadow Puppets | Kids: learn to make a shadow puppet with storyteller Darrin Crow! |
| 2:00PM | Bena Brook Stream Walking | Get your feet wet and take a guided hike up Bena Brook, which runs adjacent to Amazing Space. |
| 3:00-6:00PM | Brewhemia Cold Brew Bike | Grab a cold brew coffee from Brewhemia’s coffee bike. |
| 3:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 2:00PM | Newbo to ICNC Bike Ride | Destination: Amazing Space! Meet at Kickstand in the NewBo District at 2 PM, grab a beer, make new friends, and bike together to the Nature Center. Leaving at 2:30, expected to arrive at Amazing Space at 3:30. Come for food, live music, and to see inside our new space! 5.1 mile ride, one way. Bike valet available. |
| 4:00PM | Insect Safari | Kids: hunt in the prairie and the woodlands for creepy, crawly insects. Fun for the family! |
| 4:00PM – 6:00PM | Happy Hour! | Join us after work at Amazing Space for food, fun, music and beer. |
| 4:00PM – 8:00PM | Music on the Patio | Enjoy tunes by Winterland, a Grateful Dead cover band specializing in the music the band played during the 60s and 70s! |
| 6:30PM | Food Trucks Close | |
| 7:30PM | Full Moon Night Hike | Take a beautiful guided hike through the prairie and the woodlands under the light of the full moon. |
| 8:00PM | Bonfire Lit | Join us by the campfire to eat s’mores and listen to stories. |
| 8:00PM – 9:00PM | Tales at the Bonfire | Join seasoned storyteller Darrin Crow around the campfire. |
| 10PM | Day End | Goodnight and see you tomorrow! |
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Beginner | Join us on a quick and easy hike to discover the natural beauty around the Nature Center. |
| 9:00AM-4:00PM on the hour, every hour | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Intermediate | Explore the natural world around the Nature Center on a guided half-hour hike. |
| 9:00AM, 11:00AM, 1:00PM, 3:00PM | Guided Naturalist Hikes – Advanced | Venture deep into the Nature Center’s trails on this 45 minute hike. |
| 10:00AM | Face Painting | Face painting by Stacy and Lizzy Dvorsky, featuring sensitive skin and environmentally friendly paints |
| Natural Playscapes | Visit the outdoor classroom space for fun and interactive play. | |
| Make and Take Crafts | Make and take arts n’ crafts! Find multiple stations set up throughout the building. | |
| Visit our Hoop House | Check out our new butterfly hoop house! |
| TIME | EVENT | DETAILS |
| 7:00AM | Birds and Bagels | Go on a bird watching hike and afterward enjoy coffee and bagels in the Bird Room. |
| 7:30AM | Sunrise Yoga | Join instructor Maria Dummermuth on the lawn for a one-hour sunrise yoga practice. |
| 8:00-10:00AM | Creekside Café feat. Brewhemia | Start your morning out right with a cup of delicious Brewhemia coffee and choose from a selection of fresh pastries. Local coffee for the win! |
| 9:00AM | Indian Creek Bike Loop | Bike a 13-mile loop from Amazing Space to the Prairie Park Fishery and back. Route includes both road and trail riding. Bike valet available at Amazing Space. |
| 9:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 10:00AM | Honey Hive Tour | Tour the bee hives at Amazing Space and learn about honey bees! |
| 11:00AM | Wildflower Circle | Learn all about wildflowers at this naturalist-led lecture in the meadow. |
| 11:00AM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 10:00AM – 12:00PM | Music on the Patio | Jonny Lipford will play a Native American flute, focusing on traditional Native American music. |
| 11:30AM | Food Trucks Open | Grab lunch from The Grateful Crepe or Woolf’s Lunch Box! |
| 12:00PM | Arm Chair Birding | Looking for a low-key activity? Join us for birding in the Bird Room with a guide! |
| 1:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 1:00PM | Amazing Gardens Tours | Tour the landscaped gardens at Amazing Space and get tips and pointers for applying the same techniques to your own yard. |
| 1:00PM – 3:00PM | Music on the Patio | Listen to The Beggarmen, one of the region’s best Irish music ensembles! |
| 2:00-5:00PM | Brewhemia Cold Brew Bike | Grab a cold brew coffee from Brewhemia’s coffee bike. |
| 2:00PM | Bena Brook Stream Walking | Get your feet wet and take a guided hike up Bena Brook, which runs adjacent to Amazing Space. |
| 3:00PM | Monarchs: Mexico to Iowa | Learn about the migration of monarch butterflies in a presentation by Patty Ankrum of Monarchs of Eastern Iowa. |
| 3:00PM | Amazing Space Building Tour | Explore Amazing Space on a guided tour highlighting the building’s many environmentally sustainable features. |
| 4:00PM | Insect Safari | Hunt in the prairie and the woodlands for creepy, crawly insects. Fun for the family! |
| 4:00PM | Food Trucks Close | |
| 5:00PM | Grand Opening Weekend Comes to an End | THANK YOU!! |
