🌳 We’ve Partnered with Dauphin County Parks & Rec—And It’s a Match Made in Muddy Boots and Maypole Dreams 🌷
We are thrilled (like, “my-kid-just-found-a-snack-I-didn’t-know-we-had” level thrilled) to officially welcome Dauphin County Parks & Recreation as a 2025 community partner! 🎉
Okay, okay… technically we’ve been partners for a couple of months now—but this is our big, splashy, shout-it-from-the-rooftops moment for anyone who hadn’t already noticed. (If this were a relationship on Facebook, we just made it "Facebook Official" 💍🌳)
Why the excitement? Because we share the same core values:
🌱 Nature.
🎨 Experiential learning.
🚶♀️ Long walks that may or may not involve bribing children with snacks.
Whether it’s chasing butterflies at Detweiler, building mini garden empires at Fort Hunter, or learning life skills through frisbee flinging (hello, Disc Golf 101!), DCPR gets that the best learning happens when you’re out in the world, exploring it.
That’s why we’re so excited to launch this brand-new, wildly dynamic (and occasionally ridiculous) feature: The Dauphin County Parks & Rec Corner! 🐢🎶🌸
Each month, we’ll round up the most family-friendly, memory-making, budget-saving events happening across DCPR’s incredible lineup—and serve them up with a big ol’ side of humor and helpful details. Whether you’re here for the crafts, the critters, the camps, or the coffee trucks…we’ve got you covered.
Ready to get outside and into the fun? Let’s do this.
🌳 Dauphin County Parks & Rec Corner
Because your kids can only collect so many rocks before they start a geology cult...
🦎 WETLANDS FESTIVAL
📍 Wildwood Park | 📅 Saturday, April 26 | ⏰ 10 AM – 4 PM
This is basically The Met Gala for Frogs. Expect live animals from Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary, music by Tanjo & Crow and Autumn Sky Hall, guided walks, environmental exhibits, and kids' crafts. Bonus: You might finally learn the difference between a frog and a toad (you’ve been faking it, haven’t you?).
🥏 DISC GOLF 101: LAUNCH & LEARN
📍 Wiconisco Creek Park | 📅 April 29 (6–7 PM) & June 7 (9–10 AM)
Ever thrown a frisbee and thought, “Wow, I’m a natural”? Come be humbled (gently!) by this free, inclusive disc golf clinic for ages 6+. Learn to putt, throw, and bond with your fam—no prior skills (or aim) required!
🌷 GARDEN FAIRE
📍 Fort Hunter Park | 📅 Sunday, May 4 | ⏰ 10 AM – 4 PM
Okay, deep breath because this one is big—Macaroni KID is proud to sponsor the Children’s Corner at this year’s Garden Faire! Expect crafts, garden vendors, Victorian and maypole dancing, native plants, pollinators, music, and wholesome family chaos in the best possible way. Basically, it’s springtime in a festival—come frolic with us!
🦋 DISCOVER DETWEILER: BIOBLITZ 2025
📍 Detweiler Park | 📅 Saturday, May 10 | ⏰ 10 AM – 3 PM
It’s like a nature scavenger hunt but scientific. Join field specialists and naturalists to identify species, explore ecosystems, and maybe even spot a turtle that’s older than your uncle Rick. BYO binoculars and curiosity.
🐶 WILD ABOUT DOGS
📍 Wildwood Park | 📅 Saturday, May 10 | ⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
Your dog’s dream day. A pup-approved scavenger hunt, photo booth, homemade treats (for both species), and local vendors. Bonus: You can finally prove to your dog that you do, in fact, take them everywhere.
🎶 PROUDLY PA!
📍 Fort Hunter Park | 📅 June 14 | ⏰ 1 – 8 PM
Music, wineries, breweries, and vendors—AKA heaven for parents who’ve been listening to nothing but Baby Shark since 2018. Lineup includes The Commonheart, Aaron Fink & The Fury, Audra McLaughlin, and more. Tickets are just $30, and your sanity is worth at least double that.
🌱 LITTLE SPROUTS CAMP (Ages 4–5)
📍 Wildwood Park
Sessions: June 16–18 or June 30–July 2 | AM or PM options
Half-day camps filled with stories, crafts, sensory walks, and the magic of dirt. Spots fill faster than a juice box at snack time—don’t wait!
🌟 And don’t forget: Weekly Wellness Walks, Boot Camp, Flower Walks, Walk with a Doc, the Zoombalicious fitness class that sounds like it might require glitter, and the totally free virtual distilling lecture on April 30 that will have you saying “Ohhhh, that’s what Dills Tavern is about.”
📲 Register and explore more at: DauphinCounty.gov/parks
