Grandfather Mountain hosts KidFest Sept. 9

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, NC (September 5, 2017)…This September, kids are invited to visit their Grandfather. On Saturday, Sept. 9, Grandfather Mountain hosts its annual KidFest, a fun-filled and educational celebration of natural history in the Appalachian Mountains.

“KidFest is our annual event to showcase the park’s natural wonders to our younger visitors,” said Frank Ruggiero, director of marketing and communications for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Linville, N.C., nature preserve and attraction.

KidFest will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special Junior Ranger programs taking place at the park’s Let-It-Rain Picnic Shelter, adjacent to the Nature Museum. Plus, a KidFest information table will be set up in the Nature Museum lobby, featuring park information, Junior Ranger booklets and Grandfather Mountain’s mascot, Millie the Bear.

The Junior Ranger programs are geared toward kids ages 5 to 10 and will take place every half-hour at the picnic shelter. Topics include Nature Art, Leaf Litter Critters, Nature’s Hide & Seek: Camouflage, The Big Wind Blows: Animal Adaptation Game, NSI: Nature Scene Investigators, Our Forest Neighbors: Meet and Greet with an Owl and Snake, and Crawl, Fly, Walk or Swim: Nature Yoga.

All activities are included with admission to Grandfather Mountain. To sweeten the deal, every kid who participates will receive a coupon for free ice cream at Mildred’s Grill.

In addition to the special programs taking place throughout the day, families can enjoy the experiences that make Grandfather Mountain exciting year-round, including crossing the Mile High Swinging Bridge, watching animals frolic in the environmental wildlife habitats, exploring the Nature Museum, hiking the trails and tasting the homemade treats at the mountain’s famous Fudge Shop.

For more information on KidFest, call (828) 733-2013, or email amy@grandfather.com.

The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or visit www.grandfather.com to plan a trip.