Join us for the DarkSky Missouri Festival

Our DarkSky Festival is an opportunity for people to enjoy and celebrate relatively unpolluted skies and learn about what light pollution cost us in our daily lives. Missouri has a few locations, such as Ozark National Scenic Riverways, that can remind us of what a natural night sky might have been just 200 years ago, but we are losing them fast.

You can help us protect our night sky and nature at night by getting involved in our DarkSky Missouri movement. Volunteer your time, spread the word, and help fund our work.

Schedule of Events:

October 25, 2024

4:00 pm: Registration Table Opens
5:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Program - Dark Skies - Presenter: Shaun Heise, ONSR, Interpreter
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm: Dark Sky Viewing

October 26, 2024

08:00 am - 10:00 am: Program- Nature/Bird Walk - Co-Led by Reva Dow, Twin Pines Conservation Center and Greg Swick
10:00 am - 01:00 pm: Free time
01:00 pm - 01:30 pm: Program- How Big is Big Spring - Presenter: Loring Bullard, Author
01:30 pm - 02:15 pm: Program- Early Logging of Old Growth Pine - Presenter: Jim Guldin, Forester
02:15 pm - 03:00 pm: Program- Pioneer Forest - A Case Study for Conservation - Presenter: Jason Green, Forester
03:00 pm - 03:30 pm: Program- Nightscape Photography Basics - Presenter: Ben Caruthers, Great Ozarks Audubon Society
03:30 pm - 04:00 pm: Program- Spreading Life in the Darkness - Presenter: Dan Zarlenga, MDC
04:00 pm - 05:00 pm: Program- Let There be Night: Dark Skies as a Natural Resource - Presenter: Dr. Vayu Gokhale, Truman State University
05:00 pm - 06:00 pm: Free time
06:00 pm - 11:00 pm: Program- Dark Sky Party

Date: October 25 - 26, 2024

Location: Big Spring Campground,

Pea Vine Rd,

Van Buren, MO 63965

Click here for more information