Festival of Flight at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

Learn about the wonders of flight and migration 

Holderness, New Hampshire - Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is hosting the second annual Festival of Flight on Saturday, September 14. This enjoyable family festival showcases the wonders of flight and migration. This event will feature live animals, tethered hot air balloon rides, a presentation about the Karner Blue Butterfly Restoration Project, hawk watch, butterfly craft, and more.

Activities will be going on throughout the day beginning with tethered hot air balloon rides from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. courtesy of RE/MAX Bayside in Meredith. Following that, Iain MacLeod will be presenting Project OspreyTrack at 11:00 a.m. This program will feature the latest information about satellite tracked Ospreys from New Hampshire. Iain has successfully attached tracking devices on five additional Ospreys this summer and attendees will be able to see the latest migration information from them. This program will also feature a live Osprey. A special program about the Karner Blue Butterfly Restoration Project will be held at 1:00 p.m. Brett Ferry of New Hampshire Fish & Game will present the program about this federally endangered butterfly found in New Hampshire. Attendees can also participate in a butterfly craft before or after this presentation.

Other activities include a chance to participate in a Hawk Watch (looking for and learning about wild raptors migrating south) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Programs featuring live raptors will be at 12:00 p.m. - Broad-winged hawk, 2:00 p.m. - Peregrine falcon, and 3:00 p.m. - American kestrel. Longhaul Farm will be on site serving lunch and snacks from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

All activities, except the tethered balloon ride, are included in the regular trail admission fee, which gives you access to the entire animal exhibit trail featuring native New Hampshire wildlife in natural settings. Visitors can see Red and Gray Foxes, Bobcats, Mountain Lions, White-tailed Deer, River Otter, Black Bears, and raptors including Bald Eagles, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawks and Great Horned Owl. Admissions fees are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors (65+), $10 for youth ages 3-15, children 2 and under are free. Members are always free.

There is an additional fee of $10 for adults and $5 for children for the tethered hot air balloon rides, with limited times available. Tickets, available on a first-come, first-served basis, may be purchased in advance by calling 603-968-7194.

Festival of Flight is generously sponsored by Community Guaranty Savings Bank. For more information please visit www.nhnature.org or call 603-968-7194 or email info@nhnature.org. 

About Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

The mission of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is to advance understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire's natural world. Through spectacular live animal exhibits, natural science education programs, and lake cruises, the Science Center has educated and enlightened visitors for more than forty years about the importance of our natural world. Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is located on Route 113 in Holderness, an easy drive from exit 24 off I-93, and is open daily from May 1 through November 1. The Science Center is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is the only AZA-accredited institution in all of northern New England. For further information about the Science Center, call 603-968-7194 or visit www.nhnature.org.