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National
Park Service Invites Everyone to
#FindYourPark
During the Centennial Birthday Month
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Special Events
Across the U.S. Will Celebrate the NPS 100th Anniversary in August
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Washington,
DC – August 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / The National Park Service invites
visitors of all ages to join in the celebration of its 100th birthday throughout
the month of August. With special events across the country, and free admission
to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, the NPS is
encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark
/ #EncuentraTuParque for
the centennial.
“August
– our birthday month – will be a nationwide celebration of national parks,
and we’re inviting everyone to the party,” said National Park Service Director
Jonathan B. Jarvis. “We like to think that we look pretty good for 100,
and with so many events and activities to commemorate this milestone, we
hope all Americans will join us to celebrate the breathtaking landscapes
and inspiring history in our nation’s parks and public lands. Whether it
is in a distant state or in your own community, there are hundreds of ways
and places to find your park.”
Events
Across the Country
From
a solar
car rally through nine national parks, to major and minor league baseball
games, to cultural and musical festivals, events and programs throughout
the U.S. will provide countless ways for families, students, and park-lovers
of all ages to discover special park experiences for the centennial.
On
August 22, the three-part series of Park
Exchange events will culminate in New York City, taking the innovation
from Thomas Edison National Historical Park in a small New Jersey town,
to the iconic big city skyline.A day of free family-friendly activities
will explore the concept of innovation and 100 years of national parks,
and a special evening program will illuminate Edison’s innovative spirit
and light the way as the NPS enters its second century of service.
Among
the hundreds of other special events that will celebrate the National Park
Service’s Centennial in August:
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The National
Park Service and tribal partners will celebrate the grand opening of the
Huna Tribal House at Glacier
Bay National Park.
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“Music
in the American Wild” concerts will bring special compositions to several
western parks, funded in part through grants from the National Endowment
for the Arts “Imagine Your Parks” program for the NPS Centennial.
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In a unique
partnership with NASA, a group of fourth-grade students at Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park will speak with an astronaut live from the International
Space Station.
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Yellowstone
National Park will rededicate the Roosevelt
Arch with musical performances and a special ceremonial event.
A sampling
of additional events is available on the National
Park Service website, and hundreds more can be found at FindYourPark.com
and EncuentraTuParque.com.
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Entrance
Fees Waived for the NPS Birthday through the Weekend
Park
entrance fees will be waived nationwide from August 25 through August 28
to encourage everyone to celebrate the NPS 100th birthday.Usually, 127
of the 412 national parks charge entrance fees that range from $3 to $30.The
entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities
such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
To
continue the national park adventure beyond these entrance fee free days,
the $80 America the Beautiful
National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance
to more than 2,000 sites, including all national parks, throughout the
year. There are also a variety of free
or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current military
members, fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.
Find
Your Park to Celebrate the Centennial
On
August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the
National Park Service “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic
objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the
same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for
future generations.”
To
celebrate the 100th anniversary of that moment and to look ahead to the
next 100 years, in early 2015 the National Park Service and the National
Park Foundation launched the Find Your Park / Encuentra Tu Parque movement.Inspiring
people from all backgrounds to celebrate and support America’s national
parks and community-based programs, #FindYourPark
/ #EncuentraTuParque invites
people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s
natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
About
The National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 412 national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local
history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at
www.NPS.gov,
on Facebook Facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter Twitter.com/natlparkservice,
and YouTube YouTube.com/nationalparkservice.
Contact:
Elizabeth
Stern (NPS)
202-219-8933 |