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Science Fest
November 4, 2023 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Celebrate Science with Hands-On Activities All Day at Science Fest
The Friends of Retzer Nature Center’s annual Science Fest – Powered by Generac – is an annual celebration that connects people with science, technology, engineering, and math in fun and exciting ways!
Attendees of all ages are encouraged to explore ‘Now You See It! Now You Don’t!’ and engage in a variety of interactive activities and discover how science mixes into our everyday lives and shapes our future.
Science Fest Schedule:
Celebrate Science with Hands-On Activities: 11 am – 2 pm |
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| 11 am – 2 pm | Learn about natural resources, water conservation, recycling, wildlife, sustainability, and more with fun and educational booths. | Community Room |
| 11 am – 2 pm | See up close the work vehicles and equipment used to care for the community: Highways Snow Plow, a Recycling Truck, and more! | Right outside the Maintenance Building (map) |
Session One: 11 am |
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| Time | Activity | Description | Location | |
| 11-11:30 am | Hike | Retzer’s Glacial Drumlin Discovery | Hike to the top of Retzer’s glacial drumlin to see what the glacier left behind. Learn how the massive ice sheets of the past shaped and changed our landscape while you enjoy the beautiful view. | Meet on the back patio (map)
Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain. |
| 11-11:30 am | Discovery Program | What’s In The Water | Every time rain falls, pollutants wash into our waterways. Let’s explore the watershed model and discover simple actions you can take to prevent pollutants from getting into our rivers and streams. | Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center) |
| 11 am – noon | Planetarium Show
Ages 13+: $5 donation |
Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses | What do we know about eclipses — from lunar to total solar. You’ll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse. | Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium |
Session Two: 11:45 am |
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| Time | Activity | Description | Location | |
| 11:45 am – 12:15 pm | Hike | Winter Survival Strategies | Hike to different habitats and see which species migrate, which hibernate, and which are adapted to surviving the winter awake. Learn the different strategies plants use to survive winter in Wisconsin as well before you head back inside where humans hang out in the winter. | Meet on the back patio (map)
Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain. |
| 11:45 am – 12:15 pm | Discovery Program | Animal Adaptations: Can You See Them? | Meet some of our animal ambassadors who use camouflage to survive. See if you can spot their special adaptations that help them be successful in the wild. | Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center) |
| 12 -1 pm | Planetarium Show
Ages 13+: $5 donation |
Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses | What do we know about eclipses — from lunar to total solar. You’ll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse. | Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium |
Session Three: 12:30 pm |
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| Time | Activity | Description | Location | |
| 12:30 – 1 pm | Hike | Retzer’s Glacial Drumlin Discovery | Hike to the top of Retzer’s glacial drumlin to see what the glacier left behind. Learn how the massive ice sheets of the past shaped and changed our landscape while you enjoy the beautiful view. | Meet on the back patio (map)
Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain. |
| 12:30 – 1 pm | Discovery Program | What’s In The Water | Every time rain falls, pollutants wash into our waterways. Let’s explore the watershed model and discover simple actions you can take to prevent pollutants from getting into our rivers and streams. | Meet in the Fen Room (in the Retzer Environmental Learning Center) |
| 1 – 2 pm | Planetarium Show
Ages 13+: $5 donation |
Totality: Explore the Wonders of Eclipses | What do we know about eclipses — from lunar to total solar. You’ll see how an eclipse occurs and what happens next. Look back to the proof of general relativity and look forward to upcoming eclipses and where to witness them. A very special part of the show relates in a very human way to what happens when you are caught in the shadow of the Moon and the Sun is plunged into a total solar eclipse. | Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium |
Session Four: 1:15 pm |
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| Time | Activity | Description | Location | |
| 1:15 – 1:45 pm | Hike | Winter Survival Strategies | Hike to different habitats and see which species migrate, which hibernate, and which are adapted to surviving the winter awake. Learn the different strategies plants use to survive winter in Wisconsin as well before you head back inside where humans hang out in the winter. | Meet on the back patio (map)
Hike on woodchipped and mowed grass; some sloped terrain |
| 1:15 – 1:45 pm | Discovery Program | Animal Adaptations: Can You See Them? | Meet some of our animal ambassadors who use camouflage to survive. See if you can spot their special adaptations that help them be successful in the wild. | Meet at the front doors of the Retzer Environmental Learning Center
Hike mainly on the paved Discovery Trail |
Related links:
Waukesha County Parks Tour: Retzer Nature Center
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