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July 2024Drum Making Workshop – 9am
Clare Butterfly, an Indigenous knowledge keeper, will be at Ellis Nature Centre on Saturday, July 27 to teach two hand drum creation workshops. With Clare’s guidance, participants will get to make their own hand drum using materials that Clare has harvested for the workshop. This workshop is beginner friendly and anyone aged 12+ is welcome to participate. Younger children are also welcome to participate so long as an adult is accompanying them to help them make their drum. Spots are limited to 15 people per session.
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July 2024Drum Making Workshop – 1:30PM
Clare Butterfly, an Indigenous knowledge keeper, will be at Ellis Nature Centre on Saturday, July 27 to teach two hand drum creation workshops. With Clare’s guidance, participants will get to make their own hand drum using materials that Clare has harvested for the workshop. This workshop is beginner friendly and anyone aged 12+ is welcome to participate. Younger children are also welcome to participate so long as an adult is accompanying them to help them make their drum. Spots are limited to 15 people per session.
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July 2024Honey Bee Information Session
Join Ellis Nature Centre for an inside look at the process of owning honey bees! In this one and a half hour program, you’ll work alongside our bee keepers to remove the honey combs from our hives & then harvest the honey from them. If you want an inside look at a bee hive & the work of bee keepers, this is the session for you! Proper equipment, including protective gear, will be provided. All participants will even get to take a small jar of honey home with them! All ages are welcome, only $5 per person. Pre-registration is required as spots are limited.
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July 2024Knee High Nature – Bees – 2pm
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Bees on July 30 from 2-3pm! We’ll learn about bees, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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July 2024Junior Naturalists – Birding
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on July 31 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. We’ll also spend more time exploring the birds we have on our site during this day.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Badgers – 11am
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Badgers on August 1 from 11am-12pm! We’ll learn about Badgers, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Badgers – 2pm
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Badgers on August 1 from 2-3pm! We’ll learn about Badgers, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Junior Naturalists – Art
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on August 2 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. We’ll also spend more time exploring nature art during this day.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024Horse Camp (Monday to Friday) Day Camp
This fun filled week of horse camp is packed with adventure.
We pick you up in the morning at Heritage Ranch and bus you to our mountain location and return each night for 5 days.
You are paired with a horse that is yours for the whole camp. Learn to brush, saddle, bridle and general horse care while having fun.
Our focus is safety first.
Cool things we are doing are barrel racing, trail rides, games on horses and gentle horsemanship. Learn to connect with our equine partners and create lasting friendships. Off horse activities include float trips down the river, hikes, exploring nature, playing in the waterfalls and seeing wild horses.
Ages : 8 to 16 years old.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Snowshoe Hare – 11am
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about snowshoe hares on August 6 from 11am-12pm! We’ll learn about snowshoe hares, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Snowshoe Hare – 2pm
Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about snowshoe hares on August 6 from 2-3pm! We’ll learn about snowshoe hares, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Junior Naturalists – Indigenous
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on August 7 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. We’ll also spend more time exploring Indigenous knowledge about land & nature during this day.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Chickens – 11am
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Chickens on August 8 from 11am-12pm! We’ll learn about Chickens, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Chickens – 2pm
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Chickens on August 8 from 2-3pm! We’ll learn about Chickens, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Junior Naturalists – Outdoors
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on August 9 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. We’ll also spend more time exploring our nature trails during this day.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024Bug Jamboree
A day dedicated to insects!
This all-day event on August 10th is full of activities and interactive learning. Come explore and learn all about the beautiful and wondrous world of bugs! These tiny creatures are essential part of our ecosystems and make up the diet of mountain bluebirds, purple martins and many other birds.
Guest entomologists including John Acorn, a.k.a. “The Nature Nut”, share their expertise and show off their collections of butterflies, beetles and more.
Fun for all ages! Go on a bug hunt, a butterfly walk, use nets to find aquatic invertebrate in the pond and learn about native bees and pollinators!
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August 2024Horse Camp ( Monday to Friday ) Day Camp
This fun filled week of horse camp is packed with adventure.
We pick you up in the morning at Heritage Ranch and bus you to our mountain location and return each night for 5 days.
You are paired with a horse that is yours for the whole camp. Learn to brush, saddle, bridle and general horse care while having fun.
Our focus is safety first.
Cool things we are doing are barrel racing, trail rides, games on horses and gentle horsemanship. Learn to connect with our equine partners and create lasting friendships. Off horse activities include float trips down the river, hikes, exploring nature, playing in the waterfalls and seeing wild horses.
Ages : 8 to 16 years old.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Owls – 11am
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Owls on August 13 from 11am-12pm! We’ll learn about Owls, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Owls – 2pm
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Owls on August 13 from 2-3pm! We’ll learn about Owls, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Junior Naturalists – Sensory Friendly
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on August 14 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. This camp is designed to be sensory friendly with smaller group sizes and engagement in activities on the quieter areas of our site.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024AWE Walk
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for an AWE Walk on August 14 from 11am-12pm! The purpose of an AWE Walk is to walk in a place of meaning & beauty, where your sole task is to encounter something that amazes you, be it big or small. The leader of our walk will cue people to purposely engage in the nature around them as they lead the walk around our site. This event is free but pre-reg is encouraged. Only 10 spots available!
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Squirrels – 11am
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Squirrels on August 15 from 11am-12pm! We’ll learn about Squirrels, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Knee High Nature – Squirrels – 2pm
Visit Ellis Nature Centre to learn all about Squirrels on August 15 from 2-3PM! We’ll learn about Squirrels, do a craft, read books, and of course explore our site to look for them. This program is for children 3-6 years of age and we request parents accompany them for the program. Cost is $8 per child.
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August 2024Junior Naturalists – Birding
Visit Ellis Nature Centre for Junior Naturalist day camp on August 16 from 9am-3pm! This camp will have an outdoors and hands-on focus. We’ll also spend more time looking for birds on our site during this day.
The fee for the camp is $30 per child and is open to children aged 7-12. Please note that we do allow drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm, but there will not be direct instruction at this time.
An email with the information you need to prepare your camper will be sent 1 week before the camp.
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August 2024Medicine River Wildlife Centre Visit
Medicine River Wildlife Centre will be visiting Ellis Nature Centre on Saturday, August 16 from 11am-12pm! During their time here, they’ll give a presentation about the work they do & what wildlife rehabilitation is. They’ll also be bringing their educational owl Olive to assist in the presentation.
This event is free, but pre-registration is encouraged & donations for Medicine River & Ellis Nature Centre will be gladly accepted at the event. Medicine River will also be bringing copies of their Otis the Owl book to sell. Please reserve a spot for each person who will be attending, both children & adults.
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August 2024Harvest Workshop
Visit Ellis Nature Centre as we welcome Daisy & Dill for a Harvest Workshop on Sunday, August 18 from 1-3pm! In this workshop, we’ll cover different harvesting techniques as folks prepare to head into the harvest season. This will include how to harvest your garden, store your harvest, and different preservation techniques.
In addition to a presentation, there will be a hands-on demonstration in one of our gardens. The fee for this workshop is $15 per person & only 25 spots are available.
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August 2024Horse Camp ( Monday to Friday ) Day Camp
This fun filled week of horse camp is packed with adventure.
We pick you up in the morning at Heritage Ranch and bus you to our mountain location and return each night for 5 days.
You are paired with a horse that is yours for the whole camp. Learn to brush, saddle, bridle and general horse care while having fun.
Our focus is safety first.
Cool things we rare doing are barrel racing, trail rides, games on horses and gentle horsemanship. Learn to connect with our equine partners and create lasting friendships. Off horse activities include float trips down the river, hikes, exploring nature, playing in the waterfalls and seeing wild horses.
Ages : 8 to 16 years old.
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August 2024Evening Dinner & Bird Walk with Gavin McKinnon
Visit Ellis Nature Centre with host Gavin McKinnon for an evening dinner & birding walk on Saturday, August 24 from 7-8:30pm.
We’ll start the night with a dinner prepared by the Ellis Nature Centre cafe, where folks can ask Gavin their questions about birding, his experiences, and more. After dinner, Gavin will lead the group on an evening birding walk around our site, giving tips about best practices for birding in the evening.
The fee for this event is $50, which covers dinner & the fee for the walk. There are only 15 spots available, so don’t wait to register.
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August 2024Streams of Consequence Book Talk
Visit Ellis Nature Centre with host Albertan author, biologist, & conservationist Lorne Fitch for a discussion of his book “Streams of Consequence”. Lorne will be visiting on Sunday, August 25 from 11am-12pm to host a discussion of his book & the insights he gained about conservation as a biologist in Alberta for decades. This talk is free! Copies of Lorne’s book will be available for purchase & he’ll host a book signing after the talk.
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September 2024Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala
Lacombe Museum’s 3rd Annual Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala with Ellis Nature Centre
September 7 @ 5:45 pm – 10:00 pm
Join us for an unforgettable evening of culinary delights at the 2024 Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala, presented by and to benefit the Lacombe Museum and Ellis Nature Centre. This exclusive fundraising event promises an extraordinary farm-to-fork experience, featuring Guest Chefs from Lacombe & District.
Savour locally sourced ingredients, expertly crafted into delectable dishes, while raising a glass in celebration of Lacombe’s rich history and heritage. Your support will benefit both the Lacombe Museum and Ellis Nature Centre, contributing to the preservation and interpretation of our local culture.
Together, let’s make the 2024 Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala an event to remember.