Come celebrate spring at Rock Springs Center in Decatur, Illinois on Saturday, April 26, 2008 with a full day of fun and activities during the Festival of Spring, co-sponsored by Macon County Conservation District and Decatur Audubon Society.

Festival of Spring Schedule
All events are held at the Rock Springs Nature Center. Click here for a map of Rock Springs.
Download the event schedule brochure.

Bird and Blossom Hike
9:00 AM (about one hour — meet on the west deck)
Spring is the time when bird songs fill the air and flowers fill the woodlands! Join a naturalist on a refreshing early morning hike to see and hear some lovely feathered friends and beautiful blossoms. Binoculars and field guides will be helpful.

Quilt Raffle
Tickets available at the Information Island
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
A drawing for a beautiful quilt will be held at the Prairie Celebration September 7th, 2008. Ticket sales start now at the Festival of Spring! Get your tickets today! Need not be present to win!

Silent Auction
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Program Classroom (near main entry)
MCCD volunteer Walt Hughes has donated artwork for a silent auction. View his work, and place your bids!

Scout Hikes
(meet on the west deck)
9:30 AM, 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM
Guided hikes lasting about an hour are offered to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Various habitats will be visited and help will be offered in Conservation, Nature, Bird Study, Reptile and Amphibian Study and other badges. For reservations contact Conservation District Headquarters at 423-7708 no later than April 15th.

Food and Drinks
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sandwiches, drinks, and snacks can be purchased at the Information Shelter just north of the main parking lot, provided by Rock Springs Ground Squirrels Vintage Base Ball Club.

Special Exhibits
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Nature Center and Parking Area (see below for details on all special exhibits).

Canoe Rodeo
Cattail Ponds
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Learn how to get in and out of a canoe, learn paddling strokes and some safety tips. Then you will get to canoe through the rodeo course against some other teams or against the clock. Fee: $5/person. Register and pay the fee at the Nature Center information desk.

Baseball Exhibit
North Wing Exhibit Hall
A Whole 'Nother Ball Game: baseball in central Illinois from the 1860s to the 1970s
This exhibit features Decatur teams as well as the introduction of local women’s leagues. Learn about major league players who came from central Illinois, and discover the cherished tradition of community teams from many area towns.

Meridian Middle School Ecology Projects
Upper Level Conference Room
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Meridian Middle School students have taken thrownaway everyday items and RECYCLED them. They have recycled objects into creative, whimsical and sometimes even practical items that look like new.

Plant Exchange
Nature Center Lobby
10:00 AM to ? (until plants are gone)
Bring some plants you can spare and trade them for others. Feed the ‘kitty’ if you want to take more plants than you brought. It’s fun, it’s easy, and the more who participate, the better the chance that everyone will take home many new plants to nurture.

Book Exchange
Nature Center Lobby
10:00 AM to ? (until books are gone)
Bring books to exchange — not limited to environmental and birding books, but those types of books would be good to bring. Clear your shelves of unwanted books!

Reptilian Round-Up
Children’s Awareness Room
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Get a close-up look at some of Illinois’ Reptiles and Amphibians and learn about these fascinating, but often misunderstood creatures.

"Web of Life" Game
For Kids - Pavilion No. 1
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Pretend to be an animal and try to stay alive. Prizes will be awarded, and kids will have fun with this environmental game. Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Decatur.

Face Painting
Nature Center Front Lawn
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Children will enjoy having a tiny nature picture painted on their face to show their love of flowers and animals. Stop by the face painting booth, and for $1 children can show off as they celebrate spring!

Wagon Rides
Meet at the Nature Center south door
10:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Wagon rides will be available every half hour starting at 11:00 AM and continuing until 3:30 PM. Sign up for your free tickets at the information island.

Open House at the Homestead Prairie Farm and the Wood Shop
Homestead Prairie Farm
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Visit the Trobaugh family and learn from interpreters in period clothing how people lived in earlier days. Discover the tools and skills of pioneer wood workers and how they made almost everything they needed.

Fishing Derby
Bike Trail Pond
10:30 AM to 12 Noon
Children under age 16 may try their luck at fishing. Prizes and trophies will be awarded for largest, smallest and most fish.

Tickets to Treasures
10:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Kids ages 12 and under are invited to collect tickets while visiting various events throughout the day and be awarded prizes for collecting the tickets. Tickets are free and are available at the events marked with this treasure chest symbol. (More
information will be available on site.)

Book Signing
Nature Center Entryway
11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sue Robinson hosts a book signing for her book Roadside Wildflowers of Christian County. Books will be available to purchase.

A Journey Through the Spring Night Sky
Decatur Area Astronomy Club Orientation Room
11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
The Decatur Area Astronomy Club will provide astronomy demonstrations and programs throughout the day. Learn more about what causes the phases of the moon and what happens during a solar and lunar eclipse. In addition, learn which planets and constellations you can see in the Spring night sky. Weather permitting, there will be safe solar observing as well. Visit the astronomy club’s website at www.decaturastronomy.com.

Dan Keding, Storyteller & Musician
Lower Level Multipurpose Room
11:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM
Dan Keding, a master storyteller, combines music and stories. Mr. Keding’s work has been described as“simplicity– and high art.” He is the Regional Representative of the National Storytellers Association.

Readings for Children
Patty Barr - RSC North Exhibit Hall
11:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Join Patty in the North Exhibit Hall for wonderful stories about the natural world and the animals and plants that we find there. Stories will take about 15 minutes. There will also be books, games, puzzles, coloring, etc. for the children to enjoy.

World Bird Shows - Raptor Awareness
Rock Springs Nature Center Auditorium
11:45 AM, 1:15 PM, 2:45 PM
World Bird Shows brings this program to us from the World Bird Sanctuary near St. Louis. They carry on a noted rehabilitation program. All ages will enjoy this opportunity to see and learn about these unusual live birds.

“Soar Like an Eagle"
Environmental Games - Mary Feltes
Open play area near the pavilions
12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM
Enjoy environmental games just for kids. Children will learn about the natural world— how we impact it and how we can preserve it— as they enjoy some fun and interesting nature games.

Dulcimer Club
1:00 PM
Bluestem Theater
Come listen to the lilting, joyful sounds of this old-time instrument. — Guaranteed to perk you up!

Discovery Hike
Meet on the Nature Center west deck at 1:30 PM
Singing birds and frogs, sunning turtles, emerging leaves and flowers everywhere herald the wondrous awakening of spring. Naturalists will interpret nature’s unfolding delights for those who participate.

Special Exhibits

Decatur Audubon Society: Co-sponsor of the annual Festival of Spring. Find out more about this organization.

The Sangamon Valley Volunteers of the Stewardship Network: The Sangamon Valley Volunteers work to preserve and restore natural lands.

Community Environmental Council: Learn more about this consortium of agencies and organizations.

Macon County Solid Waste Management: You can make a difference! Practice the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Learn about all the products that can be made from recycled materials. Products will be available to see and touch.

University of Illinois Extension: Master Gardeners can help you plan your vegetable and flower gardens. Plant a seed and watch it grow.

University of Illinois Extension: "Pitch In" and help keep your community clean. Sign-ups available for "Adopt-a- Street" and find out other ways you can volunteer to Pitch In and help keep our community clean.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources: Stop by to learn all about the Dept. of Natural Resources. This display will inspire all ages to learn more about our Earth.

Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District: Learn how we can all help conserve and protect Macon County’s water supplies and rich soils!

Agricultural Watershed Institute: Steve John, Acting Director. Learn the importance of protecting our watershed and natural water systems.

Heart of the Sangamon Ecosystem Partnership: Learn about the different groups that make up this valuable organization and what activities they undertake.

RSVP and DOVE: Stop by and learn more about the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and how you can recycle your aluminum and make some extra cash.

Bicycles: Breaking Away Cyclery and Decatur Bicycle Shop will display their energy-saving mode of transportation.

Hybrid Cars: Hybrid cars on display compliments of Crown Toyota-Scion.

Photography by David Staff and artwork by Sue Robinson will be displayed in the South Wing Gallery during the Festival.