August Events
Friday, August 5 – 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Bird Hike
Walk with one of our Naturalists and learn about the different birds that call Lakeshore State Park home. Located in the Lake Michigan Flyway, with over 70 migratory and resident avian species are observed annually. All ages & abilities welcome. Please meet at the south entrance, behind the BMO pavilion.
Sunday, August 7, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. National Lighthouse Day History Hike (bilingual)
Celebrate National Lighthouse Day by strolling through Lakeshore State Park starting at the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse. Learn the history of Milwaukee’s Lighthouses and of shipping on Lake Michigan. Meet at the Lighthouse. All ages and abilities welcome.
Celebra el Día Nacional del Faro paseando por el Parque Estatal Lakeshore desde el Faro al punto del muelle (Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse). Aprende sobre la historia de los faros de Milwaukee y del traslado de bienes por embarque sobre el Lago Michigan. Nos reuniremos a la entrada bajo el faro. Son bienvenidas todas las edades y habilidades.
Monday, August 8 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sensing Gardens: Guided hike for the blind and visually impaired
Experience nature through senses other than sight! Listen to Lakeshore’s resident and migratory birds. Smell its many native flowers. Taste its edible herbs. Estimated hike distance out and back: one mile. Sighted friends and family welcome!
Wednesday, August 10 – 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Ghosts of Lake Michigan Hike
Join us as we venture through the prairies of Lakeshore State Park along the edge of the Lake Michigan waters. Bring your flashlights, family, and friends as we retell stories of the people and events that now haunt the waters of Lake Michigan. All ages welcome, but may be frightening to some participants. Meet at the park’s North Entrance, just west of Discovery World.
Thursday, August 11 – 9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. – Perseid Meteor Shower Gazing (bilingual)
Join us the evening of the peak of Perseid meteor shower! Every summer the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. As the comet’s trail hits our atmosphere it burns up creating “falling stars”. While the park closes at 10 p.m., we’re staying open for a special night of viewing. Bring a blanket! We’ll meet in the Big Lawn, across from Pebble Beach. All ages and abilities welcome!
Acompáñenos la noche top de la Lluvia de meteoros Lágrimas de San Lorenzo (Perseidas). Cada verano, la Tierra pasa por el polvo y escombros del cometa Swift-Tuttle. Cuando los restos del cometa chocan con el atmosfera, se queman, creando así una “lluvia de estrellas.” Aunque el parque cierra a las 10, esta noche seguimos abierto para el espectáculo celestial. ¡Traigan una manta! Nos reuniremos en la yarda grande (Big Lawn) en frente de la Playa de Piedras (Pebble Beach).
Friday, August 12 – 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Macroinvertebrates Sampling
Macroinvertebrates are the base of all aquatic food webs and a good measure of water quality. Join our naturalist to collect, sort, and analyze macroinvertebrates and study their adaptations, lifecycles and sensitivities to water pollution. All ages & abilities welcome. Meet at the north entrance.
Saturday, August 13 – 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Bug Hunt
Insects are the most diverse group of animals on earth and make up over half of all described animal species! We will search for & collect some of these six-legged wonders to observe and release. Meet at the park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World. All ages and abilities welcome.
Sunday, August 14 – 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunset Hike (bilingual)
Summer is in full bloom! Join Lakeshore State Park staff on a leisurely walk around the park as you let your senses engage in the sights, sounds and smells of summer and relax as the sun sets. Meet at the Park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World. All ages and abilities welcome!
¡El verano está en plena flor! Acompañe al equipo de Lakeshore State Park en una relajada caminata por el parque, dejando que tus sentidos de vista, oído y hasta olfato se sumerjan en los colores y olores de las flores y los sonidos de los pájaros y otros animales. Nos reuniremos a la entrada norteña del parque, justo al oeste de Discovery World. Son bienvenidas todas las edades y habilidades.
Wednesday, August 17, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Canoemobile @ Lakeshore State Park
Wilderness Inquiry’s Canoemobile is a nationally touring fleet of vans, with each vehicle transporting six, handmade, 24-foot Voyageur canoes, safety and paddle equipment, and a crew of trained outdoor educators. In partnership with the Friends of Lakeshore State Park, take your turn paddling with an experienced canoe captain during this public offering! Participants can expect to spend about 20-30 minutes out on the water. The event is first-come/first-served and will have a rotating fleet of canoes departing shore, so feel free to come by anytime prior to 6:30 to get a first-hand experience (and join us for s’mores at the Beach ‘Bonfire’ afterward!).
Life vests are provided, and Wilderness Inquiry will have waivers on site to sign prior to participating. While the experience is open to all abilities, due to safety vest equipment, participation is geared toward 4th grade through adult. No prior paddling experience is necessary. Meet at the pebble beach.
Wednesday, August 17, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Beach ‘Bonfire’
Stop by the pebble beach, make a s’more, warm up by the fire, and meet the Park staff on your stroll through the park! Donations to the Friends of Lakeshore State Park to support these events are welcomed, but not required.
Thursday – August 18, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. History of Lakeshore State Park Hike (bilingual)
Learn about the history and construction of Lakeshore, Wisconsin’s only human-built, urban state park. We will walk a complete loop of the park, stopping to talk about the changing landscape along the way. Meet at the Park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World. All ages and abilities welcome!
Aprenda sobre la historia y la construcción de Lakeshore, el único parque estatal hecho por seres humanos que existe en un espacio urbano. Haremos una vuelta completa del parque, parando en varios puntos de interés para hablar de los cambios históricos al paisaje. Nos reuniremos a la entrada norteña del parque, justo al oeste de Discovery World. Son bienvenidas todas las edades y habilidades.
Saturday, August 20, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Kids Fishing Clinic
Meet us at the south entrance, behind Summerfest’s BMO Pavilion, and try your hand at fishing. Learn to fish like a pro from our experienced staff members. No fishing license is required for children 15 years old and younger. All supplies will be provided for use during the clinic.
Friday, August 26, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Prairie Hike
Lakeshore has nearly 100 native plant species providing a variety of benefits. Learn how to identify current ones in bloom and how the prairies change through the seasons. All ages and abilities welcome! Meet at the park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World.
Sunday, August 28, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fossil Hike (bilingual)
What does Lakeshore State Park have to do with Niagara Falls? Come find out and learn some Wisconsin geological history as you explore the Lannon stone lining the park searching for fossilized coral, trilobites, brachiopods, and cephalopods. Meet at the Park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World. All ages and abilities welcome!
¿Qué tiene que ver el Parque Estatal Lakeshore con las Cataratas de Niagara? Ven a aprender esta respuesta y algo de la historia geológica de Wisconsin mientras exploras las grandes rocas que rodean el parque a la búsqueda de fósiles de corales, trilobites, braquiópodos, y cefalópodos. Nos reuniremos a la entrada norteña del parque, justo al oeste de Discovery World. Son bienvenidas todas las edades y habilidades.
