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A note about our programs:
We hold most programs rain, snow, or shine, unless we notify you otherwise. If you cancel your registration seven days or more prior to the program date, we’ll refund your fee in full. If you cancel within seven days of the program date, we are unable to refund your fee. If the Foundation of the State Arboretum cancels a program for any reason, we will refund your fee in full. Programs open to children/youth require an adult to attend with them and the adult is responsible for their supervision for the duration of the program. Advance registration is required for all programs. Space is limited.
Early Migrants Bird Walk
8:00-10:00 AM Friday, March 27th
Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr to hunt for tree swallows, eastern phoebes, migrating waterfowl, and more!
What to expect: An outdoor program. We will walk around 1.5 miles over lawn and gravel paths with gently rolling terrain.
Audience: Adults and children aged 12 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please!
What to bring: Dress for the weather! Wear comfortable walking shoes that can withstand a bit of morning dew from the grass. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
Bluebell Walk at Blandy
4:00-5:30 PM Thursday, April 9th
Discover Virginia’s spring wildflowers! Tour the woodland section of the Native Plant Trail with Blandy’s Assistant Curator Jack Monsted. Scout for trilliums, bluebells, and other “spring beauties” as you learn all about the natural history of these fascinating flowers.
What to expect: We will walk ~0.5 miles over lawn and mulch paths, with frequent stops to observe flowers.
Audience: Adults and children aged 8 and up. No pets, please!
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle. If you’d like, bring materials to take notes and a favorite wildflower field guide or smartphone identification app (e.g., iNaturalist).
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
Blandy at 100: A century of scientific and community contributions
Unruly: When Nature Goes Wild and Doesn't Fit in A Box
2:00 - 4:00 PM Sunday, April 19
Science is neat, orderly, and predictable. Right?
Arboreta, botanical gardens, and field research stations are places where people try to understand the complexities of the natural world. We look for patterns and put things into categories. We plant maples over here and mahogany trees over there. We classify these bees as generalists and those bees as specialists. Sometimes this pattern-seeking unlocks amazing insights. Other times, nature refuses to be put into neat little boxes not matter how hard we try.
In this program, we’ll hear stories about trees with identity crises, squirrely research projects, and the quirkiest Grove at Blandy. Join us for three tales from the bizarre, perplexing, and intriguing side of the biological sciences, featuring Blandy Curator T’ai Roulston, Director of Scientific Engagement Ariel Firebaugh, and Blandy graduate student alumna Clare Rodenberg.
What to expect: Talks followed by a discussion in the Blandy library. Time and weather permitting, we may also go on a short walk outdoors to see points of interest featured in the talk.
Light refreshments provided (it’s a birthday celebration, after all!).
Audience: These programs are designed for adults.
Where to meet: The library at the Quarters building.
Can’t make it? Recordings of the program will be available online.
Registration required.
Neotropical Migrants Bird Walk
8:00 - 10:00 AM Thursday, April 23
Spring (migration) has sprung! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr in search of early breeding warblers (e.g., Pine, Yellow, Palm, and Yellow-rumped) and other neotropical migrants.
What to expect: We will walk ~1.5 miles over lawn and gravel paths with gently rolling terrain.
Audience: Adults and children aged 12 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please!
What to bring: Dress for the weather. Wear comfortable walking shoes that can withstand a bit of early morning dew on the grass. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
Wildflower Walk at the Thompson Wildlife Management Area
1:00-3:00 PM Tuesday, April 28th
Hunt for spring ephemeral wildflowers on the Trillium Trail with a plant expert!
Learn to recognize our spring wildflowers in their native habitat. Scout for trilliums, orchids, and other spring wildflowers alongside Blandy’s Assistant Curator for the Native Plant Trail Jack Monsted.
What to expect: We will walk ~1.5 on hiking trails with occasional steep uphill and downhill sections, stopping frequently to observe flowers.
Audience: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please!
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle. Bug spray suggested (gnats). If you’d like, bring materials to take notes and a favorite wildflower field guide or smart phone identification app (e.g., iNaturalist).
Where to meet: Meet at the Thompson Wildlife Management Area Trillium Parking Lot (directions provided following registration).
Registration required.
Spring Migrants Bird Walk
8:00-10:00 AM Friday, May 1
Spring (migration) has sprung! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr in search of early breeding warblers (e.g., Pine, Yellow, Palm, and Yellow-rumped) and other neotropical migrants.
What to expect: An outdoor program. We will walk around 1.5 miles over lawn and gravel paths with gently rolling terrain.
Audience: Adults and children aged 12 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please!
What to bring: Dress for the weather! Wear comfortable walking shoes that can withstand a bit of morning dew from the grass. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required. Registration link coming soon!
Blandy at 100 Tour
10:00-11:30 AM Wednesday, May 6th
Blandy has a big birthday coming up---we're turning 100! Find out about a century of research and discovery on this guided tour of the arboretum grounds.
What to expect: An outdoor program. We will walk around 1 mile over lawn and gravel paths with gently rolling terrain.
Audience: Adults and children aged 12 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please!
What to bring: Dress for the weather! Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a full water bottle.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required. Registration link coming soon.
Blandy at 100: A Century of Scientific and Community Contributions
Quorum: The Communities That Give Rise to Scientific Discoveries
2:00-4:00 PM Sunday, May 17th
The “lonely genius” stereotype of a scientist laboring alone may be true for some folks, but most of the scientists we know do their best work as part of a team. You need a good group of collaborators to help you brainstorm ideas, de-bug your computer program, corral a loose bee in the lab, and bring you an iced coffee after seven hours of hot summer vegetation surveys. Blandy has been home to a vibrant research and education community for 100 years. This is a place where people together come to learn about the natural world---from first graders on field trips, to research students in college, to citizen scientists checking bluebird boxes. Hear stories about the power of learning together from Blandy K-12 Director Harrison Jackson, current Blandy students, and citizen scientists.
What to expect: Talks followed by a discussion in the Blandy library. Time and weather permitting, we may also go on a short walk outdoors to see points of interest featured in the talk.
Light refreshments provided (it’s a birthday celebration, after all!).
Audience: These programs are designed for adults.
Where to meet: The library at the Quarters building.
Can’t make it? Recordings of the program will be available online.