When visiting the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park years ago with my sister Delane in the summer, we both noticed the promotional materials for the winter Bracebridge Dinner and absentmindedly added it to our bucket list as an experience to have at least once in our lifetime. So imagine my pleasant surprise, when I learned my Bracebridge moment would come this year!

Outdoor Afro friends Frank and Audrey Peterman were invited, courtesy of the Deleware North Company, to take part in this historic Christmas Pageant penned by John Muir, as Visiting …

Zoe of the San Francisco Bay Area (CA) wrote in to Outdoor Afro today to share a glimpse of her outdoor adventures this winter. She told us she began cross country skiing just two years ago, and fell in love with the sport!

She writes, “I am an attorney in the [San Francisco] Bay. I moved to the Bay from New York City two years ago because the parks and outdoor spaces are more accessible than in NYC and it was easier to have a work life balance and eat great healthy …

By Outdoor Afro Contributor, Alex Genadinik
Point Reyes National Seashore is too large to hike in its entirety unless you are a marathon hiker! The entire area spans thousands of acres and is large enough to be home to over 1,000 species of pants, birds and animals. If you are planning a hike in the area, you can start at the visitor center like most people, but if you want a real adventure, I suggest you choose a more unforgettable hike like the one to the northern-most point of …

Inspired by recent Outdoor Afro Facebook and Twitter conversations, Virgina State Parks let me know about a recent article they posted, written by John Gresham, about how to enjoy the wonderful changes in the weather — thanks VSP for allowing us to share such a timely post — read on:
For many people, the season to enjoy the state parks is over.  The thermometer barely hits 50 degrees on a warm day.  Snow is in the forecast as early as Thanksgiving in some places.  It seems that the best way to …

By Danielle Lee, Urban Science Adventures
I’ve spent the last week at the 108th Annual Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Missouri. It was a lovely week. I was there doing science outreach, participating in the 4 Days of Hands-on Science Fun which included a Street Science Fair, Show Me Robotics Showcase & Competition, and Aerospace Fun Day. Plus, there were the agricultural exhibits and showcases. I loved it all. it really reminded me of my agricultural roots.
When I was younger, I would go to the Mid-South Fair and Libertyland housed on …

I grew up going to the Lake County fair held each year in that county’s largest city, Lakeport, California, but when back in Oakland, I attended the Alameda County Fair in the outlying sleepy suburb of Pleasanton. These fairs I attended during dusty summers have meant many different things to me over the years. When I was little, the fair meant going on flashy-honky rides with accompanying rock music, or trying to win an impossible game of plastic rings thrown over coke bottlenecks for ridiculously sized stuffed animals. It also …

This week was event-filled for Outdoor Afro where we connected with friends, family, and the community to have fun, and expand the message of outdoor engagement.
The week began with some high-flying times with family and close friends for the Berkeley Kite Festival on what felt like the windiest day of the year. Even if you did not have a kite of your own, there were many beautiful and dynamic kites to see. Some highlights included the kite candy drop; pony rides provided by African American cowboys (more on this …

By Lynne Arrowsmith
Douglas “Birdman” Gray is one of my favorite birders, and he has agreed to share his “Bird of the Month” each month with the Outdoor Afro community. Birding is a hobby almost anyone can do no matter the age, and it can open up a whole new world of recreation and environmental stewardship. Birds are everywhere — from the tallest city skyscrapers to the remote backwoods! With Doug’s help, you can perhaps come to recognize birds found right where you live!
Bird of the Month
Douglas Gray, Outdoor Afro Contributor
Seen …

Rue at 7, circa 1980
Regardless of how patriotic you are, the 4th of July represents family gatherings, fireworks, and great food — all to be experienced outdoors. Growing up, my family spent nearly every 4th of July at our place in Clearlake, California.
Cousins and close family friends would join us for non-stop swimming, hiking, talent shows, and driveway basketball games. Our fathers closely tended the 55-gallon drum that cooked “low and slow” meats seasoned at least two days before. And inside on the kitchen stove, the pressure cooker hissed the readiness …

Yesterday could hardly be considered warm in the Bay Area, with temperatures never jumping above 68 degrees where I live. But it is summer and a weekend, thus me and the kids in my care craved more than a park, we wanted to be near a body of water. So my kids, along with two nieces and a nephew decided to pile in the truck in the afternoon and head to the hills of Tilden Park to spend time at Lake Anza, which is considered the jewel of the East …