Parks and Recreation Events

Spend time outdoors this spring and summer at beautiful Detweiler Park and Lykens Glen Park enjoying "Doe's Dandelions" by Laura Renauld and illustrated by Jennie Poh. Dauphin County Parks and Recreation and Penn State Health are excited to provide a new interactive Storywalk® book selection for the spring and summer seasons.

Visit naturally inspired trailside creations along Wildwood Park’s wandering trails and wetlands. Using mostly natural materials, artists have constructed large and small installations. This year’s theme is “Pathways.” A map-brochure about the exhibit is available online, at the kiosks or inside the Nature Center. Art In the Wild is Presented by the Mooney family foundation.

Enjoy a moderately paced walk around Wildwood Lake while enjoying the trees and animals at the park. This will be a walk on paved, gravel, and dirt surfaces. You can choose to walk only a portion, then turn around at any point if you would like to customize the length of your walk to your individual fitness goals.

Learn to make a beautiful green sea turtle mosaic in this workshop hosted by Amanda from Mosaic Montage. This is a beginner-level workshop, no prior experience is needed! During the class, you will get to pick from multiple shades of machine-tumbled stained glass to create your one-of-a-kind decorated sea turtle. You will learn the basics of making a mosaic and about the supplies needed to create your work of art. Since the glass is machine-tumbled, it is sea glass smooth and safe to handle for ages 8 and older. You will be able to take your sea turtle home with you at the end of the class. All materials needed for this workshop will be supplied to you as part of your registration fee. You will be provided with a 10” tall sea turtle cutout that is painted green, water-based glue, and an array of beautiful stained glass pieces to pick from. Class length is approximately 2 hours. A Park Rx wellness program sponsored by Highmark Blue Shield. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited.

Are you ready to laugh your way to wellness? Join us for a unique and joyful experience that combines laughter and yoga to boost your mood and well-being! Join instructor Erika Malorzo from CommUNITY Yoga Space for Laughter Yoga! What to expect at Laughter Yoga: Bring more oxygen to the body and brain, foster positive feelings and energize yourself with laughter. Laughter yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh for no reason. It combines laughter exercise and yoga breathing. No yoga experience is necessary. This class will be very interactive and there will be a whole lot of laughing going on. This class will take place outside on the beautiful grounds of Fort Hunter Park overlooking the Susquehanna River.

The sights and sounds of nature inspire music, engineering and art! In this Outdoor Art Girl Scout program, scouts are invited to meet and work with an artist, take a hike to explore designs in nature and then, create their own art as they fulfill requirements for their appropriate badge. Scouts will also examine and discuss Art In The Wild installations crafted by artists and organizations along our trails and contribute to a new all-scout, upcycled bottle-cap mural to be displayed at Wildwood Park. Please bring a drink, snack and lunch. Dress for indoor and outdoor activities in clothes that may get dirty and wear sneakers or other closed-toed shoes. Space is limited. Pre-registration required.

Join Certified Sound Therapist, Matthew Kramer for a Community Sound Meditation. Sound Meditations encourage deep listening practices which can create an ideal entry point for a meditative experience, particularly for anyone who has struggled to embrace more traditional forms of meditation.This experience creates space for deep relaxation, calming of the mind, and empowering positive change within oneself. No experience is necessary! A Park Rx wellness program sponsored by Highmark Blue Shield. Pre-registration is required, space is limited.

Adventure Awaits! We’ve partnered with Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association (CATRA) to provide you with some time on their farm having fun and learning to care for miniature horses! A unique opportunity to connect with miniature horses while learning essential skills. Open to children age 5 & older, teens, and adults! Pre-registration is required. Space is extremely limited. Adventure Awaits programs are sponsored by UPMC and supported by Visit Hershey & Harrisburg Adventure Trails.

Develop your inner artist by creating a uniquely painted glass jar! In this creative painting workshop, participants will choose from a selection of glass jars (with lids) to paint. Local artist Chris Pettman will have lots of painting design ideas, so everyone will have their own unique jar when finished. Chris even has templates to use for those who are just beginner painters. For ages 6 -adult. Pre-registration is required, and class size is limited. This is a Park Rx program sponsored by Highmark Blue Shield.

This adventurous wellness program is geared for those interested in learning how to kayak. Enjoy approximately six miles of easy paddling for approximately two hours on the normally gentle, tree lined Swatara Creek. This guided two-hour evening paddle will let you discover firsthand why many are getting involved in this healthy life-long hobby. Guides will provide kayak skill instruction before and during the trip. Participants should be in moderate physical condition and prepared to be physically active. Everything is provided including kayaks, equipment, shuttle, guides, and safety instruction. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Participants must be at least 6 years of age to participate. Participants between ages 6-9 years old must be in a 2-person kayak with a responsible adult. A parent or other responsible adult must participate in the program. No one under the age of 18 can participate without a participating parent, adult family member, or guardian. Adventure Awaits programs are supported by Visit Hershey & Harrisburg Adventure Trail.