Calendar of Events & Activities
Placer Nature Center, located in Auburn, CA, offers classes, activities, and events for families and children, including preschoolers, in wildlife, astronomy, reptiles, gardening, art, insects, watershed, ecology & environmental science, and much more! Come see how much fun environmental education can be!
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All events are located at Placer Nature Center unless otherwise noted.
For local events and activities at other nonprofits, see our Local Events Page.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
September
Sept 3, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Fact, Fantasy & Folklore:
Fabulous Fungus - First Friday Lecture
The Sierra Nevada range offers perfect growing conditions for the Giant Sawtooth, a batch of Witch’s Butter and Dog Vomit Slime Mold. They are maligned, kicked, or avoided as “toadstools,” but from slimy blobs to cute little buttons, mushrooms come in all shapes, textures, colors, and sizes and are critical components of the Sierra ecosystem. Dr. Michael Davis, Professor of Plant Pathology at UC Davis, will discuss mushrooms as important parts of a healthy ecosystem.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Takes place at: Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Sept 11, Sat 11am-2pm
Meet an Oak - Friends & Family Day
You see them all around - but have you ever been up close and personal with an Oak? Oak woodlands provide food, water and shelter for approximately 350 species! They are also the basis of watersheds that protect drinking water for millions of Californians. Many activities with leaves, acorns and bark will help you know, identify and care for our local oaks.
Great for ages 4+; Nature Shop open.
Free to members and children. General Public is $5/adult.
Sept 13, Saturday, 9:30am-11:30pm
Free class for tots, preschoolers and their families -
Our Day Outside
Acorn Munchers - Who eats all those Acorns?
Explore, wiggle, sing, hike, do crafts and more with your 0-5 year old child. This special class engages the family in strategies to use nature play to aid in your child's physical, mental and emotional development. Class made possible by a grant from Placer First 5. *Spanish interpreter is always in attendance! Read more here about this series....
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
October
Oct.1, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Oceans of History: Our Changing Seas - First Friday Lecture
Since we can't look into the future, we must turn to the past to reconstruct climate on our planet. Join Dr. Howard Spero to look through a window to climatic conditions in ancient glacial times using seashells.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Takes place at: Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Oct. 9, Saturday,
11am-2pm
Super heroes of the Night: Bat Education Day - Friends & Family Day
Meet some of these strange, interesting and extremely important creatures! See them up close and face the myths, our fears and why we need them. Learn about how they live, what they eat and why it is so important to protect them and the challenges they face today.
Free to members and children;
Free to members and children, General Public is $5/adult. Nature Shop open.
Oct.16, Saturday, 9:30am-11:30pm
Free class for tots, preschoolers and their families -
Our Day Outside
Bats & Spiders: Halloween's Nature
Explore, wiggle, sing, hike, do crafts and more with your 0-5 year old child. This special class engages the family in strategies to use nature play to aid in your child's physical, mental and emotional development. Class made possible by a grant from Placer First 5. *Spanish interpreter is always in attendance! Read more here about this series....
Oct. 16, Saturday,
6pm-8pm
Stars for Friends & Families!
Learn about the basics of astronomy from a world-renowned comet hunter! You will also get to practice your new skills by searching the night sky using a telescope! $6.00 per person.
Registration, tickets and more information...
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
November
Nov 5, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Living with Nature - First Friday Lecture
Join naturalist and retired Sierra College biology professor Joe Medeiros on an armchair tour of the wildlife and habitats of Western Placer County and learn how to attract, nurture and protect the wild plants and animals that share our yards and neighborhoods.Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Takes place at: Utility Exploration Center, Roseville
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts. & Copy Center and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Nov 13, Saturday,
11am-2pm
Carnivorous Plants - Friends & Family Day
Did you know we have native carnivorous plants in California; like the Cobra Lilly? Learn about what they eat, where they grow and how they catch their food.
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open. Free to members and children, General Public is $5/adult.
Nov 20, Saturday, 9:30am-11:30pm
Free class for tots, preschoolers and their families -
Our Day Outside
Creeping Crawlers: Worms, Bugs & Slugs in the Soil
Explore, wiggle, sing, hike, do crafts and more with your 0-5 year old child. This special class engages the family in strategies to use nature play to aid in your child's physical, mental and emotional development. Class made possible by a grant from Placer First 5. *Spanish interpreter is always in attendance! Read more here about this series....
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
December
Dec 3, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Greening Your Holidays - First Friday Lecture
Join Marie Brown, interior designer and owner of Eco-Chic Design, to explore ways to decorate, wrap and gift green this season by using the latest in green materials and supporting businesses and organizations that produce and sell socially and environmentally responsible products.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm. Takes place at:
Utility Exploration Center, Roseville
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Dec 11, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
2011 Calendar
January
Jan. 7, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
400 Years of the Telescope - First Friday Lecture
Kris Koenig will lead us through a stunning chronicle of the history of the telescope from the time of Galileo, its profound impact upon the science of astronomy, and how both shape the way we view ourselves in the midst of an infinite universe.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Jan 8, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
February
Feb 4, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Human Populations & Genetics: Past, Present & Future- First Friday Lecture
Using what we know about past and present populations, Dr. Beth Shook will steer us into the future through genetics, anthropology of science and human variation.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Feb 12, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
March
Mar 4, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Everything in the Universe: Extreme Science - First Friday Lecture
Back by popular demand, Dr. Paul Doherty explores the largest thing to the smallest thing in our universe. Get hands-on with with mind-blowing scientific discoveries and prepare to be amazed!
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn, 49er Printing & Copy Center and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Mar 12, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
April
Apr 1, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Oil on the Brain - First Friday Lecture
Join journalist and award-winning author of “Oil on the Brain” Lisa Margonelli for an entertaining yet sobering look at the oil industry and our need to reduce our dependency on petroleum-based products.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Utility Exploration Center, Roseville
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn, 49er Printing & Copy Center and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
Apr 9, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
May
May 6, Friday, 7:30pm-9:30pm
A Solitary Life: Our Native Bees - First Friday Lecture
1,600 species of native California bees have a special evolutionary history with 6,000 different kinds of native flowering plants – they only emerge when the flowers are in bloom. Different than the well-known European Honey Bee, learn about and explore the life cycle of these fascinating little creatures and the plants that depend on them.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary fresh produce samples from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Lecture starts at 7:30pm.
Old State Theater, downtown Auburn
This lecture series is made possible by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Waste Connections, Inc., FM Graphics, Inc., 49er Printing & Copy Center, Foothills Farmer’s Market, Unity of Auburn and Auburn Placer Performing Arts.
May 14, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
June
Jun. 11, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
July
Jul. 9, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top
August
Aug. 13, Saturday,
11am-2pm
TBA - Friends & Family Day
Great for ages 3+; Nature Shop open.
$2.50 per Person; Members are Free.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Top