The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center will offer a variety of pioneer style activities and simple frontier crafts for families to share together during "Family Fun Day" the day after Thanksgiving, Friday Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For families with youngsters and holiday visitors looking for an alternative to shopping, the activities will provide opportunities to have fun while learning. Crafts include making beeswax candles, colorful leaf rubbings, and rice cake birdfeeders.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is seeking volunteers to help with several projects on Saturday September 24 as part of National Public Lands Day (NPLD). Saturday is an admission-free day at the Visitors Center in observance of NPLD, normally held on the last Saturday of September. National Public Lands Day started 17 years ago with three sites and 700 volunteers. It has grown every year, and events across the nation last year included over 170,000 volunteers repairing trails, removing trash, restoring habitat and other similar projects.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is offering workshops and activities over the next month to help develop holiday traditions and decorations that are friendly to the environment. Workshops are offered Wednesday, November 16, and Saturday, November 19, to create decorations using recycled materials. The annual Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 4, will feature decorations made from "greener" designs and reclaimed materials.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is offering special activities for families during Spring BreakMarch 21 through 24. One-hour workshops will be offered that detail what happens to plants and animals in the spring. These workshops are held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. Cost is five dollars per session to cover cost of materials.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is offering several living history presentations and "interactive" opportunities for visitors during the month of May. Student Activity Days are offered May 3, 11, 19, and 27th. On Saturday May 22nd, an introductory Dutch Oven cooking class will teach the basics of this outdoor skill, with all equipment and supplies provided at a nominal cost of $20. Memorial Day Weekend May 29th-31st will again bring the annual Wagon Encampment living history event each day from 10:00-2:00.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is offering several activities during President's Weekend, including reopening the popular annual children's exhibit "Wagon's Ho! An Interactive Oregon Trail Experience" Feb. 13, and celebrating Oregon's Birthday Feb. 14. Friday, Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 17 are all free days.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is offering a one-day workshop on Saturday, March 19, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help digital photographers improve their skills. Professional photographer and artist Slade Elbert will provide instruction on composition, light and shadow, seeing small, the basics of flash photography, and photo manipulation on the computer. There is a $25 fee for the workshop, and pre-registration is required. Please call (541) 523-1843 to register.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is hosting the 20th annual Holiday Open House Sunday, Dec. 4 from 1-4 p.m. This free event is sponsored by volunteer group Trail Tenders, and includes activities and entertainment for all ages. Holiday decorations and historically costumed interpreters are a special feature of this community event. This year's decorations are based on a "green" theme with many decorations made from recycled materials by fourth graders from Baker County.