Winterfest Celebrates the Season

Hitch up your sleigh or fire up your snowmobile and head to Russell Woods Forest Preserve in Genoa on Saturday, January 19 for their Annual Winterfest Celebration. Enjoy lots of family fun and educational activities! Winterfest is organized by the University if Illinois Extension Natural Resource Education Center.

Russell Woods is located off Route 72 in Genoa, just west of Genoa-Kingston High School.

This FREE event will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and will include Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, Crafts and Activities for children inside the Resource Center, a Digital Scavenger Hunt, Face Painting, Several Hikes, Candle Making, Story Time, a Black Bear Program, and bird watching out the Resource Center windows.

Snacks and Lunch will be available for purchase to help support the local 4-H club.

See full schedule below.

WINTERFEST at the Natural Resource Education Center

Saturday, January 19, 2019

~ SCHEDULE ~

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ~ Crafts & Activities

Make and take crafts with helpful volunteers available to assist. (Large Room)

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ~ Digital Scavenger Hunt

See how many items from our scavenger hunt you can “shoot” with your phone or camera.

The hunt will take you inside and outside the center. (Starts in the Hallway)

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ~ Un-Natural Nature Trail

Walk the paved path and see how many of the picture riddles you can figure out.

Each picture refers to an actual thing in nature.  (Starts in the Hallway)

9:30 to 11:30 a.m. ~ Face Painting

Have a nature item painted on your face or hand.  (Large Room)

10:00 am Family Hike

Take an interpretive, staff led hike through Russell Woods. (Meet Out Front)

10:00 am to 12:00 noon ~ Candle Making

Volunteers will be on hand to assist in the making of hand-dipped candles

(One per person, please)  (Outside in the front circle)

10:30 a.m. ~ Story Time

Join Jacob Handel as he reads The Mitten by Jan Brett.  Children are invited to help

act out the book with our puppets.  (Little Seeds Library)

11:00 a.m. ~ Black Bear Program

Tina Dawson Scott, of Boone County Conservation District, an Education Outreach Speaker by the North American Bear Center in Ely, MN.  Tina will be sharing her experiences with these misunderstood creatures in this one-hour presentation.  (Small Room)

11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ~ Snacks & Lunch

Available for purchase from the Genoa Prairie Gems 4-H Club

(Please help support the 4-H kids)

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ~ Horse Drawn Wagon Rides

Enjoy the winter scenery of Russell Woods Forest Preserve from the comfort of a horse drawn wagon.

(Pick-up and drop-off in front of the Natural Resource Education Center)

2:00 pm Family Hike

End the day with an interpretive family hike through the forest preserve.  (Meet outside)