Program Calendar

Tours and programs at the Nature Center are FREE, so bring the family!

September 2026
  • 9/5 Saturday & 9/6 Sunday: Closed for Labor Day Weekend.
  • 9/12 Saturday, 10 – 11 AM: “Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Breath & Heart teacher. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature, and yourself! (Second Saturday of each month.) Open for tours after.
  • 9/13 Sunday, 2 PM: “Muscling in on Movement” Come and learn more, with Twizzlers Candy as a model! Presented by Isabel Stierle, biology professor emerita.
  • 9/19 Saturday: Discover, Explore, Learn! History, nature, & science tours & peacock sightings!
  • 9/20 Sunday, 2 PM: Have you ever wondered “What’s This Thing?” A history tour of the remaining artifacts of the old “Kern River Park”, with Laura Turner.
  • 9/26 Saturday: Discover, Explore, Learn! History, nature, & science tours & peacock sightings!
  • 9/27 Sunday, 2 PM: “From the Oceans to the Stars” – the Wonder of Science Opportunities in Kern County” with Dave Hanley, science teacher.
August 2026
  • 8/1 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 8/2 Sunday: Open for tours.
  • 8/8 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature, and yourself! (Second Saturday of each month.) Open for tours after.
  • 8/9 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Nature Journaling with Claire Lahorgue. Use your senses to experience & create – plants, animals, birds, the river, the atmosphere of nature – a family activity!
  • 8/15 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 8/16 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Hands on Reptile Experience with snake wrangler Doug Lemmons.
  • 8/22 Saturday, 8 – 10 a.m.: Hart Park “Adopt-A-Park” Cleanup – grabbers, gloves & trash bags provided. Come help us make Hart Part even more beautiful! Open for tours after.
  • 8/23 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Open for tours.
  • 8/29 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 8/30 Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m.: * Hoo Wants to Get Crafty? Owl Crafts drop in with Peghi Webb.
July 2026
  • 7/4 Saturday & 7/5 Sunday: Closed for the 4th of July weekend.
  • 7/11 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature, and yourself!
  • 7/12 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Tule Elk Reserve with Park Ranger Jerilyn Oliveira, our guest presenter. Learn all about the Reserve, its wildlife, and its activities.
  • 7/18 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 7/19 Sunday: Open for tours.
  • 7/25 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 7/26 Sunday, 2 p.m.: ”Water Play Day” Family Fun Activity – make water weenies and play with squirt guns outside in front of the Nature Center. Cool off in the shade while enjoying the water fun! Dave & Jill Hanley will provide supplies, while they last, so bring your own too!
June 2026
  • 6/6 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 6/7 Sunday, 2 p.m.: * “Hangin’ with the Bats” with animal rehabilitation specialist Brooke Stutz, our guest presenter.
  • 6/13 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature. (Second Saturday of each month.)
  • 6/14 Sunday, 2 p.m.: * “100 Years of Peacocks at Hart Park” with Peghi Webb. Learn all about peacocks as well as their history at Hart Park.
  • 6/20 Saturday, 8 – 10 a.m.: Hart Park “Adopt-A-Park” Cleanup – grabbers, gloves & trash bags provided. Come help us make Hart Part even more beautiful! Open for tours after.
  • 6/21 Sunday: Open for tours on Father’s Day!
  • 6/27 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 6/28 Sunday, 2 p.m.: * ”Snail Races” A Family Activity – how do you make a snail go faster? Experience the fine art of snail races with your teacher, snail slime master Dave & Jill Hanley. Who will be the winner? (Snails provided.)
May 2026
  • 5/2 Saturday & 5/3 Sunday: Closed for Cinco de Mayo weekend.
  • 5/9 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m.: ”Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature. (Second Saturday of each month.)
  • 5/10 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Flintknapping, the native skill of making arrowheads with guest presenter Gary Pickett. Gary teaches this craft the first Sunday of each month at Hart Park.
  • 5/16 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 5/17 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Panning for Kern River Gold, a Family Program with Dave & Jill Hanley. Learn how to pan for gold in the front yard of the Nature Center.
  • 5/23 Saturday & 5/24 Sunday: Closed for Memorial weekend.
  • 5/30 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 5/31 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Wind Wolves Preserve with guest presenter Caroline Ruiz, Program Facilitator. Learn about cultural history, the wildlife corridor & free range native animal species of Kern, native trees & shrubs, & nature camps for elementary schools.
April 2026
  • 4/4 Saturday & 4/5 Sunday: CLOSED EASTER WEEKEND.
  • 4/11 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m. Breathe with the Trees with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature.
  • 4/11 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 4/12 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Wildflowers of Kern County & Beyond with Paul Gipe & Nancy Nies, guest presenters. See the beauty of this year’s wildflowers, without the long hike!
  • 4/18 Saturday, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.: Hart Park Adopt-A-Park Cleanup – grabbers, gloves & trash bags provided. Come help us make Hart Part even more beautiful! Open for tours after.
  • 4/19 Sunday, Noon – 3:30 p.m.: Earth Week Celebration with outdoor exhibits to learn about reptiles, geology & minerals, plants, earthquake faults, and more!
  • 4/25 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 4/26 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Birds of Bakersfield – Images and bird calls with David Schaad.
March 2026
  • 3/1 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Nature Journaling for Adults with guest presenter Claire Lahorgue. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on the ground outside. Journals will be provided.
  • 3/7 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 3/8 Sunday, 2 p.m.: History of Boating in Hart Park with guest presenter Bart Huffman.
  • 3/14 Saturday, 10 – 11 a.m.: Breathe with the Trees with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature.
  • 3/14 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 3/15 Sunday, 1 – 3:30 p.m.: Family Kite Day with Dave & Jill Hanley. Free kites provided!
  • 3/21 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 3/22 Sunday, 2 p.m.: Nature Journaling for Parents & Children with guest presenter Claire Lahorgue. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on the ground outside. Journals will be provided.
  • 3/28 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 3/29 Sunday, 12 – 3:30 p.m.: Peacock Party!!! Celebrate 100 years of Peacocks at Hart Park for National Peacock Day, with prizes, peacock photo backdrop, peacock crafts, and more!
February 2026
  • 2/14, 10-11 a.m.: ”Breathe with the Trees” with Robin Carpenter, Heart Rhythm Meditation leader. Experience how your breath can connect you more deeply with nature (and your valentine!)
  • 2/14 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 2/15 Sunday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
  • 2/21 Saturday, 10 a.m. – 12 noon: Hart Park “Adopt-A-Park” Cleanup – grabbers, gloves & trash bags provided. Come help us make Hart Part even more beautiful! Open for tours after!
  • 2/22 Sunday, 2 p.m.: “What’s This Thing?” A closer look at relics of the past within the historic “Kern River Park” with Laura Turner.
  • 2/28 Saturday: Explore the Historic 1939 W.P.A. Adobe Nature Center & visit the peacocks.
Home