The Carter Lake Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska to host an interactive event for Native American History Month. Members of the Tribe will be introducing a fun and interactive hand game for kids. Parents will get to learn more about the Ponca people while the kids get to have fun learning a traditional game from the Tribe. They will also be performing intermittent music and dancing, as well as a short celebration and free tribal food to follow! The event is free and open to everyone. Come learn more about this native Nebraska Tribe while enjoying fun games, dancing, and free food!
Join us for hunting seminars throughout the day:
10 a.m. | Big Game Hunting Regulations
Know the rules before heading out on a hunting trip.
11 a.m. | New Caliber Choices for Big Game Hunting
Learn about the .350 Legend, 6.5 PRC, and more.
12 p.m. | Field to Fork
Explore all of the equipment you need to easily process, package, and prepare your game.
Please join us for the following seminars and samples:
10 a.m. | Holiday Pancakes
Bring your kids to decorate and sample pancakes! We will be handing out a cookie-cutter tin at the end of the pancake demo.
11:30 a.m. | Smoking Made Easy
Get some smoking tips and techniques for the holiday season.
1 p.m. | Turkey Frying
Learn how to fry a tasty holiday turkey.
The first 25 customers to the 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. seminars will receive a wooden coaster set. At the end of each seminar, guests will receive a chance to win a 60 can cooler. Must be present to win.
Learn about the beliefs and lifestyle of the Amish, a community that is close to home, but often unfamiliar to us. Every aspect of Amish lifestyle and beliefs will be covered in the presentation and will include authentic Amish treats! Presented by Don and Dianne Kramer of Dyersville, Iowa This event is free and open to the public!
Are you hosting or traveling to a Thanksgiving dinner? If you answered yes, you won’t want to miss Corum’s Flower Fall Centerpiece Class! Come create a one of kind fall centerpiece to set off your Thanksgiving spread! Class space is limited so click the ticket icon below to grab your tickets today!
Join us for a guided night hike to experience a whole new side of nature at Hitchcock Nature Center. Hit the trails with our naturalist and see what winter holds during this interpretive hike then join us for cookies and cocoa to warm up after your adventure. All ages are welcome to attend this event.
While the hike will not be strenuous it will involve walking on uneven terrain in the dark; please wear appropriate closed-toe shoes. Strollers are not permitted. The cost for this event is $5 per person and includes admission to the park, all programming, and refreshments. Space in this hike is very limited; pre-registration is required to attend. Please visit our website, (click the computer or ticket icon below) for details and to register.
Join us for an informative local history program with local experts, Glenn Pollock and Larry Grill, as they recount the 1820 expedition of Steven Watts Kearny and Andrew Talcott through Iowa. In 1820, 32 people, eight mules, and seven horses traveled from Fort Atkinson to what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota. This presentation will trace their journey through Iowa using the journal writings of Kearny and Talcott. Hear stories of survival and discovery, and learn more about the plant and animal species they encountered during their travels.
The cost for this event is $3 per person and includes admission to the park, all programming, and refreshments. Pre-registration is requested as refreshments will be served. This program is presented as part of our adult education programming; we ask that participants be age 12 and over, please.
Please click the ticket icon below for details and to register online.
Stroll through General Dodge's house and experience life as it was during the time he was in residence. You'll see people throughout the house in period clothing, living and working. General admission; visit our website for pricing.
Join us for this free one-hour session exploring how to handle those audience distractions and distractors. No matter how small the crowd, there will always be those who are distracting and distracted. Spend a short, fun hour learning and practicing how to hold the attention of others. Please enter from the rear of the fire station.
Join Pottawattamie County Conservation for a fantastic evening of trivia and fun! Register your team of two to five participants and compete in an epic nature trivia challenge. Bring your thinking caps because there will be prizes up for grabs from area breweries and wineries.
Guests must be 21 and older. Space is limited so pre-registration is required to attend. Click the ticket icon below for details and online registration.
There is no fee to attend this program; free-will donations are encouraged and appreciated. Donations support continued free and low-cost programming opportunities in Pottawattamie County.
Experience Christmas as it was 150 years ago as you tour by only the lights of the Christmas trees and candles. Enjoy refreshments in the ballroom. Pre-register for $15 by clicking the ticket icon below or pay $20 at the door.
Join us for some winter fun at the Loess Hills Lodge at Hitchcock Nature Center! The Lodge will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21. On Sunday, December 22, the Lodge will be open from 1 to 5 p.m.
Stop in and say hello and do a little last-minute holiday shopping throughout the weekend. Each day we'll have a variety of activities available during regular hours, including a make-and-take craft, indoor games, a coloring contest, and gift shop discounts. The open house is free with park admission and no pre-registration is needed. Click the computer icon below for more details.
