Saturday, August 23 | High Lonesome Nature Reserve
Saturday, August 23 will be a day to look, touch, and learn at High Lonesome Nature Reserve near Pakenham, ON. It’s the annual Festival of the Wild Child, hosted by the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT). The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, August 24.
This year’s theme, “See Nature Differently,” invites children and their families to explore nature through new lenses. Botanists, artists, researchers, and naturalists will help visitors discover the outdoors in unexpected ways and inspire kids of all ages to explore and enjoy the natural world around them.
“As parents, we might see nature as one big picture—forests, fields, birds, animals. We don’t always notice the little things. But Mylie and Drew see nature differently. They’ll run outside in their pajamas if they see a butterfly. They stop to watch a trail of ants carrying a leaf or peer into puddles looking for water bugs. Mylie loves trees—touching the bark and watching how the leaves move in the wind. Drew brings home rocks and feathers and makes imaginary bugs and animals. Even the squirrels and chipmunks in our yard have names!” – Ashleigh, parent
If your children are anything like Mylie and Drew, bring them to the 2025 Festival of the Wild Child. Maybe there’s a budding scientist or artist in your family just waiting to be inspired.
Explore meadows, forests, and ponds along some of the reserve’s 8 km of trails. Our experts will show you frogs in the stream, butterflies in the meadow, birds in the trees—and maybe even fairies in the woods!
Admission is $10 per adult. Children and youth under 16 are free. Pre-registration is encouraged at mmlt.ca/events. Free parking is available on-site, and food and drinks will be available for purchase. Visitors are kindly asked to leave pets at home to protect local wildlife.
More details, including a full activity list and Wild Child t-shirts, can be found at mmlt.ca/events.
MMLT would like to thank the municipality of Mississippi Mills, Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists’, and Almonte Civitan Club for sponsoring this year’s event.
