Programs and Workshops for Adults

*ANIMAL ART: LOVE BUGS 
From the Luna Moth to the Bumblebee, Maryland’s smallest animals can sometimes bring the biggest colors. Join Irvine naturalist Brittany (a MICA-trained artist!) and a collection of colorful insects for an evening of painting. Each artist will get to paint an insect on a small mirror to bring home. Supplies provided.

Instructors: Brittany Roger, Irvine Environmental Educator and MICA-trained artist
Friday, February 14th
6:00 – 8:00PM
Cost: $25/individual
Advance registration encouraged – event will be cancelled if minimum not met

*TERRARIUM BUILDING WORKSHOP 
Create your own mini habitat in this hands-on Terrarium Building Workshop! Using various tiny plants and mosses, you’ll learn how to design a beautiful terrarium in semi-enclosed glass bowls. This workshop is great for anyone 12 years+ to learn how to create and care for their own little environment.

Participants will personalize their terrariums by selecting their plants and a new small world friend such as dinosaur, fairy, or other character. All materials are provided.

Instructor: Colby Bieschke, Director of Summer Nature Camp
Saturday, March 15th, 1:00 – 2:30PM
Cost: $45/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

*ANIMAL ART: FROGS
Frog Day is March 20. Come celebrate your love for frogs with an art class. Learn to draw and paint these tiny, adorable animals on tree cookies! All experience levels welcome.

Instructor: Brittany Roger, Irvine Environmental Educator and MICA-trained artist
Saturday, March 22nd, 2:00 – 4:00PM
Cost: $25/individual
Advance registration encouraged- event will be cancelled if minimum not met.

*DREAM CATCHER WORKSHOP
Have you always wanted to know how to make a dream catcher? Well here is your chance! Learn the art of weaving and create a 7-7 1/2 dream catcher. Hoops, beads, and feathers are provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own personal embellishments they’d like to incorporate. Dream catchers are not only beautiful, but can also be healing, meditative, and give rise to a hidden artistic side you never knew you had! This event is ideal for adults and children ages 12+

Instructor: Michelle Moreau, founder of Circle Of Dawn
Saturday, April 26th, 1:00 – 4:00PM
Cost: $40/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

*PELT TANNING WORKSHOP
Ever wondered about leather, pelt, and how the tanning process works? Join us for a hands-on workshop with educator and hobby pelt-collector Ash Miller to learn about the transformation of animal skin into leather, and practice tanning your own small pelt to take home. Be prepared to make mistakes, use your elbow grease, and learn alongside us! This event is ideal for adults and teens ages 16+

Instructor: Ash Miller, Environmental Educator
Sunday, May 4th, 12:00 – 3:00PM
Cost: $25/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

NATURE EXPLORATION Programs  

*MAPLE MAGIC
It may sound sappy, but there’s magic in our trees at this time of year! Join Irvine’s naturalists for an outdoor hike-n-learn in great taste. Learn how to identify maple trees and why this is peak season for collecting their sap. Practice using a hand drill to experience how trees are tapped, check buckets for sap and see how the sticky fluid is converted into syrup over fires and an evaporator. You’ll even get a taste of this liquid gold as a reward for all the hard work. This event is great for the entire family.

Multiple sessions offered:
Saturday, February 15th, 10:00-11:30AM
Saturday, February 15th, 1:00-2:30PM
Sunday, February 23rd, 10:00-11:30AM
Sunday, February 23rd, 1:00-2:30PM
Saturday, March 1st, 9:00-11:30AM **MEMBERS ONLY Pancake Breakfast**
Cost: $8 (children under 3 are free)
Limited space, pre-registration encouraged.

*AMPHIBIAN NIGHT HIKE
It’s that time of year again when the salamanders and frogs are on the move! You might be hearing them singing in the night, or have seen their jelly-like eggs in nearby bodies of water. Join us for an evening hike to search for and appreciate these unique and slimy creatures that call Irvine’s forests and waterways home. This event is ideal for ages 6+ 

Instructor: Ash Miller, Naturalist and Environmental Educator
Friday, April 25th, 6:00 – 8:00PM
Cost: $8/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

*WORLD CARNIVOROUS PLANT DAY CELEBRATION
Come out to Irvine to learn about and celebrate an amazing group of plants.
Carnivorous plants can be found all around the world including Maryland. During this program we will get to observe various carnivorous plants, participate in various self-lead activities and take a hike to our wetlands in search of some of our native species that occur here. This event is great for families (children ages 4+). 

Instructor: Colby Bieschke, Manager of Nature Camps/ Summer Camp Director
Saturday, May 10th, 10:00AM– 12:00PM
Cost: $10/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

*MACRO MARCH: MACROINVERTEBRATES IN THE STREAM
Join an Irvine educator to learn about benthic macroinvertebrates and their role in determining and contributing to stream health. Hike down to one of our streams and learn a few collection strategies to find and identify some of the benthic macroinvertebrates (and other critters) that call Irvine’s streams home. This event is great for all ages. 

Instructor: Emily Bass, Environmental Educator
Saturday, May 17th, 10:00AM– 12:00PM
Cost: FREE for members, $5 for non-members
Advance registration encouraged.

*BIRDS, BUGS AND BLOOMS: THE HARMONY OF A NATIVE GARDEN- LUNCH & LEARN
What’s all the ‘buzz’ about native plants?
There’s a lot of information around native plants and their importance in our landscape plantings for providing pollinator, insect, and bird habitats. So, how can we digest all the science and plant lists out there, to create rich, enticing  and ecologically sustaining gardens? During this program, native plant expert, Janet Davis, will share her garden design experience and “grower know-how” for creating landscapes with purpose – and beauty – sharing her “5 First Steps and 15 Great Natives” planting method.
TICKETS INCLUDE: catered lunch, presentation, and optional tour of Irvine’s Woodland Garden
Following the luncheon and presentation, Janet will be selling a selection of high-quality native plants from her nursery and will be available to answer questions, offer plant recommendations, and share advice on incorporating native species into your landscape.

Presenter: Janet Davis, expert gardener, grower, and owner of Hill House Farm & Nursery
Wednesday, May 21st
12:00 – 2:00PM
Cost: $30/members*; $40/non-members
*Discount for Pacesetter members and above. 

Irvine’s Lunch & Learn series is presented by Wegmans.
Advanced registration encouraged. Tickets required.

Health and wellness Programs 

QIGONG AND SOUND IMMERSION WORKSHOP
In the first half of this workshop, participants will delve into the ancient practice of Qigong engaging in moving meditations that emphasize deep breathing, opening energy pathways, and fostering a profound mind-body connection. In the second part, participants will relax deeply on their mats immersing themselves in the transformative vibrations and resonant frequencies and tones of singing bowls, drums, and chimes. Together, the practices of Qigong and the auditory journey of Sound Immersion will rejuvenate energy balance, reduce stress, and create harmony within the body, mind, and spirit. This event is ideal for ages 18+. No prior experience needed. All are welcome. 

Instructor: Mary Pinkard, NQA Level II Instructor
Sunday, March 2nd
9:30 – 10:45AM
Cost: $40/participant
Advance registration encouraged. Walkups welcome.

*QIGONG FUSION
Join us for a rejuvenating session of Qigong flow, followed by practical self-massage techniques and meditation. This class is designed to help you release tension, energize your body, and prepare for the spring season by focusing on your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Please bring a mat for the second half of the class or feel free to use a chair that will be provided. Whether you’re looking to improve flexibility, enhance energy flow, or find relaxation, this session will support your mind and body for the season ahead. This event is ideal for ages 18+. No prior experience needed. All are welcome.

Instructor: Michelle Tsonis, GFI
Sunday, April 6th
9:30 – 10:45AM
Cost: $25/participant
Advance registration encouraged. Walkups welcome.

*BEGINNER’S YOGA AND MINDFULNESS HIKE
Join Irvine Animal Care Manager and yoga instructor, Mallory, for a tranquil morning of beginner’s level yoga followed by a mindfulness hike in nature engaging your senses. We will learn simple yoga poses, stretches, and techniques to slow down and return to the present moment. This event is ideal for ages 13+ 

Instructor: Mallory Mlynarek, Animal Care Manager and Environmental Educator
Saturday, April 19th, 10:30AM – 12:00PM
Cost: $12/individual
Advance registration encouraged.

*WORLD TAI CHI DAY 6TH ANNIVERSARY
“One World… One Breath”. This is the motto of World Tai Chi Day- a global event with the sole purpose of promoting personal and global health and healing. People in hundreds of cities, in over 80 nations and 6 continents, will take part in the celebration of Tai Chi. Locally, World Tai Chi Day will take place at Irvine’s Wedding Point, overlooking the Bluebird Meadow. The Mary Pinkard Qigong team will lead participants in a celebration of Tai Chi and Qigong, engaging in various breathing and moving meditations set to calming music, from these two 4,000-year-old practices. This event is ideal for ages 18+. No prior experience needed. 

Instructors: Mary Pinkard, NQA Level II Instructor, and Michele Tsonis,GFI
Saturday, April 26th
9:30 – 10:30AM
Cost: $15/participant
Advanced registration encouraged. Walkups welcome.

*BEGINNER’S YOGA AND MINDFULNESS HIKE
Join Irvine Animal Care Manager and yoga instructor, Mallory, for a tranquil morning of beginner’s level yoga followed by a mindfulness hike in nature engaging your senses. We will learn simple yoga poses, stretches, and techniques to slow down and return to the present moment. This event is ideal for ages 13+ 

Instructor: Mallory Mlynarek, Animal Care Manager and Environmental Educator
Sunday, June 1st, 10:30AM – 12:00PM
Cost: $12/individual
Advance registration encouraged.