Community Programs
Introduce your family to the wriggly world of the gecko . Create memorable art from your personal momentos. Learn how fire is a natural part of this region's ecology. Turtle Bay has a wide variety of classes, programs and activities to help you explore the world. For a current listing, take a look at our calendar of events.
members only!
Winter in the Woods: An Olde Fashioned Christmas
Friday, December 12, 6 - 9 p.m.
Come enjoy a members-only evening of holiday cheer and tasteful shopping!
• Take a stroll down the twinkling lights of the boardwalk
• Get first choice from special Holiday merchandise
• Listen to holiday music
• Buy one-of-a-kind gifts directly from local artisans
• Meet Santa
• Children’s activities provided
Free.
Turtle Bay Museum Store
Ongoing classes & tours
Little Explorers
Mondays through December 15 (except November 24 and December 22 & 29), 10 a.m.
Activities and stories for 2 - 5 year-olds and their parents. Free with Park admission.
Meet at Visitor Center
Children's Garden Tour: Charlie Rabbit and His Friends
First Saturday of every month, 9:30 a.m.
An interactive program in the Gardens (or Greenhouse in rain) for children, their siblings, parents and grandparents. Join Charlie, our adorable jack rabbit puppet, in various gardening activities. Wear your favorite gardening clothes! Free with Park or Garden admission.
Meet at West Garden Entrance - off N. Market Street on Arboretum Drive (next to McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery)
A Walk with the Horticulture Manager
Last Saturday of every month, 9:30 a.m.
Bring your camera and notepad as we delve into the Gardens’ incredible variety of plants, their growing requirements and uses. There’s something new to see every month! Free with Park or Garden admission.
Meet at West Garden Entrance - off N. Market Street on Arboretum Drive (next to McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery)
Lectures & Programs
Wednesday Night Out: Forest Forum
Northern California Forests Ablaze: Fires Past, Present and Future
Wednesday, October 15, 7 p.m.
Jim K. Agee, Emeritus Professor of Forest Ecology at the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, helps clear the smoke from the air on this burning issue. Dr. Agee will examine the forest management issues of Northern California and how this summer’s fires have been affected by our past management. Free.
Visitor Center Theater
Gunfight at Turtle Bay Corral
Saturday, October 18, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Watch a “real”, live Old West gunfight! Redding’s reenactor group, the Law Dawgs and Pistoleros of the Old West, pace off and draw in this Olde West shootout. Free with Park admission.
McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens – Carl & Leah’s Meadow
Plant Talk: Ornamental Grasses in the Garden
Saturday, October 18, 10 a.m. - noon
Ornamental grasses, rushes, sedges and restios have earned their place in the garden. Grasses have a variety of forms, sizes and textures and require very little maintenance. Join Turtle Bay Horticulture Manager Lisa Endicott for this informative class. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Garden Workshop: Hand-Crafted Planters
October 25, 8 - 10 a.m., 10 a.m. - noon & 1 - 3 p.m.
ALL CLASSES FILLED!
Hypertufa is a fun-to-make lightweight garden container made from concrete, peat moss and sand that will look great in your garden! Wear your grubby clothes and leave with your own planters and lots of new ideas. Space is limited to 10/class. Members $20, nonmembers $25
McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery
Plant Talk: Designing Garden ‘Rooms’
Saturday, November 1, 10 a.m. - noon
Landscape designer Karen McGrath explores wonderful options for designing “garden rooms” that expand outdoor living space and create beautiful views from inside, too. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Culture Shock: Cocktails with the Geckos
Friday, November 7, 7 - 10 p.m.
Hey lounge lizards! Grab your polyester suits and spend a night with some real lizards of the gecko variety. Swirl your Lizard Lemon Drop, take a tour through the galleries and check out the bulgy-eyed, sticky-toed geckos.
Members $4, nonmembers $5
Turtle Bay Museum
Plant Talk: Building Great Soil Organically
Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. - noon
Learn how to create happy, healthy garden soil without fertilizers and pesticides. Leimone Waite of Shasta College and Ken Waranius “the compost tea guy” will enlighten you on microbes, soil structure and other important
soil secrets. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Family Second Saturday: CSI day
Saturday, November 8, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Hod does your local law enforcement organization keep your community safe? Come and meet many of the professionals who put their lives at risk doing these very important jobs. Enjoy many fun family activities, including child identification, solving a fun mystery, and learning about law enforcement careers. Free with Park admission.
Turtle Bay Museum
Forest Forum and Apple Pie Evening: The History of the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference and Memorable Individuals Who Have Contributed to Its Success
Thursday, November 13, 7 p.m.
Nadine Bailey, the Executive Director of the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference, and Bill Dennison, the past Executive Director will give a presentation concerning the annual event which takes place at the Shasta County Fairgrounds in Anderson, CA. The forum includes interesting anecdotes about conferences past, and an inside look at the characters who have helped make it a success. Free.
Paul Bunyan Forest Camp – Mill Building
Antique & Modern American Military Firearm Identification Day
Saturday, November 15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Learn the real story of that antique firearm in your attic. Bring your unloaded antique or modern American military firearm for expert identification. Safety check provided by Redding Lions Breakfast Club. $3 per firearm
Museum Classroom (Enter through Turtle Bay Visitor Center)
Plant Talk: Rose Selection, Pruning, and Care
Saturday, November 15, 10 a.m. - noon
Join noted local rosarian Dean Davis for an in-depth talk about selecting, pruning, planting, and care of the many different varieties of roses for your garden. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Wednesday Night Out: The Significance of the Colt Revolving Firearm
Wednesday, November 19, 7 p.m.
Speakers John Kopec, Patrick Jones, & Sterling Fenn will present the history of the Colt Revolving Firearm. Discover how Samuel Colt got his start, the impact of the Colt firearm on the US & the world, and other interesting information. Members $3, nonmembers $5
Visitor Center Theater
Mosaic Workshop: Memory Jars with Colleen Barry
Saturday, November 22, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Learn this easy direct application mosaic technique to embellish a vessel with small personal mementos. Join
Redding artist Colleen Barry, creator of Turtle Bay’s Mosaic Oasis, for a fun one day workshop. Basic materials
provided, bring your “junk & treasures”. Call 242-3108 to pre-register. Space limited.
$65 members, $80 nonmembers
Museum Classroom
Culture Shock : A Western Winter
Friday, December 5, 7 - 10 p.m. (Music at 8 p.m.)
Celebrate the rustic glamour of the wild west! Tour Pistols: Dazzling Firearms and enjoy Alt-Country "Screaming Gulch" from Oregon with all your sharp-shootin' friends. Rope and lasso lessons will be given all night to help you become the cowboy you've always dreamed of becoming. Members $4, nonmembers $5
Turtle Bay Museum
Garden Workshop: Holiday Wreath Making
Saturday, December 6, 9 a.m. - noon
Floral designer and instructor Darlene Montgomery leads this creative and fun holiday workshop. Each participant will create their own fresh, full-size holiday wreath for the front door or family room. All materials provided. Space limited to 12 participants, adults and youth 16+. Members $35, nonmembers $40
JSS Classroom
Plant Talk: Controlling Exotic Noxious & Invasive Weeds
Saturday, December 6, 10 a.m. - noon
Get practical information from expert Randy Smith on how to identify and eradicate Giant Reed Grass, Himalayan Blackberry, Ailanthus trees and other invaders that take over northern California landscapes and waterways. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Plant Talk: The Joy of Indoor Gardening
Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m. - noon
Do you love houseplants but end up loving them to death? With a personal collection of over 100 houseplants, Turtle Bay Horticulture Manager Lisa Endicott shares techniques for successful indoor gardening. Members $6, nonmembers $8, Turtle Bay volunteers $3
Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office – 1135 Arboretum Drive
Family Second Saturday: Holiday Festival
Saturday, December 13, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Get ready for those holiday presents by creating a few of your own! Make ornaments or popcorn chains for your tree or create a personal gift for your family. Spread the holiday cheer all the way to the birds with our peanut butter pinecone bird feeders. Free with Park admission.
Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp – Mill Building
