GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — The pristine night skies of the north shore will be familiar to most in the region, but anyone who wants to learn more about the stars they see above may be interested in a trip south of the border.
The 2024 Dark Sky Festival, a celebration of the night sky, will be taking place Dec. 12, 13 and 14 in Grand Marais, Minn.
“We are really proud of how this festival has evolved over the past six years,” said Linda Jurek, executive director of Visit Cook County, which organizes the festival.
“From the experts at NASA, to photography tips from professionals to personal experiences of the night sky - all of these stories continue to deepen our appreciation and understanding of the night sky by connecting the human experience with science.”
The festival will feature activities for attendees of all ages, such as guided night sky viewing, dark sky dinners, educational presentations, family-friendly programming, live performances and storytelling.
Stargazing opportunities include a guided tour of the cosmos with the Marshall W. Alworth Planetairum’s mobile planetarium complete with telescopes to view the night sky (weather permitting) as well as opportunities to go on small group tours with night vision monoculars where participants will have the opportunity to see both the stars and wilderness at night.
New for this year, the festival’s programming will include a presentation on astrophotography and panel discussion about astrotourism from organized by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
In addition to presentations, there will be a book signing with visiting author Stephanie Vermillion whose new book “100 Nights of a Lifetime” is being released over the weekend. Along with an interactive dance performance by Morgan Thorson inspired by the night sky.
To find the full schedule and more details visit the website.