Guided Walks and Workshops
There will be guided walks and workshops available at the Arts Park, Mariposa County Park, Mariposa Creek Parkway, Mariposa Fairgrounds and family farm locations.
Bird walks, a grape stomp, nuggets of information from the California Mining & Mineral Museum, get the dirt on growing, irrigation, erosion control at the Native Plant Demonstration Garden and much more.
Early Birds
Location #5
Saturday 8:30am-10:00am
Join Lowell Young of the Yosemite Area Audubon Society for a beginners' bird walk. Discover the pleasures of identifying birds by sight and sound and watching their behavior. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Mariposa's Flying Jewels
Mariposa Fairgrounds conference room
Saturday 1:00-2:00pm
Barbara Robinson is a USGS Master Hummingbird Bander and is currently working on a hummingbird population genetics study with UC Davis. Join Barbara who will be giving a power point presentation on hummingbirds as seen in the Sierra Foothills. There will be an emphasis on the identification of the various species.
Learning the Importance of Soil & Eating it too! (children's activity)
Mariposa County Park
Saturday 10:00am-2:00pm (ongoing)
Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm (ongoing)
Using visuals, the Junior Master Gardeners will show you why our soil is the way it is, how it is formed, what lives at the different levels and why it is important to take care of the soil around us. The children, using puddings, Oreo cookies, butterscotch and chocolate chips, coconut and gummy worms, will make their own levels of soil in a plastic cup and then get to eat it!
Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (children's activity)
Saturday 10:00am-2:00pm (ongoing)
Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm (ongoing)
Using pumpkin pie ingredients, the Junior Master Gardeners will show the children how to make their own pumpkin pie on the spot, topped with the traditional whipped cream! There will also be information about growing pumpkins, facts and stories about pumpkins.
Bear Cub Scouts Tomato Experiments
Mariposa County Park
Saturday 10am-2:00pm
Sunday 10am-2:00pm
Bear Cub Scouts are earning their science belt loop. They will be presenting their finds about tomatoes. Their main objective has been to use the scientific method to answer questions. Do all varieties of tomatoes that they test behave in the same way? What does tomato DNA look like? Is it the same in appearance with all varieties tested? Which tomato variety has the highest acidity? How do the same varieties of tomato seeds develop in different soil types? These are but a few questions that the Bear Cubs hope to find the answers to.
Make Friendship Garden Jars (children's activity)
Mariposa County Park
Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
Children will create a special gift for their mom, grandma or a special person that loves to garden. A jar will be packed with up to 100 garden items. There will be birds, insects, frogs, garden mirrors, garden gate keys, turtles, bumble bees, charms, beads, mushrooms, fruits, butterflies of all shapes and colors, many inspirational phrases and so much more. Each jar will be made by a little person's hands and perfect to set on a potting bench all year long.
Scavenger Hunt
Mariposa County Park
Sunday 1:00pm-2:00pm
There will be a fun scavenger hunt for children from 1:00pm-2:00pm Sunday. Visit the Bear Cub Scout booth first to decorate your own bag and get started on your adventure.
How to Sharpen Tools the Right Way
Mariposa Creek Parkway
Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
The Master Gardeners are again providing training in garden too sharpening. This is just in time for cleaning garden tools for winter storage. The Master Gardeners will demonstrate tool sharpening and local residents are invited to bring one tool, such as a hoe or shovel, to be sharpened. Please limit this to one tool per family. Handouts about tool sharpening will be provided which will include the sharpening tools needed and how to winterize tools.
Landscaping with California Native Plants
Mariposa Creek Parkway
Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
California native plants are well suited for the landscape because they are climate and site appropriate. They have taken thousands of years to uniquely adapt to the local environment, evolving with local weather, soil, and micro-organisms. Natives promote bio-diversity, evolving along with birds, bees, bugs and animals of the area, as part of a balanced eco-system. In addition, they are water thrifty and drought tolerant and look right with the natural landscape. Visit the Master Gardener booth to discover sources for seeds and plants; when and how to plant California natives; tips for care and maintenance and resources for identifying natives where you live, landscaping with native plants and more.
Master Gardener Information Booth
Mariposa Creek Parkway
Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
The Master Gardeners will have an information booth. Pest notes will be available, workshop information handy, resource books ready for reference for most questions. Bring your gardening questions. Learn about the many services the Master Gardener Volunteers provide to this community. In addition, we will have a lattice with photos illustrating the growth of the native plant garden over time. Guided tours of the garden will be provided upon request.
Sierra Foothill Beekeeper Association
Mariposa Arts Park
Saturday
10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm
See an observation hive and learn all about beekeeping. There will be brochures, educational information on how to set-up and maintain a bee hive and what equipment you need.
California's Mining Heritage
Mariposa Fairgrounds at CA State Mining & Mineral Museum
Sunday 11:00am-12:00pm
Museum guide Randy Bolt will give a slide presentation showing the rapid changes that took place in California starting with the Gold Rush. The rise of the mining industry, lumber industry, tourism industry and our agricultural empire, all have their roots in the Gold Rush.
Find out how mining progressed from simple panning, to large industrial operations that employed thousands and built the state's early infrastructure.
The slide program will be followed by a guided tour of an exhibition mine tunnel. Their Junior Ranger program is also available for children 7-12 yrs. old.
Old Fashion Grape Stomp
Location #1
Saturday 3:00pm-5:00pm
The Casto’s will have grape bins filled with grapes for you to stomp. Visit Mount Bullion Vineyard between 3pm and 5pm Saturday, September 24 for a good old-fashioned grape stomp. Foot washing is necessary. It’s just fun and a little slippery and there will be purple feet galore. There’s nothing to win, but watching smiles on faces. Here’s hoping that the grapes and Mother Nature will cooperate with our schedule so we will have some grapes to harvest for the stomping. Just for the record, we will not be able to bottle these grapes. Come and join in the fun.
More information will be added as it becomes available.