Visitors will have two opportunities to explore Nevada's night skies later this month when the second annual Cosmos in the Desert: Northern Nevada's Dark Skies Festival returns to Lahontan State Recreation Area on Friday and Saturday, August 14-15.
The festival will run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. both nights at the Beach 3 Day Use Area on the Silver Springs side of Lahontan State Recreation Area.
Activities will include telescope-assisted stargazing, constellation presentations, wildlife programs, dark skies storytelling, interactive art experiences, local artists and vendors, and educational exhibits from Travel Nevada.
Saturday's events begin at 11 a.m. with a Dutch oven cooking demonstration presented by the Northern Sierra Dutch Oven Group.
Additional family-friendly activities are scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Silver Springs Senior Center, 2945 Fort Churchill St. Visitors of all ages can take part in astronomy-themed arts and crafts, astronomy trivia and other activities before returning to the park for the evening festival.
Lahontan State Recreation Area offers favorable conditions for stargazing because of its relatively low levels of light pollution, allowing visitors to see thousands of stars, the Milky Way, planets and other celestial objects that are often difficult to see in urban areas.
Admission to Cosmos in the Desert is free, although standard park entrance fees apply. Visitors planning to camp during the weekend should also expect regular camping fees.
A complete schedule of events and additional information is available at parks.nv.gov/events.
