Calendar of events
Point Pelee National Park
Take part in a wide range of events, special activities, and memorable experiences in this unique place in Canada! Point Pelee National Park is located in Leamington, Ontario. See our hours of operation, fees, and plan your visit today! For more information, please call 519-322-5700 or email pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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33 upcoming events
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What you need to know for Eclipse viewing at Point Pelee National Park
NatureTime: 07:00 AM - 08:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Regular admissionWheelchair AccessiblePlanning to visit Point Pelee National Park for the solar eclipse April 8th? It is best to be prepared!
The park will be open from 7 am until dusk.
Visitors should be aware that the park will be extremely busy on April 8, and potentially could reach capacity, at which time no additional visitors would be permitted to enter the park. All entry is first come first serve, until the park reaches capacity.
Expect long lineups at the entrance kiosk. Annual pass holders should also expect to wait in line.
Visitors should plan ahead and be prepared to view the eclipse from an alternate location should the park not be able to accommodate them.
Parking
Parking is located throughout the park. Once the Visitor Centre parking lot is full, visitors will be asked to park elsewhere and walk.
Visitors should be prepared to experience the eclipse from various locations in the park, vehicles will be permitted in parking lots from the front gate to the Visitor Centre. South of the Visitor Centre, (the tip area) is accessible by foot, bicycle or by shuttle. As individual parking lots reach capacity, visitors will be redirected to available parking.
The Tip
Vehicle access will not be permitted south of the Visitor Centre. Access to the southern 2 km of the park is by foot, bicycle, or by park shuttle service.
Due to the fragile nature of the tip, access to the area will be limited. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the eclipse from many other areas of the park. All beaches and picnic areas provide open view of the sky, as does the marsh boardwalk.
Programming
Point Pelee National Park is collaborating with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada to provide visitors with a great experience while viewing the solar in eclipse in the park on April 8, 2024. Volunteers from the Royal Astronomical Society Windsor chapter will be on site delivering presentations and providing information to visitors for safe viewing of the eclipse. Details of program times and descriptions will be available on our website in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for further details…
Protecting your sight
Bring eclipse viewing glasses with you. Limited quantities will be available for sale onsite.
Food
Food vendors will be available at the Visitor Centre and the Marsh Boardwalk.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Regional History with Parks Canada
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Join Parks Canada, Fort Malden National Historic Site for a look at Windsor Essex County history.
Visit the living history display at DeLaurier Homestead throughout the day as well!
Program presented by Parks Canada
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Wildflower Walk
NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 02:30 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre
Give your neck a break by looking down instead of up! Learn about the beautiful wildflowers that bloom in May, as well as other plants that might not normally catch your eye. Join Park Ecologist, Tammy Dobbie, for a 1.5-hour walk introducing you to some of the special plants found at Point Pelee.
Registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
Program presented by Parks Canada.
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How to Draw a Sparrow, Presentation with Catherine Hamilton
NatureTime: 07:00 PM - 08:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Catherine Hamilton will present an around-the-world story of how an artist fell full-time into the world of professional birding. Illustrated with drawings, photos, and paintings, the lecture goes from NYC to LA, to Central and South America to Morocco and Nagaland, India, on a whirlwind of constant travel. Catherine set out to learn everything she could about bird species around the globe, but ended up finding deep connections to people and conservation efforts on a distinctly local level, wherever she visited.
Presented by the Friends of Point Pelee.
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Birding with Pride
NatureTime: 09:30 AM - 02:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Northwest Beach Pavilion
Join your hosts, the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) for an open house and birding hikes. Enjoy refreshments and learn about OFO and join experience birders for a morning or early afternoon walk. This walk is a celebration of the LGBTQ2S+ community, but all members of the birding community are welcome.
Hikes – 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
No registration required.
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Birding by Ear with Justin Peter
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Bird vocalizations offer a whole new dimension to finding birds and identifying them! Join Justin to learn the basics of 'birding by ear'. He will share some techniques to get our ears and minds attuned to bird sounds. We'll then perform some fun exercises together to put our skills to the test.
Program provided by Quest Nature Tours.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Bird ID Skills: Moving Beyond Basics
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Comfortable with cardinals and chickadees but looking to take your bird ID to the next level? Learn how to approach identification for any bird, and start developing the skills that will make you a more skilled birdwatcher.
Program provided by Quest Nature Tours.
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Vocal learning in wild birds: A decade-long field study of how, when, and why birds learn to sing with Dr. Dan Mennill
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Young songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds are thought to learn their vocalizations by listening to the voices of adults. This is a behaviour they share with humans. Scientists have studied song learning in wild songbirds for decades, but usually in captive birds. In 2013, Professor Dan Mennill started an ambitious project to study song learning in wild birds. Armed with innovative loudspeakers and digital recorders, Dan and his research team studied song learning in wild Savannah Sparrows. Dan will share the results of his ground-breaking investigation.
Program provided by Dr. Dan Mennill, Professor of Biology
Associate Dean of Science, Graduate Studies and Research
University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada -
Spotlight on Shorebird ID
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
This workshop covers 28 regularly occurring spring migrant and breeding shorebirds, plus 8 rarer species that migrate through southern Ontario to their Arctic breeding grounds. The focus will be on Point Pelee area shorebirds. This workshop is loaded with tips to sharpen identification skills, and you will increase your knowledge of shorebird molts, plumages and aging. Learn to identify shorebirds by using diagnostic field marks supplemented by jizz or giss - general impression of size and shape. Test your new knowledge by doing interactive shorebird quizzes. Find out the best spots to see shorebirds in spring.
Program provided by Quest Nature Tours.
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Habitat Walk
NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 02:30 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre
Explore Point Pelee’s habitats! Point Pelee is home to 5 habitats, each with their own unique features. Point Pelee National Park’s Project Coordinator Dan Dufour will be on hand for a 1.5 hour walk introducing different habitats and the plants that call them home.
Registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
Program presented by Parks Canada. -
Spotlight on Restoration and Birds
NatureTime: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Join Andrew for a brief overview of the park's ongoing projects and restoration work, and discover the long-term benefits, goals and impacts on different bird species.
Program presented by Parks Canada.
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Infrastructure? That’s for the Birds with Marcel O’Gorman and Jen Clary-Lemon
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
If you were a barn swallow, how would you feel about moving from a 2000-square-foot-barn to a 4 x 8-foot gazebo by the side of Highway 401? In this lively and interactive talk, Marcel and Jen discuss successes and failures of government-mandated infrastructures created for at-risk bird species. Their arts-based responses to these mandates put human-bird relationships into focus and ask hard questions about solutionist approaches to building for birds.
Presented by the University of Waterloo.
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Wildflower Walk
NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre
Give your neck a break by looking down instead of up! Learn about the beautiful wildflowers that bloom in May, as well as other plants that might not normally catch your eye. Join Park Ecologist, Tammy Dobbie, for a 1.5-hour walk introducing you to some of the special plants found at Point Pelee.
Registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
Program presented by Parks Canada.
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Infrastructure? That’s for the Birds with Marcel O’Gorman and Jen Clary-Lemon
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
If you were a barn swallow, how would you feel about moving from a 2000-square-foot-barn to a 4 x 8-foot gazebo by the side of Highway 401? In this lively and interactive talk, Marcel and Jen discuss successes and failures of government-mandated infrastructures created for at-risk bird species. Their arts-based responses to these mandates put human-bird relationships into focus and ask hard questions about solutionist approaches to building for birds.
Presented by the University of Waterloo.
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AWE Workshop: Texture Trail with Kewy Janisse
Culture and entertainment NatureTime: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: $10 – single; $25 – family (up to 5 people). Rate set by the Friends of Point Pelee.Wheelchair AccessibleLocation: Meeting point DeLaurier House and Trail
Audience: Families and Kids
Facilitator: Kewy JanisseCome walk the Woodland Nature Trail and explore the textures of nature. We’ll rub the textures we find (like tree bark) onto paper templates that will be transformed into birds! All ages welcome.
Kewy Janisse is a multi-media artist living in Tecumseh, Ontario. An outdoor enthusiast, she uses textiles, found objects, and reclaimed/waste materials to explore our relationship with nature. Kewy was an Artist-in-Residence at Point Pelee in the summer of 2022, and looks forward to sharing some of the techniques and knowledge gained during that time that she now uses in her practice!
Pre-registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
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Spotlight on Shorebird ID
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
This workshop covers 28 regularly occurring spring migrant and breeding shorebirds, plus 8 rarer species that migrate through southern Ontario to their Arctic breeding grounds. The focus will be on Point Pelee area shorebirds. This workshop is loaded with tips to sharpen identification skills, and you will increase your knowledge of shorebird molts, plumages and aging. Learn to identify shorebirds by using diagnostic field marks supplemented by jizz or giss - general impression of size and shape. Test your new knowledge by doing interactive shorebird quizzes. Find out the best spots to see shorebirds in spring.
Program provided by Quest Nature Tours.
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Improving Your Hawk Identification Skills with Chris Earley
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Spotlight on Hawk Identification, bird book author and Quest Nature Tours leader Chris Earley shows us effective approaches in identifying hawks, including an opportunity to practice together.
Program provided by Quest Nature Tours.
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Spotlight on Savannah Restoration
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Learn about the savannah restoration project at Point Pelee National Park.
Join a member of the Resource Conservation team for a brief overview of the project and discover the long-term benefits, goals and impacts of the restoration work.Program presented by Parks Canada.
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Wildflower Walk
NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre
Give your neck a break by looking down instead of up! Learn about the beautiful wildflowers that bloom in May, as well as other plants that might not normally catch your eye. Join Park Ecologist, Tammy Dobbie, for a 1.5-hour walk introducing you to some of the special plants found at Point Pelee.
Registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
Program presented by Parks Canada.
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The Messenger, Documentary, 90 minutes
NatureTime: 12:00 PM - 03:30 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
THE MESSENGER explores our deep-seated connection to birds and warns that the uncertain fate of songbirds might mirror our own. Moving from the northern reaches of the Boreal Forest to the base of Mount Ararat in Turkey to the streets of New York, THE MESSENGER brings us face-to-face with a remarkable variety of human-made perils that have devastated thrushes, warblers, orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks and many other airborne music-makers.
English: 12 p.m.
French: 1:45 p.m.
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Spotlight on Restoration and Birds
NatureTime: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Theatre
Join Andrew for a brief overview of the park's ongoing projects and restoration work, and discover the long-term benefits, goals and impacts on different bird species.
Program presented by Parks Canada.
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AWE Workshop: Get Closer to Nature with Jessica Cook
Culture and entertainment NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: $10 – single; $25 – family (up to 5 people). Rate set by the Friends of Point Pelee.Wheelchair AccessibleLocation: White Pine
Audience: All ages
Facilitator: Jessica CookCalling all birders! Take a break from birdwatching and get ready to tick off clay-bird-sculpting on your life list. We might not be able to take home a kingfisher but creating your very own miniature bird effigy can offer incredible emotional relief and be a memorable keepsake. Whether you use a bird of prey, heron, woodpecker, sparrow, finch, swan, blackbird, jay, or any other usual suspect as your inspiration, come explore your artistic side & take home a lifer!
Jessica Rachel Cook is an Oji-cree from the wolf clan whose family is from Constance Lake First Nation and Bkejwanong First Nation. She is a formerly trained fine artist who works with traditional and contemporary mediums, photography, and multimedia to create works of art. She also is an educator who enjoys outreach initiatives with local communities and group art projects.
Pre-registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
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Wild Ontario
NatureLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre tent
Birds of prey are important parts of our ecosystem – Join Wild Ontario and learn more about these amazing creatures.
Saturday May 18 to Monday May 20, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
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AWE Workshop: Animated Owl Pellets with INCUBATOR Art Lab
Culture and entertainment NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: $10 – single; $25 – family (up to 5 people). Rate set by the Friends of Point Pelee.Wheelchair AccessibleLocation: Visitor Centre Classroom
Audience: Ages 10 and up
Facilitator: INCUBATOR Art LabExplore the fascinating world of biology and animation with INCUBATOR Art Lab! Learn how to combine science and art to create stop-motion animations made from owl pellets. Bring biology lessons to life through creative storytelling and hands-on exploration.
INCUBATOR Art Lab at The University of Windsor, founded in 2009, blends art, science, and ecology. Through creative programming, INCUBATOR Art Lab sparks ideas about biotechnology and its role in the natural world. Over the last 10 years, it's grown from an artist's studio to a research community, with student researchers and staff from various fields shaping its diverse projects. To read more, please visit the INCUBTAOR Art Lab website.Pre-registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
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AWE Workshop: Sun Prints with Sarah Smitherman
Culture and entertainment NatureTime: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: $10 – single; $25 – family (up to 5 people). Rate set by the Friends of Point Pelee.Wheelchair AccessibleLocation: West Beach (near Visitor Centre) Covered Shelter
Audience: Families and Kids
Facilitator: Sarah SmithermanBotanical Sun Prints - Explore photographic printing techniques during this family-friendly activity to create images that utilize the sun and other natural materials.
Sarah Smitherman is an interdisciplinary artist living in Windsor, Ontario whose practice consists of material explorations and the inclusion of found objects. She often explores notions of place, impermanence, and identity through her work. Sarah’s art has been displayed in exhibitions within Canada, Europe, and the United States.
Pre-registration required. Register on the Festival of Birds website.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
Don't miss the Moth Presentation with Maurice Bottos.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
Don't miss the Bat Presentation with Dan Riskin.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
Hosted by RASC - please check at the entrance kiosk for the location of programming in the park.
The park will stay open all night August 9 and August 10 for the Perseid Meteor Shower (Open at 6 a.m. August 9, close at 10 p.m. August 11)
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
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Self-guided Dark Sky Night
Culture and entertainment History NatureTime: 07:30 PM - 11:59 PMLocation(s): Point Pelee National ParkCost: Included with admissionWheelchair AccessibleExplore the park after dark and experience the dark skies of Point Pelee National Park. You will have the opportunity to stay late and experience the park at night.
The park is open until midnight, unless otherwise stated.
For more information please contact us at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca.
Related links
- At-home activities
- Red chairs
- Art at the oTENTiks - Invitation to Vendors
- Artist-in-Residence
- Bicycling
- Bird watching
- Canoeing and kayaking
- Dark sky nights
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Self-guided interpretive programs
- Shuttle to the Tip
- Camping and overnight accommodation
- Swimming
- Trails
- Festival of Birds
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