Free Discovery Day at Wellfleet Bay - October 20

Join us at the wildlife sanctuary from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. for Discovery Day, a day of free activities devoted to using all of the senses to learn and experience everything the sanctuary has to offer.

11:00 a.m. -  Ribbon-cutting ceremony and inauguration of our universal access Sensory Trail, an already wheelchair accessible section of the Goose Pond Trail that builds on the original Robert R. Read All Persons Trail, with 13 new posts providing natural and cultural history descriptions in print and Braille. An audio tour will also be available for download or check-out at the nature center.

The universal access trail is one of ten Mass Audubon is installing at wildlife sanctuaries across the state. Jerry Berrier, who served as a consultant on the Wellfleet project, says as a person who’s blind, he’s always happy when an organization takes the time to consider everyone in terms of accessibility.

Jerry says the audio tour will be very helpful.

“Not only will I know some of the things to expect when I arrive, but I can share more of the experience with a companion,” he adds.

There will also be printed and Braille trail guides and volunteer naturalists will be available to accompany visitors with advance notice or if a volunteer is available.

Other Discovery Day activities will include:

• 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sensory Exploration on the Trails - Discover nature through hands-on exhibits and education experiences on the trails that are designed to appeal to your senses of touch, taste, smell, and hearing. The aromatherapy formulator from Welstar Organics will be here to teach us how scents affect our mood and health. We'll be dip-netting in the marsh too!
• 10:30 a.m. - Talk: Connecting All People with Nature - Learn how Mass Audubon has developed ten ADA universally accessible nature trails with sensory-oriented interpretation for visitors with a wide range of vision, hearing, and mobility levels.
• 11 a.m. - Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. - Food and Ice Cream Trucks - Fiddlestix food truck and Lewis Brothers ice cream truck arrive!
• 11:30–2:30 p.m. - Glassblowing Demonstration - Glassblower Isabel Green of McDermott Glass Studio crafts sea turtles and whales.
• 1–3 p.m. - Costume Creations - Transform into a wild creature as we get crafty in anticipation of Halloween. We’ll play with texture and shape as we make our costumes.

Admission and all programs are free to everyone!