Will County Forest Preserve Programs
Here are the Forest Preserve District of Will County programs for the week of Sept. 16. Online registration is available on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org.
Summer Send-Off Paddle: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, Monee Reservoir, Monee Township. Say goodbye to summer with a recreational evening paddle. Once off the water, hang by the fire to roast marshmallows and enjoy a beverage of your choice. (BYOB; beer or wine only.) Prior paddling experience is strongly recommended. Cost: $20 per person with watercraft; $10 per person without watercraft rental. Ages 21 or older. Register by Sept. 16.
Night Hike: 7-8:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, McKinley Woods – Frederick’s Grove, Channahon. Join a naturalist to discover the wonders of the woods in darkness. Wear comfortable hiking shoes, no flashlights, please. Free, all ages. Register by Sept. 17.
Summer Send-off Fishing Derby: Two-hour sessions will be offered at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Hidden Lakes Trout Farm, Bolingbrook. Close out summer with a fishing excursion. The Forest Preserve will provide one free container of nightcrawlers. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest catch, with first- second- and third-place prizes awarded. The first 25 registrants will receive a free giveaway. Cost: $5 per person; ages 5 or older. Register by Sept. 21.
Garlic Sale: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Thorn Creek Nature Center booth at the Park Forest Main Street Market, 152 Main St. next to Dollar General. Twenty varieties of garlic bulbs, all grown at Thorn Creek’s historic farm, will be sold for eating and for planting this fall. Garlic will be sold for $3 per bulb to benefit Thorn Creek Nature Center. Planting information will be available.