Workshops and Activities
Join Yorklands Green Hub and discover Ten Tall Trees. During this guided walk throughout The Arboretum, you will have fun learning about top trees and the role keystone trees play in the food cycle. Be prepared to put your knowledge to the test for a chance to win a cool prize!
Meet at the English Gardens. Ten Tall Trees will begin at 11:15pm.
Yorklands Green Hub (YGH) is a non-profit organization working to create a one-of-a-kind green hub in Guelph for the benefit of the community on part of the former Guelph Correctional Centre (GCC) heritage lands. On them we aim to develop an education centre among the scenic streams, ponds, meadows, and trails. Until then, we refer to the area as the Yorklands site. YGH brings together businesses, organizations, and people of all ages, races, religions, ethnicities, gender identities, abilities and interests – to learn, innovate, work and share engaged stewardship of our land and its food, water, energy and cultural heritage.
Join Walnut Forest Academy for some creative family fun with an activity of I Spy Nature. This scavenger-hunt-inspired experience will have children and their families looking high and low, up close and far away to discover the natural world around them. This will be followed with a nature craft by using items found during the “I Spy Nature” activity.
Meet at the Gazebo. I Spy Nature will begin at 12:00pm.
Walnut Forest Academy is forging a new path in education for children to develop into independent thinkers, creative action-takers, and whole human beings. We offer holistically rooted full and part-time programs for children 3 to 8 years of age in experiential, hands-on, arts-integrated, and land-based learning. Our programs run from September to June (choose 2, 3, or 5 days per week). Walnut Forest Academy was established in 2023 by Dr. Traci L. Scheepstra, Ph.D. an award-winning teacher educator with over thirty years of experience in curriculum, teaching, and learning. She is accompanied by Lindsay Watt, B.Ed. an experienced teacher with over twenty years in education and swim coaching (NCCP Level 3). Walnut Forest Academy is nestled in the township of Eden Mills, ON, a charming community surrounded by walking trails, waterways, farmland, and forests.
Join the team from Speed River Bicycle (SRB) for a Flat Fix Workshop. This workshop is designed to have you comfortable and confident heading out on your own and handling a flat that may come your way.
You will learn:
- what equipment you need at home and on the bike
- how to remove the wheel roadside and at home
- how to remove the tire, inspect and assess the flat
- how to install and inflate the tire
There will be an opportunity to ask questions and gain hands on practice to tackle your next flat tire with confidence!
Meet at SRB tent. Activity will begin at 11:15am and 2:00pm
Speed River Bicycle - with over 30 years of expertise, you will find everything you need for the best cycling experience possible at Speed River Bicycle. Retail Store entrance located at 112 Wyndham St N, Guelph ON. Service Entrance located at 37 Chapel Lane, Guelph ON.
Join Dan the Nature Man for Mysteries of the Meadow. On this guided walk through the meadow, you will discover the beautiful flowers and weird and wonderful animals that call a meadow home. Among the bright colors of goldenrods and asters, we will find, with the help of sweep nets, a great diversity of insects, spiders, and other creatures that often remain hidden. Kids (and kids at heart!) will have fun collecting and identifying these fascinating “bugs” with the help of apps and a bug bingo game. All ages are welcome!
Meet at The Gazebo. Activity will begin at 1pm and is approximately 45 minutes in duration.
Dan the Nature Man began his career as a Wildlife Biologist and still maintains good connections with wildlife researchers. His passion is connecting kids (and adults) with nature. As a qualified teacher and avid naturalist, Dan is committed to taking children outside to experience our natural world. His goal is to instill a sense of reverence for nature in everyone that he teaches.
Dan has authored many nature and travel articles for a variety of journals, including ON Nature, WILD, and Canadian Geographic, among others. He received an Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Education award from the Ontario Society for Environmental Education and a Watershed Interpreters Network Award for Excellence in Watershed Education. Mostly, he loves connecting kids (and adults) with nature.
Join Heidi Torreiter, HT from Guelph Enabling Gardens (GEG) for Connecting with Nature. During this fun, hands-on workshop, you will follow the science and engage your senses as you explore easy, accessible ways of bringing nature connection into your everyday life. Heidi will help you discover new ways of connecting with nature and will share fun and interesting facts about how and why the natural environment is so beneficial to our mental well-being. All ages welcome!
Meet at Japanese Gardens. Activity will begin at 2:15
Heidi Torreiter, HT - Heidi is the registered Horticultural Therapist at the Guelph Enabling Garden in Riverside Park. Heidi’s early career focused primarily on children and adult mental health. Through her work over 23 years, she has watched people experience the profound benefits of making connections with nature through gardening, farming, hiking, caring for animals, and the arts. As the Enabling Garden Horticultural Therapist, Heidi works to provide inclusive and accessible horticultural therapy by sharing her love of gardening and nature with many unique populations in the community in a multi-use garden designed for people of all abilities.
Join Guelph Hiking Trail Club for The Arboretum Side Trail Hike. This one hour hike from Arboretum Centre will highlight the nearby trails, including the main Radial Line and the Arboretum Acorn Trail.
Meet at The Japanese Gardens. Activity will begin at 1:00 pm
Guelph Hiking Trail Club (GHTC) - GHTC is a non-profit, charitable organization that began in 1970 and seeks to stimulate an interest in hiking, establish and maintain hiking trails, encourage awareness of the natural environment, and promote the conservation of the environment. Guelph Hiking Trail Club organizes activities throughout the year for its members, including hikes of varying lengths, cross-country skiing outings, and biking events.