Fort Matanzas Earth Day Celebration

Fort Matanzas National Monument is hosting an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22, 2017, where visitors can learn more about colonial life in St. Augustine.

The event will feature demonstrations of how people in the nation's oldest city worked with local materials during colonial times to make baskets, plates, and bowls. Guests can try out these crafts for themselves, and are also invited to plant a seed in a recyclable cup to take home and watch grow in honor of Earth Day. A Soldier's Camp will be set up to showcase the life of the Spanish soldier and provide musket demonstrations. Kids can participate in a Treasure Chest Hunt, where participants are given a list of clues and a treasure map find the chests hidden in the park.

Additionally, both the Georgia Aquarium Conservation Field Station from Marineland and the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience of the University of Florida will offer educational information and hands-on demonstrations.

At 12:30 p.m., there will be a one-hour guided exploration of the unique ecosystems within the park at Fort Matanzas National Monument. The walk is appropriate for all ages. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and bottles of water.

Admission: Free.

When: From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Where: Fort Matanzas is located on Rattlesnake Island and visitors must take a ferry ride to get to it. Though the ferry is not currently operational (see note below), the Fort Matanzas Visitor Center and gift shop is open and is located at 8635 A1A, about 15 miles south of St. Augustine.

Please note: Ferry services from the Visitor Center to Fort Matanzas remain suspended due to damage from Hurricane Matthew. However, in addition to the Earth Day activities, visitors are welcome to walk the park trails and view the Fort across the waterway.