JANUARY 2026
The Field Guide THE COLUMBIA COUNTY OUTDOOR EDUCATION & EVENTS NEWSLETTER
In This Issue Weekly Classes Science Fair Outdoor Events and More!
Lil Waders REMINDER: REGISTRATION NOW OPENS ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE AT 8AM January Classes - Rock Cycle Only two weeks left for you to join us as we explore the rock cycle: make your own geode and explore our mineral collection!
Register for next week’s class here Next Month - Berry Painting Berry your winter blues in February with weekly classes on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th
Thrive Kids STAY ACTIVE THIS WINTER!
Participate in our free homeschool P.E. program each week at the Patriots Park Gym for children ages 5 - 10 years old. Registration opens 8am the Friday before each class. Thrive Kids starts at 10am and includes a guided physical activity, snack, and social time. Upcoming Class Schedule: Jan 15th FULL Jan 22nd - opens soon Jan 29th Feb 5th
Click here to register
Homeschool Science Fair REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! We welcome all homeschool students grades K-8 to explore the scientific method and share what they learned during the third annual Homeschool Science Fair! Join us at The Market Pavilion in Evans next to the PAC on Thursday, March 19th to compete for some really awesome prizes! Space is limited this year to 25 students per division
The Three Divisions: Primary Division is for students in kindergarten to 2nd grade Novice Division is open to students in grades 3 - 5 Junior Division is for middle school students, grades 6 - 8 Prizes are awarded to the 1st - 3rd place winners in each division
Click here to register your student in the fair!
Turkey Hunting 101 Class LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS!
Join us inside the Patriots Park Gym on Thurs, Feb 12th at 6:30pm as we learn about the hunting and conservation of America’s largest game bird from wild turkey experts. This class is open to anyone ages 10+ who wants to learn more about Georgia’s wild turkeys or is looking to get the most out of their upcoming hunting season!
Click here to register
Women’s Kayak Clinic SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST AT WILDWOOD PARK FROM 10AM - 3PM Meet new friends, learn new skills, and get outside during this partnership event with GA’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. Bring Your Own Boat - $20 Rent a Boat - $40
Registration opens Sat, Jan 24th at 8am! Click here to save your spot
The Wild Pages OUR MONTHLY BOOK CLUB FOR NATURE LOVERS Whether you love to read or just love the outdoors this is the book club for you! Love it, hate it, or didn’t finish it, we welcome you to camp out with us each month! This Month: January 27th at 6:30pm discussing The Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklöf Next Month: Feb 24th at 6:30pm to discuss The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
EcoTrips ANNOUNCING THE 2026 SPRING SERIES! We can’t wait to have you join us on these guided ecotourism day trips in and around the CSRA! Space is limited so be sure to save the date: March 12th Heggie’s Rock Preserve April 1st Steven’s Creek Heritage Preserve May 9th The State Botanical Garden of GA
More info coming soon!
Game Nights COME PLAY! Learning doesn’t have to be boring! Sneak in some education and family bonding time with free to play games from Cardboard Castle! Drop by the Wetland Interpretive Center anytime between 5 - 9pm on game nights to play a quick round of cards or get competitive with nature inspired board games. Next game night is on Tuesday, Feb 3rd from 5 - 9pm!
Wetland Interpretive Center Closure Notice Columbia County will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday, January 19th The Wetland Interpretive Center at Reed Creek Nature Park will also be closed to visitors on this day. It will reopen on Tues, Jan 18th.
Winter Visitor Hours are Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm and closed Sat & Sun