PHOTO: Lake City resident Phillip Virden leads a stargazing session with guests at Windy Point. Photo by Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun. From the article ‘“Reach up and touch the stars: The dark is starting to shine through Colorado’s astrotourism” by Erica Breunlin.
The stars will align in Lake City, Colorado, from June 7 – 11 to celebrate the night sky.
The Lake City Star Fest will showcase the extraordinary darkness of Hinsdale County through a wide variety of events that will intrigue both experienced astronomers and first-time stargazers. The Lake City Star Fest will feature the Dark-Sky Summit, an event for astronomy professionals, and free and low-cost events during the festival open to anyone interested in the night sky.
The Dark-Sky Summit is a 2-day ticketed event. This retreat-style gathering will convene astronomers and dark-sky professionals together to learn, network, and collaborate. Keynote speakers for the Summit are Colorado’s International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Board Chair and Western Slope Chapter President, Aaron Watson, and IDA Advocacy Intern, Michael Rymer. The Dark-Sky Summit will also feature guest speakers from various sectors of the industry, along with the opportunity for attendees to share updates from their organization or agency.
The Lake City Star Fest opens to the public on Thursday, June 8, kicking off with the Celestial Celebration held downtown at Lake City Arts. This ticketed event includes robust hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar while attendees celebrate the dark sky efforts of the Lake City community. The evening will feature art inspired by the night sky and astrophotography from local photographer Michael Underwood, a short film from the IDA, and a keynote presentation from Michael Rymer.
Fun for the whole family starts on Friday, June 9th, with a weekend full of astronomy and space-themed activities. Safely view the sun through a solar telescope, watch space and sci-fi-themed films at the Mountaineer Movie theatre, take in the night sky at a star party, and more! Local amateur astronomer Phillip Virden says “Star Fest will not only be celebrating Lake City’s beautiful starry night skies but also our historical, cultural connection with the universe.”
Information about the Lake City Star Fest can be found at www.lakecitystarfest.com. Tickets are limited for the Dark-Sky Summit and Celestrial Celebration and will go on sale March 1, 2023.
The Lake Fork Valley Conservancy is a nonprofit organization with a mission to facilitate land conservation, ecosystem health, and community resiliency in the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River Watershed through education and resource stewardship.
Lake City Skies is a community organization focused on promoting dark sky initiatives born from the passion of founder Phillip Virden. Lake City Skies provides in-person learning opportunities and information on the weather, science, and nature of the scenic skies of Lake City, Colorado.
The Lake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center promotes tourism and economic development by assisting member businesses, serving as an information center, and producing events that draw visitors to Lake City and Hinsdale County.