The educational programs of the Community Idea Stations –including Science Matters and Ready to Learn -- work with Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation in Richmond, VA to co-host this special day in the park, which offers local children and their families free hands-on fun exploring science and nature. Families also have the opportunity to complement outdoor exploration with indoor science and technology learning, by touring Community Idea’s TV and radio stations and seeing themselves on TV via the green screen.

This year, over fifty local community groups with expertise in outdoor adventure, healthy living, and environmental science offered activities ranging from archery and fishing, paddle boarding (on dry land), gardening, camping, art making, and much more –including live animals!

Attendance for the event typically averages over 4,500 people. The event is a wonderful way to engage the community and position Community Idea Stations’ educational programs as a go-to local resource for STEM education:

A local educator perhaps articulates the impact of this event best, especially when it comes to community engagement:  "Events like this are important to the community mainly for awareness and exposure--families might come for [the] Smokey Bear [character appearance], but leave knowing about the range of programs offered by the Community Idea Stations...As the "Community" Idea stations, the guests and patrons are the most important part.'"