FRESNO (KMJ) — A celebration of national heritage is taking place right across the country and right here in the valley. Yosemite National Park, alongside every other National Park in the country, is taking park in ‘National Park Week’.
It starts Saturday April 16th.
“It’s our centennial year, so 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service”, says Yosemite’s Scott Gediman.
“So usually on National Park Week we might have free entrance for a weekend, three of four days, but we’re doing it for the full week this year because we really want folks to focus on the National Parks and we’re really excited about it”.
And free entrance isn’t the only thing designed to tempt locals to Yosemite National Park.
“We’re going to have booths, exhibits, demonstrations”, continues Gediman. “And YARTS, the Yosemite Area Rapid Transportation System is also offering free bus rides from Fresno and Merced”.
Special events throughout the week also include showings of Ken Burn’s films ‘This is America’ and ‘The Nation Parks: America’s Best Idea’.
There are also special walks with park rangers, hikes with NPS Centennial partner, REI, and opportunities to become a Centennial Jr. Ranger. Each of the 410 National Parks throughout the country are taking park in the special week, which includes Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Death Valley National Park. The celebratory seven days starts Saturday April 16th, and ends Sunday April 24th.
More details on the celebrations to mark the centennial can be found clicking here.
