EVENTS @ A GLANCE
 (EC= “Ding” Darling Education Center)
(TBE = Tarpon Bay Explorers)

Please stay tuned for the 2012 "Ding" Darling Days calendar of events.

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011 FREE FAMILY FUN DAY 10:30am Flag-raising ceremony; FREE reusable “Ding” Days goodie bags to the first 500 kids, EC parking lot   11am Meet the Refuge mascot characters, EC parking lot Don't forget your camera for pictures with Bagzilla, the Blue Goose & Teddy Roosevelt.   12noon Bats Alive!, EC auditorium   12noon Live Indigo Snake Presentation, EC parking lot   1pm Conservation Cartoon Contest Presentation with Doug MacGregor, EC auditorium   1pm Bald Facts about the Bald Eagle Presentation, EC parking lot   2pm Exotics Hunter Presentation, EC auditorium   3pm Bats Alive!, EC auditorium Continuous throughout the day FREE shuttle service from Tarpon Bay Explorers (TBE) and IWA site (look for signs) FREE touch tank at TBE FREE Butterfly House FREE hands-on nature crafts FREE naturalist-narrated TBE Refuge tram tours (check in at tram booth) FREE admission to Wildlife Drive FREE face-painting in the EC Birding Room FREE hot dogs FREE environmental displays and info booths
WEEKLONG @ DDD Monday through Saturday            10am, 1pm, 4pm daily  Discounted Narrated Refuge Tram Tours              25% off: $9.75 adults, $6 children             Reservations accepted: 239-472-8900
Monday, Oct. 17 TECHNOLOGY IN THE OUTDOORS DAY     8:30-10:30am Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 8:30-10am Breakfast Nature & SeaLife Cruise 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11:25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 9am-3pm FREE Refuge Film Festival, EC Auditorium Seven select U.S. refuge films run throughout the day, each beginning on the hour. 9:30-11am Refuge Birding Tour Caravan, meet at EC flagpole Fee: $5 Refuge admission 10-11:30am Refuge Bike Tour, meet at EC flagpole Fee: $1 per car Refuge admission 10-10:30am FREE eBird Hands-on Demo, EC 10am FREE iNature Tour along Wildlife Drive, meet at EC flagpole and follow the ranger by car caravan for a trail intro. 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Manatees, TBE 1-2:30pm FREE Geo-caching Demo Tour, meet at EC flagpole, bring a GPS (limited supply for check-out at refuge) and follow the ranger by car caravan. 1-3pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1:30-3pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 2-2:30pm FREE eBird Hands-on Demo, EC 5-7pm Evening Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11.25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Sunset Paddle, TBE 25% off: $30 adults, $18.75 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900
Tuesday, Oct. 18 ANIMAL INVESTIGATION DAY 8:30-10:30am Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 9:30-11am Refuge Birding Tour Caravan, meet at EC flagpole Fee: $5 Refuge admission 11am-12noon FREE Animal Tracks & Scat Program, EC Lab 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Sea Turtles, TBE 1-2pm FREE CSI: Wildlife, with Cindy Mercado, USFWS Wildlife Inspector at Tampa airport, EC Auditorium 1-3pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1:30-3pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Evening Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11.25  children Reservations required: 239-472-8900
Wednesday, Oct. 19 CELEBRATE CALUSA DAY 8:30-10am Breakfast Nature & Sea Life Cruise 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11:25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 8:30-10:30am Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 9:30-11am Refuge Birding Tour Caravan, meet at EC flagpole Fee: $5 Refuge admission 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE  25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 11-2pm FREE Bunche Beach Birding Tram, meet at EC flagpole Limited number of reservations, call: 239-472-8900 12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Calusa Indians, TBE 1-3pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1-3pm  FREE Calusa Quest, EC Auditorium Calusa partners ("Ding" Darling, Mound  House, Randell Research Center) presentation followed by guided tours of the NEW Calusa Shell Mound Trail 1:30-3pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Evening Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11.25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Sunset Paddle, TBE 25% off: $30 adults, $18.75 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900
Thursday, Oct. 20 REFUGE DISCOVERY DAY 8:30-10:30am Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 9-10am FREE Beach Walk at Perry Tract, meet at Gulfside Park ($2/hr. parking fee) 9:30-11am Refuge Birding Tour Caravan, meet at EC flagpole Fee: $5 Refuge admission 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Dolphins, TBE 1-3pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1-2pm FREE Charles LeBuff Lecture & NEW Book-signing Images of America: J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR 1:30-3pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Evening Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11.25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900
Friday, Oct. 21 GET OUTDOORS! DAY 7:30am-6:30pm Wildlife Drive is open FREE to hikers/bikers, closed to vehicular traffic 8:30-10am Breakfast Nature & Sea Life Cruise 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11:25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 8:30-10:30am Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 10-11:30am FREE Refuge Bike Tour, meet at EC flagpole 10-11:30am Special Friday Refuge Tram Tour (Wildlife Drive is closed to all other vehicular traffic that day)  25% off: $9.75 adults, $6 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Sharks, TBE 1-2:30pm Special Friday Refuge Tram Tour (Wildlife Drive is closed to all other vehicular traffic that day)  25% off: $9.75 adults, $6 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1-3pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE 25% off: $22.50 adults, $15 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 1:30-3pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $15 adults, $9 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900  1-4pm FREE Bunche Beach Birding Tour, meet at Bunche Beach Limited number of reservations, call: 239-472-8900 On-site parking $1/hr. 4-5:30pm Special Friday Refuge Tram Tour (Wildlife Drive is closed to all other vehicular traffic  that day)  25% off: $9.75 adults, $6 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Evening Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE 25% off: $18.75 adults, $11.25 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900 5-7pm Sunset Paddle, TBE 25% off: $30 adults, $18.75 children Reservations required: 239-472-8900
Saturday, Oct. 22 CONSERVATION ART DAY 12noon-4pm All FREE events at “Ding” Darling Education Center FREE admission to Wildlife Drive 7:30am-6:30pm FREE art supplies for first 200 kids  12noon-1pm Wildlife Cartoonist Dave Horton draws wildlife portraits   for first 50 guests, EC Exhibit Area 12:30-1pm “Ding” Darling Days Nature Photography Contest Awards, EC Education Lab 1-3pm Duck Stamp Winners Presentation and  Awards with cookies and punch, EC  Auditorium Choice of Activities: 3pm Duck Stamp Artists Exhibit & Signings, EC Auditorium 3-4pm Cartooning with Jaye Boswell (free sketch journals), EC Education Lab 3-4pm Nature Sketching on Indigo Trail with artist Nancy Tome (free sketch journals), meet at EC flagpole 3-5pm Photography Tram Tour (first 30 signups at tram booth), meet at EC flagpole, compliments of Tarpon Bay Explorers and nature photographer Terry Baldwin