FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASA Returns to Grand Marais for the 6th annual Dark Sky Festival

Three-day event will celebrate the county's world-class dark sky and its impact on humans and nature.

Grand Marais, Minn. – November 11, 2024 – Mark your calendars for the 2024 Dark Sky Festival, an awe-inspiring celebration of the night sky, taking place from December 12-14, 2024 in the beautiful wilderness of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Hosted by Visit Cook County MN, this unique event invites stargazers, nature enthusiasts, and families to immerse themselves in the pristine night skies of the North Shore—one of the darkest and most stunning places to view the stars in the United States.

“We are really proud of how this festival has evolved over the past 6 years,” said Linda Jurek, executive director of Visit Cook County. “From the experts at NASA, to photography tips from professionals to personal experiences of the night sky - all of these stories continue to deepen our appreciation and understanding of the night sky by connecting the human experience with science.”

The festival will feature an exciting array of activities for attendees of all ages and interests:

Guided Night Sky Viewing: Join expert astronomers for stargazing sessions under the pristine dark skies as well as a guided tour through the cosmos via the traveling planetarium.
Dark Sky Dinners: Dine with fellow stargazers at cozy lodges on the edge of the boundary waters before gathering for an Astrophotography discussion.
Educational Presentations: Enjoy talks from experts and dark sky advocates, sharing insights into the importance of preserving natural nightscapes.
Family-Friendly Programming: Engage in fun, interactive activities tailored for all ages, such as crafts and storytelling sessions.
Live Performances and Storytelling: Hear stories that will capture your imagination and experience an artistic expression inspired by the night sky.

New this year, the Minnesota Star Tribune has joined as a sponsor of the festival and will be participating in the festival’s programming with a presentation on astrophotography and panel discussion about astrotourism.

“We are honored that the Minnesota Star Tribune has joined as a sponsor of this event,” said Jurek. “Their editorial staff has been a supporter of this festival since it started in 2018 as well as dark sky initiatives around the state. Their support has helped us continue to grow the event to what it is today.”

In addition to the presentations, there will be a book signing with visiting author Stephanie Vermillion whose new book “100 Nights of a Lifetime” is being released over the weekend. Along with an interactive dance performance by Morgan Thorson inspired by the night sky. Those looking to experience the night sky can participate in a guided tour of the cosmos with the Marshall W. Alworth Planetairum’s mobile planetarium complete with telescopes to view the night sky (weather permitting) as well as opportunities to go on small group tours with night vision monoculars where participants will have the opportunity to see both the stars and wilderness at night.

Find full schedule and details at www.visitcookcounty.com/darkskyfestival

FRIDAY, DEC.11
4 p.m. | Untitled Night Dark Sky Dance Performance | Rec Park (sledding hill), Grand Marais
6:30 p.m. | Wandering around Mars presentation by Andrea Jones, planetary geologist and the Public Engagement Lead of the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center | Grand Marais
7:30 p.m. | Cosmic Perspective: How Astrophotography Shifted My Perspective on the Cosmos & Earth by Kyle Johnson | Grand Marais

SATURDAY, DEC. 9
10 A.M. | Journey to the Mono & Mars: Touchdown! - Build Your Own Lander with NASA | Studio 21, Grand Marais
1 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. | UMD Portable Planetarium | Schapp Community Center, Gunflint Trail
3:30 P.M. | Asteroids, Meteors, & Comets, Oh My! | Gunflint Lodge
5:00 P.M. | Dark Sky Dinners - Gunflint Lodge or Borderland Lodge
7:30 P.M. | Astrophotogaphy & Astro Tourism | NEW! Northern Lights Lodge at Gunflint Lodge
Following the Star Tribune Program... Telescope Viewing & Night Vision Opportunities

Happening throughout the Festival
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Documentary: Northern Nights, Starry Skies | Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Art Exhibition: Dark Skies | Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, Grand Marais
Geminid Meteor Shower | From December 12 - 14, the prominent night sky constellation is the Geminid meteor shower. It appears to radiate from the constellation Gemini, peaking around the nights of December 13 & 14.

Visit Cook County, Minnesota
Visit Cook County encompasses the northeastern Minnesota communities of Lutsen, Tofte, Schroeder, Grand Marais, the Gunflint Trail and Grand Portage, commonly referred to as “the Arrowhead” and the “North Shore of Lake Superior.” Grand Marais, Minn., has earned several national accolades — most recently, it was named America's Best Small Lake Town by Travel & Leisure Magazine, USA Today’s Best Midwestern Small Town, and Outside Magazine’s The 16 Best Places to Live in the U.S. 2016. Rekindle your sense of adventure by exploring the Superior National Forest or paddling through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Discover what makes the communities of Cook County, Minn. “Naturally Unforgettable.” Connect on social media using #donorthmn, Twitter @CookCoVisitors, Facebook, or Instagram @donorthmn. Learn more at VisitCookCounty.com.

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Assets & Resources

Northern Minnesota was named one of the “25 amazing journeys for 2022” by National Geographic because of the region’s lack of light pollution and dark skies.
In 2020, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was named one of only 16 International Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the world.