Dark Sky Festival
Dec. 11-13, 2025
Cook County is home to one of the darkest skies in the world. Every year, explorers, adventurers, artists and photographers from around the world travel to Cook County to experience the northern lights and night sky. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) has been named as one of only 17 certified International Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the world! And at over a million acres, it is the largest. Help us to celebrate our world-class dark sky at the Dark Sky Festival!
No tickets required for presentations or activities unless listed in description.
For 2025, we are proud to be bringing a variety of opportunities for you to explore the Night Sky!
- NASA Artemis scientists will be here presenting (Thursday 12/11 & Friday 12/12).
- UMD Planetarium (Saturday 12/13)
- Dark Skies Meet & Greet with Kelsey Oseid "What We See in the Stars" (Saturday 12/13)
- Dark Sky Friendly Business Awards!
- and much much more!
This event also features:
- Telescope Viewing
- Presentations
- Painting the Night Sky
- Family-Friendly Activities
THURSDAY, DEC. 11th
Kicking off the festival with a presentation by two of NASA's Artemis Scientists!
Join us at Gunflint Lodge's Northern Lights Lodge at 6:00 p.m. for a presentation with two of NASA's Artemis Scientists. Amber and Kiarre share their unique journeys as scientists supporting Artemis mission planning, science operations, and astronaut training. They’ll show you how space exploration can be pursued in exciting ways off the beaten path.
Dark Sky Stories & Bon Fire
Dark Sky Stories around the fire (or inside Northern Lights Lodge: weather dependent).
FRIDAY, DEC. 12
9:30 a.m. | Coffee & Cosmos | Borderland Lodge (Gunflint Trail)
Breakfast and meet and greet with dark sky enthusiasts. More details coming soon
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Dark Sky Art Activities | Joy & Co.
Followed by Presentations by:
- Bob King (professionally known as AstroBob)
- NASA Artemis Scientists (Kiarre & Amber)
- Kyle Johnson (Kj's Cosmos)
More details coming soon! *Location: Downtown Grand Marais*
SATURDAY, DEC. 13
Stop in at Drury Lane Books anytime during this two hour special event to meet the author and have your book signed!
1 p.m. - 3 p.m. | UMD Planetarium | *Location info coming soon (in Grand Marais)*
The Marshall W. Alworth director and students will be here with the portable planetarium. Step inside this portable dome for an interaction with the interactive night sky! Stop in anytime during this two hour event. Family-friendly fun - all ages are welcome to come and check out this amazing portable dome!
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Dark Sky Art Activities | Joy & Co.
In the evening (details coming soon)..
Light Pollution Presentation from Bob King (professionally known as AstroBob) and Dark Sky Friendly Business Awards presented by Starry Skies North!
Happening throughout the Festival
Geminids Meteor Shower
Geminids Meteor Shower - December 1 - 21, 2025 (Peak night December 12-13): Expect 40 to 50 meteors per hour
What are Meteor Showers? They occur when Earth passes through the debris trail of a comet or asteroid. These tiny bits of space rock burn up in our atmosphere, producing beautiful streaks of light known as "shooting stars."
Dark Sky Festival is a Visit Cook County Produced and Funded Event.
