By Staff
Activities to include art exhibit, all-day birding excursions
By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles &Features Editor
January will be a month for celebrating at the North Carolina Estuarium as the facility marks its 11th anniversary.
Admission for the month has been reduced to $1 per person.
As part of the observance, the Estuarium will feature a retrospective exhibit, “Art and the Estuary Celebration,” showcasing the work of various artists who have been part of the Artist of the Month program. The theme of the exhibition is the unique nature of the Pamlico region.
A reception honoring the artists is planned for Jan. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will include live music, food and a silent auction. The reception is free and the public is invited.
The month long celebration at the Estuarium continues with a series of programs and special events.
On Jan. 3, the Storytellers Club will meet from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. This is an organizational meeting for local storytellers and all are invited to attend.
The Butterfly Society will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 13. This, too, is an organizational meeting for anyone interested in butterfly gardening, identification and raising butterflies. Guests will include Tanya Weyhrauch, horticulturist with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, and Dennis Burnette, a member of the Carolina Butterfly Society.
A Lake Mattamuskeet birding excursion is planned for Jan. 24. Participants will leave the Estuarium at 8:30 a.m. and return by 5 p.m. Transportation will be provided; bring a bag lunch and beverage. Preregistration and prepayment of a $15 program fee is required. For more information, call (252) 948-0000.
A Pungo Lake birding excursion is planned for Jan. 25. The trip involves a $15 program fee and participants will leave the Estuarium at 4 p.m. and return by 7 p.m. Transportation will be provided, and preregistration and prepayment are required.
Beginning Jan. 27 and running until March 17, the Estuarium will host a class, “Drawing and Painting from Nature.” The class will meet each Tuesday afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. and participants will learn about watercolors and basic drawing techniques. The class is open to beginners and more advanced artists; call for materials list. There is a $25 class fee and registration is required.
On Jan. 31, the documentary “Refuge Mattamuskeet” will be shown from 1 to 2 p.m. The film, produced by the award winning team of Emily and Blake Scott of Washington, focuses on the refuge in Hyde County. The Scotts will be present to discuss the making of the film. There is a $2 program fee and calling ahead is recommended since space may be limited.
The North Carolina Estuarium is located at 223 E. Water Street in Washington and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Estuarium is a Partnership for the Sounds facility, an organization promoting eco-tourism and sustainable economic development in the Albemarle-Pamlico region. For more information, visit www.partnershipforthesounds.org.